1. Purpose
The Crafter’s Market Network (CMN) recognizes that artificial intelligence and other digital technologies are increasingly used by artists, makers, designers, and small businesses.
CMN does not prohibit the use of artificial intelligence in the creative or production process. AI may be used as a tool for inspiration, idea development, design assistance, marketing, business branding, and the creation of visual or written elements incorporated into products.
The purpose of this policy is to promote transparency, protect original creators, and ensure that products are accurately represented to customers while allowing vendors to responsibly use emerging creative technologies.
2. Permitted Uses of AI
Vendors may use artificial intelligence tools as part of their creative, design, production, branding, marketing, or business processes.
Permitted uses include, but are not limited to:
- Generating ideas, concepts, themes, or inspiration.
- Creating reference images that a vendor may draw, paint, design, or otherwise create from.
- Brainstorming product concepts.
- Assisting with layouts, backgrounds, patterns, graphics, or other design elements.
- Generating visual elements that are incorporated into a vendor’s finished design.
- Creating or assisting with graphics used on apparel, tumblers, signs, stickers, prints, merchandise, or other products.
- Assisting with editing, enhancement, or modification of artwork.
- Creating or assisting with business logos and branding materials.
- Creating booth signage, banners, yard signs, business cards, flyers, and promotional graphics.
- Writing product descriptions, advertising, social media content, or other marketing materials.
- Assisting with business planning and administrative tasks.
The use of AI does not automatically make a product or vendor ineligible for participation in a CMN event.
3. AI-Generated Elements in Products
CMN permits vendors to incorporate AI-generated artwork, graphics, patterns, text, or other elements into products offered for sale, provided those products otherwise comply with CMN policies.
A vendor is not required to personally draw or illustrate every individual element appearing on a finished product.
For example, a vendor may use an AI-generated graphic as part of a design that is subsequently printed, transferred, engraved, sublimated, embroidered, painted, or otherwise incorporated into a finished product.
However, vendors must accurately represent the nature of their work and may not claim that AI-generated artwork was personally hand-drawn, hand-painted, photographed, or illustrated by the vendor when that is not the case.
4. AI as Inspiration or Reference
CMN specifically permits vendors to use AI-generated content for inspiration and reference.
For example, a vendor may generate a concept or reference image using AI and then use that image as inspiration for:
- A drawing.
- A painting.
- A digital illustration.
- An embroidery design.
- A craft project.
- A shirt or merchandise design.
- A decorative item.
- Another original creation.
Using AI to develop or visualize an idea does not, by itself, diminish the vendor’s creative contribution to the finished work.
5. Transparency and Misrepresentation
CMN’s primary concern regarding AI is transparency and accurate representation, rather than prohibiting the technology itself.
Vendors must not intentionally misrepresent how a product or piece of artwork was created.
For example, a vendor should not describe an AI-generated image as:
- “Hand Drawn by Me”
- “My Original Painting”
- “Original Photography”
- “Personally Illustrated”
- “100% Hand Illustrated”
unless those statements accurately describe the creation of the work.
Vendors may accurately describe themselves as the designer, maker, printer, producer, or creator of a finished product when appropriate to their actual contribution.
6. Signage, Vendor Branding, Logos, and Advertising
CMN recognizes that artificial intelligence is increasingly used to create business branding and promotional materials.
Vendors may use AI to create or assist in creating:
- Business logos.
- Business names or branding concepts.
- Booth signs.
- Booth banners.
- Yard signs.
- Event signage.
- Business cards.
- Flyers and brochures.
- Promotional graphics.
- Advertisements.
- Social media graphics.
- Website graphics.
- Other materials used to identify or promote the vendor’s business.
AI-generated or AI-assisted business branding is permitted by CMN and does not, by itself, affect a vendor’s eligibility to participate in a CMN event.
Vendors are not required to disclose that AI was used to create their logo, signage, branding, or promotional materials solely because artificial intelligence was involved in their creation.
Product Claims on Signage
While AI-generated branding is permitted, all booth signage, banners, product labels, packaging, advertisements, social media promotions, websites, and other representations made in connection with a CMN event must accurately describe the vendor’s products and creative process.
Vendors may not use signage or promotional statements that reasonably create a false or misleading impression that AI-generated artwork was personally hand-drawn, hand-painted, photographed, or illustrated by the vendor.
For example, statements such as:
- “Original Artwork by [Vendor]”
- “Hand Illustrated”
- “Hand Drawn”
- “Original Photography”
- “Painted by [Vendor]”
- “Personally Illustrated”
should only be used when they accurately describe the work being offered.
General descriptions such as:
- “Handmade”
- “Handcrafted”
- “Designed by [Vendor]”
- “Made by [Vendor]”
- “Created by [Vendor]”
may be used when they accurately describe the vendor’s contribution to the finished product.
Requirements for AI-Assisted Branding
AI-generated or AI-assisted logos, signage, banners, and promotional materials must:
- Not infringe upon another business’s trademark, copyright, logo, or other protected intellectual property.
