Mass producing my handmade products? Is this legal?

[MCWR]

What is the name of your state? Nebraska


I need some advice on how to protect myself
from mass production (overseas )of my handmade products.

I am an artist, and created my own business selling my products wholesale, from my website and catalog. A store has been purchasing my products wholesale and giving me alot of business. I have also been doing
some custom designs that the owner asked be
"exclusive" with his store (although nothing was ever signed) We have been corresponding via email._

Recently he let me know how the products were doing,
and he would like some more custom designs. _He also informed me that a firm overseas has seen my products (handmade) on the the
internet and approached him about mass producing (my
products) for "pennies to the dollar", and he stated
that they would be the primary distributor in the USA.
Is this legal?
_Can somebody just take my design/product and have it
mass produced without my permission. _I do not yet have
them copywrighted legally, although right now I am
doing that. Is there anything else I can do to protect myself?_

_Any advice would be very much _appreciated.

 

[divgradcurl]

Copyrights exist automatically -- you don't have to register a copyright for it to exist -- but a registered copyright does give you some added leverage if you ever end up in court. It's hard to get good protection for a design or object with copyright. A design patent is better.

In any event, about all you can do is tell the store owner that you don't consent to the overseas manufacturer making your products, and hope that he doesn't buy from them anyway. If the overseas guys start making your product, you'll have to take legal action to enforce your rights. If you have a lawyer you are working with currently, you should probably let him or her know what is going on, and get some direct advice.