Hello, and thanks for stopping by.
You’re here because you’re curious about the ‘Elderwood trade dress lawsuit’ involving Hex Chests. Parties have created a lot of misinformation which we hope to clarify below.
What happened?
- We designed Hex Chests in 2014 and showed them off on Reddit. Enthusiasm for the design encouraged us to found Elderwood, launch a Kickstarter, and bring Hex Chests to these communities.
- During our Kickstarter in 2014, a Redditor asked us privately for our Hex Chest CAD files so he could 3D print one for himself. We obliged.
- Years later we discover, in a stunning breach of trust, that this Redditor has been proudly distributing our exact files as his own on Thingiverse. We asked that they be taken down.
- When our design was removed from Thingiverse, several creators were upset and reposted versions of our design.
- The people involved are documented conspiring to distribute our work in a premeditated effort to be the ‘lightning rod’ for attention.
- Despite their public claims that they created this design, documents and sworn statements in the opposition lawsuit they filed against us show the exact opposite.
Can I see sources?
See this document (https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=91255161&pty=OPP&eno=6) for a rundown of all the evidence that undermines the “I made this” claims. Seriously, read through this; it’s compact, and it really drives the point home that these claims are without merit.
This is not a short read, but you can see the appendix here for all primary information and documents. (https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=91255161&pty=OPP&eno=18)
Why has this been made so complicated?
All of this has been made more confusing by the sensationalization of misinformation. It’s an unfortunate truth of our age that YouTubers and internet personalities benefit from clicks and views and not accurate information. Dissecting this loud echo chamber of misinformation can be challenging without primary sources of information.
At the end of the day, we’re just artists and woodworkers. We rely on our ability to create fun, appealing designs to keep Elderwood and the Elderwood family running. As with any creative work, we need to own the things we’ve created if we’re to have any hope of sustaining ourselves.
Why are we pursuing trade dress?
We asked Thingiverse to remove our Hex Chest files from the infringing accounts through their own DMCA process. The parties involved opposed the removal, as they intended, so Thingiverse asked us to register our ownership of this design. We are pursuing trade dress for our specific Hex Chest design under the guidance of attorneys who understand the law.
Why have we waited so long to make a public statement?
The facts are important to us, and we wanted to make sure that all the information was brought forward so that you can read primary sources, instead of our opinion. To get a complete understanding, we highly recommend you read all of the TTAB filings (links at bottom).
Thank you again for your time with us. If you have any questions, or would like to start a dialogue, we are always available over email: info@elderwoodacademy.com.
~ Elderwood Academy
Hex Chest development
Useful links:
Our original Reddit posts
https://www.reddit.com/r/DIY/comments/2g3ns6/my_boyfriend_made_some_sweet_wood_boxes_xpost/
Our original Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/elderwood/hex-chests
The trade dress filing: https://ttabvue.uspto.gov/ttabvue/v?pno=91255161
