They Are Very Competitive
When it comes to the small manufacturing community, it is really tight knit. People are also fairly uptight about things. A lot of claims are made, but it is a bit unclear of what the actual legal rights behind them are. For example, there are constantly producers accusing another company of copying their ideas and designs. Of course, almost no one holds patents or even trademark protection. Legally, there is no recourse for someone who sees a particular item, picks it apart in their own head and then recreates it. While it’s not the most classy thing to do, it’s certainly not illegal. While social pressure is often enough, sometimes it gets a bit ridiculous. After all, a stuffed toy is a stuffed toy.