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Semi Custom Patches


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I found a website one time that sold patches that were general styles and images, but you were able to add your own text. That is why I asked about semi-custom patches. I cannot find the link again. Can someone send it to me if they find it. I am thinking about trying to get some patches like this for the pack activities that we have.

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Proceed with caution dad! If you find the site, for you to add any of the over 70 BSA protected logos or phrases the manufacturer will need to be a BSA licensed dealer.

 

Other wise you could both be in violation of federal trademark laws.

 

The link provided in the prvious post does not diplay the BSA Seal that they would have recieved had they been an approved vendor.(This message has been edited by Bob White)

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FYI Bob,

 

The Patch Place does not use the BSA logo on their patches, they use a plain fleur-de-lis symbol which is not copyrighted and is used worldwide for a wide variety of things and organizations. By the way the violation of a copyright would be the problem of the manufacturer not the buyer.

 

So Dad go ahead and use the Patch Place they have been in business for a long time and the BSA is fully aware of what they manufacture and there is no problem, in fact some scout stores use them for the generic scout patches, like pinewood derby,camporee,first aid, popcorn, scout sunday, etc.

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Sctdad wrote "I found a website one time that sold patches that were general styles and images, but you were able to add your own text.

 

Once he adds text that connects the fluer-de-lis with BSA scouting, words such as Cub Scout Pack,and others, it no longer becomes ageneric symbol, it becomes the protected emblem of the BSA and the manufacturer would need to be a licensed vendor.

 

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Here is another example of too much HASSLE in Scouting, a.k.a., Scouting Trademark Protection Gone Wild. It's all about $$$.

 

I wanted a local shop, that I have done business for years, to embroider a dozen camp t-shirts (Made in USA) for my scouts. I supplied the shirts and the added embroidery came to just under $100. So a small order, no setup charge, and he allows me to supply the shirts, gotta love this shop. The words were simply

 

Troop XXX BSA

Camp YYYY

 

But the shop was not licensed by the BSA (cost $250) and a "licensed" shop would not embroider any shirts that I supplied! However at the "licensed" shop, I could buy their (offshore) shirts + minimum order of 24 shirts + embroidery for a cost of $26/shirt. What a deal! A scout is thrifty, so I dropped the "BSA" over the BS.

 

My guys had economical Made in USA t-shirts with words

Troop XXX USA

Camp YYYY

 

Any patches that I design for the troop now have no BSA trademark. Our new Class B's will be silk screeened locally and will not have any BSA trademarks on them.

 

I can understand the BSA wanting a percentage on commercial products using the BSA trademarks; I cannot understand why they want to hassle units making patches and shirts for their own use. We certainly do not make any money.

 

Interested in reading Scouting Trademark Protection Gone Wild?

http://www.bsalicensing.org/council_faq.htm

 

Warning, I plan to trademark "BS". So that any use of "BS" will require a license from me. I expect to get rich off of "BS". You thought I was going for the "Gone Wild"?

 

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Of course its about money! Why should the patch manufacturer be allowed to make money using trademarks he does not have permission to use? He must pay a royalty to the owner of the logo.

 

Unless he is a licensed vendor with the trademark holder he cannot use anyone's trademark. Why did you think trademarks exist? (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

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The license fee is passed on to his customers, so Troop XXX would have paid the $250 + $100 job cost for a total of $350. Still less than the "licensed" shop, but why should we pay the BSA for the "privilege" of embroidering BSA on our BSA Troop XXX camp shirts?

 

Your trademark is your corporate identity, your "good name"; you register a trademark to protect your "good name" so that others cannot malign it or profit from it. You then may or may not choose to license it use to third parties. Here, the BSA is protecting it's trademark from itself (Troop XXX). Troop XXX is using the trademark, not the local shirt shop.

 

Well doesn't matter now, I do not use any BSA trademarks, so the BSA is SOL.

 

Warning, I plan to trademark "SOL" also...

 

 

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BSA really needs to craft a blanket "small order waiver" to address this problem. A unit that is trying to have 10 shirts made should not have to deal with a $250 registration fee for the local shirt shop. The waiver could include guidelines on what is acceptable. I agree that BSA needs to control and protect its trademarks and copyrights, but it should place that interest after the best interests of unit programs. (I feel BSA is making the same mistake by limiting certain publications to print versions, in particular the merit badge pamphlets.)

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Bob

 

You give out misinformation once again, the fleur de lis is not and never has been a registered trademark, its origin goes back to early French history. As long as the patch does not say BSA or Boy Scouts of America IT IS NOT A COPYRIGHT VIOLATION, it can say pinewood derby, klondike derby, etc. This was verified by our National BSA scout shop manager, straight from the National supply division. The words pack, troop, crew are also not copyrighted and can be used on a patch with a fleur de lis. You need to check with someone who knows what they are talking about before you state what is not true Bob.

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"Of course its about money! Why should the patch manufacturer be allowed to make money using trademarks he does not have permission to use?"

 

Yes, it's about more money for BSA and their special friends.

 

Until recently, units were allowed to have local shops make clothing with BSA logo with no fuss, no muss. Now BSA says that they want to be sure that the quality is up to snuff. Yeah, right!

 

Until recently, you could photocopy BSA literature without a problem. Now, you can no longer go to the local copy shop to reproduce health forms. You can do it at your office but many employers don't like that idea.

 

It's all about mo-money!

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Units can still use local shops. The BSA will allow a shop within the geographic confines of the council to serve that one council without a license. They cannot however go outside the council without being licensed. That change was only recently announced.

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