i initially was trying to do awareness ribbons in the corner of the ha box. i made a ticket, because i wanted to make sure i didnt waste time on something that might be against the rules. note that i wasnt asking for permission or preapproval, just clarification. i didnt get it but whatever. there arent really many awareness items here. but there ARE some -example: btw - not trying to bring down the shirt at all. i ❤️ you erica. im just citing it as an example.

so ok. searchname whipped up a cute lil ribbon and was rejected with this message. i can understand it. i mean.. i contest it, as there are other awareness ribbons out there. but ok.

so i decided to just go with a plain ribbon that would be noncommital. and this time as a necklace, so that i could call it by the metal (gold, silver, bronze, etc). basically,

it was rejected as well. i apparently deleted the screenie of it out of heartbreak (i literally cried. this means too much to me.) but the gist of it was the same, if a tiny bit exasperated? that i had been told before, this would not work because colored ribbons and copyright. i may be a noob here, but there didnt seem a way to argue it and i gave up on the whole project and just. ugh. bad timing with personal life. long story short, months later, i am still wanting to fight for it, but my friends say i need to let it go.

as seasoned cw peoples- do you think i should give up? one friend suggested tattoos, but. eh. i dont know. i feel like im making a concession, as it wouldnt be something you could really layer well with or feature. feel me? anyway.

comments/suggestions welcome. please be kind. i know im new and naive with this stuff. but while the ribbon issue is deeply personal, if the general consensus is that i should give up and move on to just the tattoo or something else altogether, i will accept the suggestion and do so.

thanks in advance.

So there are a few things I can say that will hopefully help.

The shirt, while supporting the same idea you're after, is not the actual awareness ribbon shape. It looks like what you've submitted so far is the actual awareness ribbon shape. So, I might suggest looking into a different shape. (You could contact the maker of the shirt and ask if a heart is okay for you to use too, or create a different shape yourself.)

I don't know when the shirt was accepted, but if it was accepted before you submitted either of yours, there is also a chance that it might have been accepted before staff really thought about it like they did with your submission. If that is the case, they may not allow even an altered ribbon version. (I am not sure when it was accepted / or if the ribbon shape change is what got it accepted, these are just guesses to try and help)

My honest opinion is to scrap the ribbon itself and go with an entirely different idea / shape + colors. You could still do a necklace with a pendant, or a symbol of some sort for the corner like the original, but making it something besides a ribbon would probably be your best bet. Because these awareness items mean a lot to you, I would pick a symbol or shape that means a lot to you as well, and go from there! (You know, I don't see why you couldn't do something like a star with two ribbon tails hanging off it like a shooting star or something? Then it could also have the ribbon. Same concept would work for a heart or another shape I'm sure, and I bet it'd be a lot more likely to be accepted that way.)

If I remember correctly, the reason why was accepted is because the shape itself was changed -- so that it didn't acurarely represent any organization (ie copyright). I'm pretty sure it was first denied with a similar explanation when the ribbon was represented acurately (being that they felt uneasy about accepting an item for onsite profit rather than to the organization itself)

About other alternatives -- I don't think changing the area would affect their decision. If you made the ribbon a tattoo, they'd still consider if a copyright infringement. Same as if it were a bracelet, a hair knot or anything else. The issue lays in the fact that it is a ribbon everyone already knows of!

Personally I'd see if you can create your own symbol, similar to the one you want but with its own touch (much like the shirt's ribbon being a heart!), and a description/title that ties everything together.

thank you both ❤️ i really appreciate the advice

i vaguely remember talking to disasters about the shirt and the heart shape of the ribbon now. makes far more since. and i think you are both right, i need to reflect and think on a more unique, personal symbol. brainstorm sessions coming up lol

big squishes and thank you again

you're very welcome, goodluck coming up with a new, personal symbol! ❤️

No problemo! C: I look forward to seeing what you come up with C: