Small Fashion Designers Struggle to Stop Copies of Their Work

By Liana Walker

Topic: Fashion

On June 25, 2026, at 5:40 am

Jo Smith says her dress was copied by Shein.

In short:

Australian designers say they can't get help from the government when their work is copied by companies like Shein.

Brisbane designer Kristian Williams says customers are tricked into buying low-quality copies of his clothes.

What's next?

The Australian Fashion Council wants to help local designers by making more clothes in Australia and teaching consumers about the problem.

Jo Smith felt like she was getting passed around by government departments when she tried to get help.

She found out her dresses were being copied when a customer's daughter saw them on Shein.

Jo Smith's customers told her about the copies on Shein.

Jo Smith is worried about the damage the copies will do to her business.

The copies used her own pictures, which upset her.

Jo Smith contacted seven government departments, but they just sent her to someone else.

No one would help Jo Smith, and she didn't know what to do.

It took three days to get the copies taken down.

Small designers say it's too hard to keep asking Shein to remove copies of their work.

One of Jo Smith's designs sold out while she was trying to get the copies taken down.

Jo Smith didn't make more of that dress because it was on Shein.

The copies affect her business.

Jo Smith's customers supported her and pointed out the fake clothes online.

They feel bad for her because they know how much love she puts into her clothes.

'Roadblock after roadblock'

Kristian Williams designs clothes with his mom.

Some designers are scared to speak up against big companies.

But Kristian Williams is not afraid.

He made a big deal when he found one of his clothes being sold by another company.

He says he will shout about it and stand up to those companies.

Kristian Williams has problems with 'ghost stores' that pretend to be local.

They use his pictures to sell copies of his clothes.

Like Jo Smith, Kristian Williams' pictures are used to sell fake clothes.

He's worried about customers being tricked into buying low-quality copies.

He reported the ads, but no one responded.

The ads are confusing people, and Kristian Williams doesn't want customers to think the fake clothes are his.

Kristian Williams draws the pictures on his clothes himself.

Some good came out of the copies: new customers found his brand.

People buy the fake clothes, realize they're bad, and then find Kristian Williams' real clothes.

They search online and find his brand.

Kristian Williams shared a picture of a fake version of his clothes on Instagram.

The ACCC says businesses in Australia must follow consumer laws.

If a product is not as described, the customer might be able to get a refund.

When the ABC told Shein about the copies, they removed them from their site.

Shein said they take down products when they get complaints from people who own the rights.

If they find out someone is breaking the rules, they take action.

International approaches

The Australian Fashion Council says the rise of fast fashion has made it easier for companies to copy designs.

Overseas manufacturers can now access Australian brands more easily and make copies cheaply.

But the low price doesn't include the hard work that Australian designers do.

It doesn't include costs like labor, product safety, and taxes.

Marianne Perkovic wants to educate consumers about the problem.

The AFC has a three-part plan to solve the problem: make more clothes in Australia, teach consumers, and tax overseas companies.

Since the US introduced tariffs, Shein's sales have gone down.

Other countries have introduced taxes and laws to deal with fast fashion.

France has banned ads from fast fashion companies and introduced a fee.

In New Zealand, they introduced a 'Temu tax' on low-value items.

Australia has a voluntary scheme to make clothing more sustainable, but it doesn't include overseas companies like Shein.

Shein and Kmart say the designs they're accused of copying are similar to existing designs.

When asked for comment, the Attorney-General's office sent the ABC to IP Australia.

IP Australia sent the ABC to the Industry Minister, who didn't comment.

The Small Business Minister said when designers have their work copied, it's not just a copy - it hurts their business.

The Minister knows it's hard for small businesses to enforce their rights, so they need advice and support.

The Queensland Attorney-General will support local designers.

The Queensland Minister for Small Business says the state provides resources to help designers navigate intellectual property laws.

On June 25, 2026, at 5:40 am

On June 25, 2026, at 11:01 am

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