COPYRIGHT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Page Updated: 9 October 2025
Operated by Steven Patrick Sim t/a The Tartan Artisan®
Governing Law: Scotland | Framework: UK Copyright, Designs & Patents Act 1988 (CDPA)
1. Purpose of This Policy
This policy explains how copyright, design rights, and intellectual property (IP) are owned, protected, and permitted for use across all creative works produced by The Tartan Artisan® — including artwork, tartan designs, fine-art prints, photographs, written materials, and branded products.
It protects both the creative integrity of Steven Patrick Sim as the author and designer, and the rights of customers and collaborators engaging with his work.
2. Copyright Ownership
Unless stated otherwise, all creative works displayed on this website and associated platforms — including but not limited to:
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Visual artworks, tartan designs, textile patterns, and photography
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Product descriptions, narratives, and written copy
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Logo designs, brand marks, and trade dress
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Digital assets, product images, and layout elements
are the copyrighted property of Steven Patrick Sim t/a The Tartan Artisan® and are protected under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (UK) and relevant international treaties (Berne Convention, WIPO).
All rights are reserved worldwide.
3. Trademarks & Brand Identity
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“The Tartan Artisan®” is a registered trademark (UK) and may not be used without prior written consent.
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Associated brand identifiers — including “TARTAN250”, “TARTAN.LOVE”, and specific tartan collection names (e.g. Star-Spangled Banner®, The Angels’ Share®, Earthrise Tartan®, North Sea Oil®, and The Declaration 1320®) — are protected under passing-off and goodwill principles in Scots law.
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Any unauthorised use of these names, imagery, or marks for commercial gain is strictly prohibited.
4. Design Rights
Original tartan designs created by Steven Patrick Sim are recorded in the Scottish Register of Tartans, which provides a public record of authorship and registration date.
Design rights subsist automatically from the moment of creation, including rights in:
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Colour palette and sett structure
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Conceptual narrative and symbolic meaning
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Associated textile artworks, graphics, and digital renderings
Fabric mills, partners, or third parties weaving or reproducing these designs do so under express licence only.
5. Use of Images & Content
Personal Use
You may view, share, or link to content from this website for personal, non-commercial purposes, provided proper credit is given to The Tartan Artisan®.
Editorial or Press Use
Press outlets, museums, and event organisers may reproduce low-resolution imagery for editorial coverage with credit lines such as:
Image © Steven Patrick Sim / The Tartan Artisan®
High-resolution images for publication or broadcast require prior written permission.
Commercial or Derivative Use
No person or organisation may copy, reproduce, sell, distribute, adapt, or make derivative works from any content, design, or artwork belonging to The Tartan Artisan® without explicit licence.
For licensing or collaboration enquiries, contact enquiries@thetartanartisan.com.
6. Collaborative & Partner Works
Certain products and imagery may involve collaboration with trusted partners:
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theprintspace – fine-art printing and framing of limited editions.
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Contrado Imaging Ltd – print-on-demand textiles and accessories.
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Glenisla Kilts – production of custom Highland wear.
All partners operate under agreements that respect and preserve the IP rights of The Tartan Artisan®.
Partners may only reproduce artworks for fulfilment of authorised orders.
7. Customer Rights
When you purchase a product or artwork, you acquire ownership of the physical item — not the copyright to reproduce or distribute the design.
Digital downloads, images, and print files remain protected and licensed only for personal display or use as described.
Commissioned works and bespoke tartans may include specific licensing clauses, detailed within individual contracts.
8. Third-Party Content
Some materials (e.g. photography, logos, or fonts) may appear under licence from third-party creators or suppliers.
Such content remains the property of their respective owners and may not be reused without permission.
9. Infringement & Enforcement
We actively monitor the unauthorised use of our designs and brand materials.
If you believe your work has been used on our platforms without permission, or if you wish to report potential infringement of The Tartan Artisan® IP, please contact enquiries@thetartanartisan.com with details and supporting evidence.
We reserve the right to take legal action, including cease-and-desist orders and damages claims, for any breach of intellectual property rights.
10. Takedown Requests
If you are a copyright holder and believe any content displayed on this site infringes your rights, please send a written notice to:
Legal Department
The Tartan Artisan® Studio, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland
✉ enquiries@thetartanartisan.com
Include:
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Your name and contact details
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Description and proof of the copyrighted work
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URL or location of the alleged infringement
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A statement confirming good-faith belief that use is unauthorised
We will respond within 7 business days and, where appropriate, remove or replace the content pending investigation.
11. Moral Rights
As author and designer, Steven Patrick Sim asserts his moral rights under Part I, Chapter IV of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the creator of all original works displayed herein.
These rights remain in force in perpetuity and may not be waived or assigned.
12. Limitations of Liability
While we strive to maintain accuracy, The Tartan Artisan® assumes no liability for loss arising from reliance on published material or unauthorised third-party use of our designs.
Use of any material from this site is at your own risk.
13. Governing Law
All copyright and IP matters are governed by Scots law, with exclusive jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.
14. Updates to This Policy
We may revise this policy periodically to reflect changes in law, branding, or partnerships.
The most current version will always appear on this page, dated at the top.
15. Contact
Steven Patrick Sim
The Tartan Artisan® Studio, Arbroath, Scotland
✉ enquiries@thetartanartisan.com
16. Registered Rights Portfolio (Selected Works, 2025 Edition)
This summary highlights public registrations relevant to the current catalogue. It is not exhaustive.
Registered Portfolio (Text Summary View below)
The following section provides a text-based version of selected public registrations from our intellectual property portfolio. This complements the visual table above and ensures accessibility, searchability, and legal clarity across all devices and platforms.
The Angels’ Share® Tartan
UK Registered Design: 5002317 (2016)
UK Trade Mark: UK00003649035
Declaration of Scottish Independence, Arbroath 1320 Tartan
UK Registered Designs: 4036938 (2012), 6104302 (2020)
UK Trade Mark: UK00003138756 (The Declaration 1320®)
Declaration of Arbroath – 7th Centennial Anniversary Tartan (1320–2020)
UK Registered Design: 6085120 (2020)
Earthrise Tartan®
UK Registered Design: 5003477 (2016)
UK Trade Mark: UK00003879975
North Sea Oil® Tartan
UK Registered Design: 6104311 (2020)
UK Trade Marks: UK00002653520, UK00003169334
Star-Spangled Banner® Tartan
UK Registered Designs: 6104320 (Colour, 2020), 6147549 (Greyscale, 2021)
UK Trade Mark: UK00003667073
U.S. Design Patent Application: 29/800,256 (Patent Pending)
For licensing or permitted use queries, please email:
enquiries@thetartanartisan.com
End of Copyright & Intellectual Property Policy
(This policy forms part of The Tartan Artisan® Legal Framework and applies across all domains including TARTAN250 and Tartan.LOVE.)