- Not intentionally imitate another vendor, business, organization, artist, or brand.
- Not be designed in a manner that could reasonably cause customers to believe the vendor is affiliated with another business or organization when no such affiliation exists.
- Not contain content otherwise prohibited by CMN policies.
- Not make false or misleading claims regarding the vendor, their products, or their creative process.
CMN may require a vendor to remove, cover, correct, or modify signage, logos, banners, product labels, packaging, advertising, or promotional materials that CMN reasonably determines violate CMN policies or contain false or misleading representations.
The purpose of these requirements is not to require vendors to advertise their use of AI. CMN permits AI-generated branding and signage. The purpose is to ensure that branding and promotional materials do not mislead customers, infringe upon the rights of others, or misrepresent how products were created.
7. Original Artists and Creative Work
CMN strongly supports artists and makers who create original illustrations, paintings, photography, designs, and other creative works.
Vendors may not intentionally use AI to reproduce, imitate, or closely copy the identifiable work of another artist, maker, designer, photographer, business, or CMN vendor.
This includes prompting an AI system specifically to reproduce another creator’s work for the purpose of selling competing or substantially similar products.
The fact that an AI system generated an image does not remove a vendor’s responsibility to respect the creative and intellectual-property rights of others.
8. Intellectual Property
The use of artificial intelligence does not exempt vendors from CMN’s Intellectual Property Policy or applicable copyright, trademark, publicity, or other intellectual-property laws.
Vendors are responsible for ensuring they have the appropriate rights to manufacture, display, advertise, and sell their products.
AI-generated content involving copyrighted characters, protected logos, trademarks, celebrities, artwork, photographs, or other protected intellectual property may still violate CMN policies or applicable law.
The fact that an image, logo, design, or other material was generated using AI does not automatically make that content legally permissible to use or sell.
9. Disclosure to CMN
CMN may ask vendors whether AI was substantially involved in the creation of artwork or designs offered for sale.
When asked, vendors are expected to provide an honest description of how AI was used.
The purpose of this disclosure is to assist CMN with marketplace standards and product review. The use of AI itself will not automatically result in denial of an application or product.
Vendors are generally not required to disclose the use of AI in ordinary business branding, logos, booth signage, or marketing materials unless CMN requests information regarding a particular concern.
Failure to provide truthful information when specifically requested by CMN may result in further review or enforcement action.
10. Product Review
CMN reserves the right to review products when questions arise regarding AI use, intellectual property, originality, product eligibility, or representation.
CMN may request photographs, descriptions of the creative process, or other reasonable information necessary to review a product.
Approval of a vendor does not constitute automatic approval of every product the vendor may offer.
CMN may require removal of a particular product or product line without necessarily removing the vendor from the event.
11. Mass-Produced and Low-Effort Products
Although AI-generated elements are permitted, products must still comply with CMN’s overall Marketplace Standards and product eligibility requirements.
The use of AI does not provide an exception to rules regarding prohibited resale, mass-produced merchandise, intellectual-property violations, or other restricted products.
For example, the ability to generate large quantities of AI artwork does not automatically make those products appropriate for a CMN event.
CMN reserves the right to decline products or vendors whose offerings do not reasonably fit the handmade, creative, small-business, or marketplace character of a particular CMN event.
12. Enforcement
Violations of this policy may result in one or more of the following:
- A request for clarification.
- A request to correct a product description, advertisement, or representation.
- A request to remove, cover, or modify signage or promotional materials.
- Removal of a specific product or product line.
- A warning from CMN.
- Removal from an event for serious or repeated violations.
- Suspension or denial of participation in future CMN events.
Whenever reasonably practical, CMN will attempt to address concerns with the vendor before taking more serious action.
13. Evolving Technology
Artificial intelligence technology continues to evolve rapidly.
CMN reserves the right to modify this policy as technology, marketplace practices, legal requirements, or community expectations change.
Vendors are responsible for complying with the version of CMN policies in effect for the event in which they participate.
14. Final Determination
The Crafter’s Market Network reserves the right to determine whether products, signage, advertising, branding, or vendor representations comply with this policy and CMN’s overall Marketplace Standards.
CMN’s goal is to support creativity regardless of the tools used while maintaining honesty and transparency between vendors, fellow creators, customers, and event organizers.
CMN’s Position on Artificial Intelligence
AI is a tool.
CMN permits vendors to use AI for inspiration, idea development, design assistance, the creation of elements incorporated into finished products, business logos, branding, signage, marketing, and other legitimate business purposes.
CMN does not require vendors to advertise or prominently disclose their use of AI simply because AI was involved in their creative or business process.
However, vendors may not misrepresent AI-generated work as personally hand-drawn, hand-painted, photographed, illustrated, or otherwise created through a process that did not actually occur.
Vendors must also respect the intellectual property and creative work of others and comply with all CMN Marketplace Standards.
CMN evaluates the product, its representation, and the vendor’s contribution—not simply the tools used to create it.