To counterfeit my daughters Christmas presents?

[Wazzitnow]

OK, so she's into some obscure person ATM. Shes autistic and her people of interest changes bi yearly.

Right now it's this person who has a clothing range that is only available in the USA and is crazy expensive. $100 for a hoodie "$40 for a Tshirt type thing.

She's never seen his merch in real life and it's really cheap iron on kind of stuff.

And his inside label tag is very simple.

I have a printing machine and could very easily forge the items and make the label for inside the collar too.

I don't want to spend that much money on some obscure Tshirt with 1 word on just for the label.

But in true autistic teen style this is all she wants.

I'd get charged import fees too.

It's unlikely she would ever know because ei doubt she will ever come across a real piece of merch from him

And the style he has along with the label he has means it would be super easy to make and there would really be no way for her to know.

I wouldn't be selling them obviously. Just a few items, couple of Tshirts and a hoodie for her.

Would be around £35 quid instead of £200+!

And I know she won't be into him by summer either which makes me even more reluctant.

It's not saving you £100s of pounds though. You're still having to buy the stuff to make it. So it's costing you more than if you just don't get a t-shirt and the trainers and art stuff will be enough

I've done this for mine. They have no idea.

It's a fraction of the cost to see the same smile on her face.

The effort I have to put in to make it is well worth the reaction. I know she will be over the moon and non the wiser.

I'd just rather pay £30 than £230

And ten her budget for other stuff is much bigger.

It's a win win all round.

Just a reminder counterfeit items are usually made by people on very little of any money, usually it's child labor and the money is used to traffic drugs, people, guns etc. It's not victimless.

Do it.

If you were copying something that actually involved some design skill then I’d discourage it, but this sounds like the influencer is charging ridiculous money for poor quality, basic clothing with cheap simple text on.

I did something similar many years ago when Harry Potter ‘Bertie Bots’ beans were stupidly expensive: just bought normal multi-flavoured jelly beans and put them in a nice jar. Loads cheaper and DD ended up with more sweets for less cost.

Umm. It's me making them. They're not counterfeit by any marginalised group.

I'll buy a fruit of the loom Tshirt and make it myself.

I am going to ask questions from the autism angle. Are you sure she won't know/find out the only reason I ask is the my Autistic son would never forgive me or forget if I did this & I would suggest that if this is even a possibility it is not worth the risks/repercussions

Another vote for doing it yourself here!

I'd do it

DON’T DO IT

if she’s a super fan as you suggest, she’ll realise it’s counterfeit. If she posts things online, the fandom will likely point out it’s counterfeit. She will find out & feel utterly embarrassed

I wouldn't because if she's really into it, she may detect a difference between what you produce and what is online/others have. If she was 7 or something, it might be different.

I don't like ever telling lies though about stuff like that, I got my daughter a designer bag off Vinted a while back and she absolutely loved it but asked me if I paid full price, I told her the truth!

As someone who avoids lying so much that it can get me into trouble and/or cause anxiety I just couldn't lie about it. That said, if you are like most 'normal' folk and happy with the odd lie here and there then it's not a huge issue, providing she won't somehow find out. If you had said you were going to buy counterfeit then I agree with the points made by the other poster, but making in making it yourself you know the process. Technically you are probably breaching copyright I'd think too.

No, she's not on any social media at all.

It's just her own little world.

She made her own posters of him, paintings, printed out stuff all over her walls but she's not really in any groups.

She isn't really like that.

It's just her own private thing.

It's hard to show without being outing but there's really no way to tell.

It's just very, very basic merch.

You're lying to your child and for no good reason.

This!
Imagine her face when she's told it's fake

OK :) Thanks for your input :)

Why cannot you tell her you cannot afford the real thing, maybe offer to give her some money toward the real thing she has to save for the rest. If she finds out it’s fake she will never trust you again.

I couldn’t lie to my teen. I would feel awful. I can see that that might seem irrational to some.

Sick of what shit? Someone making a tshirt for personal use? If you're sick of that shit you need to have a word with yourself. Totally different to someone ripping off things and selling them.

I am also a designer and online seller just for reference, I dont copy designs but absolutely would for personal use as long as I'm not selling it.

:) you're welcome :)

OK thanks for the input.

I'm hiding this now as I'm going to make them. :)

No point in reading how awful I am again and again! A liar ect 😂

I know they will be identical and she will be happy so that's all that's important to me.

Thanks again and have a lovely evening everyone! ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Even “very basic merch” has challenges with producing a replica such as sourcing the exact shade of yellow (or blue, green etc) or the exact placement of the design, or exact spacing between letters. if she’s fixated on details, she’ll realise. It could even be as simple as the fit not being right. Too long/too short/different sleeve lengths, oversized vs tight fit.

I think you should be honest & say you made it at home. People spot bootleg shit really easily. Her friends at school might notice etc. don’t insult her intelligence

I would absolutely do this
It's just customising a T shirt, not counterfeit goods

I received a fake care bear when I was a child. My mum couldn’t afford a real one, so a friend who made bears did a replica. I had no idea. Now I can see it looks nothing like the real ones - but I loved it and it was a great gift. I actually still have the ragged poor thing, 40 years later!
I am not traumatised, I don’t hate my mother and I have never need counselling for care bear trigger points - your dd will be fine!!

Just a reminder OP is making the counterfeit goods herself. It's literally in the opening post. That's all you had to read!

@Wazzitnow I'd do it. I wouldn't if it was some kind of original art design, but for a "banana" logo from some blogger that undoubtedly gets the merch from a sweatshop? Yeah, I'd do it. Not like they can claim the moral high ground now is it?