Legal Documents & Requirements for Small Fashion Businesses

How forthcoming should you be with information on your business, brand, ideas and name? We explore all in this lesson and share one vital thing you must NOT do.

How your business grows, pays taxes, makes big decisions, and deals with liabilities will depend on its legal structure. You decide this at the outset, but it can change later if advantageous. In the UK, there are four popular types of business structures. All of these business structures have advantages and disadvantages, depending on factors such as the size of your business, the nature of your business and your plans for it. Here's a summary of the three most common types of business structures for fashion brands, how they compare against each other and the steps for registering each.

At the heart of fashion are fresh, new designs. Innovation and original creative expression are the primary sources of competitive advantage for all businesses. Intellectual Property (IP) law protects your goods and fashion designs from being copied or pirated - which is why it is a crucial part of any design business. IP essentially prevents others from counterfeiting and imitating your goods and profiting from your hard work. 

In this Masterclass, we have called on the help of lawyers who specialise in IP to bring you up to speed on everything you need to know to ensure that your brand, designs and products are adequately protected. 

Contracts act as a safeguard for your business and ensure your business' right to timely payments. You need to know the amount of money you're receiving, how frequently the payments will be made, and the costs associated with delayed repayments.

Having clear, well-drafted contracts and policies around employment is essential for any business. Employment contracts are important for both employees and employers. It bonds both parties to do their duties and responsibilities. For example, to fulfil the employee's work duties for the employer and that the Employer pays the employee according to work within a certain time frame. Contracts help you manage your staff effectively and protect the interests of both parties if issues arise. They also provide clarity about what will be expected from each party involved in the arrangement, which helps eliminate any confusion about responsibilities or expectations.

It’s important to have well-drafted contracts that are tailored to your business and individual employees and their responsibilities. 

Modern Slavery is a crime and examples include trafficking people, forced labour and servitude. The practice sees individuals gain, either personally or commercially, from the exploitation of the victim. That's why a Modern Slavery Statement, describing ‘the steps your organisation has taken during the financial year to deal with modern slavery risks’, is important to publish. In this lesson, we talk you through how to write your own Modern Slavery Statement.

Design is at the heart of the fashion industry. The fun, creative side of the job that inspired you to start your brand in the first place. But are you aware of the legal requirements for fashion design and the certifications surrounding them? In this lesson, we make sure your products comply with vital regulations, so you don't get caught out.

Selling online is a no-brainer; reaching a global audience, increasing sales opportunities, competing with larger businesses and receiving payment more quickly from online transactions. So, chances are, you will rope in help designing your online shop-front. But what do you do if your web developer comes in over budget and takes three times longer than estimated? 

And once you've jumped this hurdle, if you're selling goods or services through digital TV, by mail order or by phone or text message, you are legally obliged to provide certain information. Not complying with these regulations is very serious: If you do not follow the rules, you could be made to deliver the goods or services as agreed, pay compensation or be given an unlimited fine or even a prison sentence!

For example, when selling online, you must provide a policy that states who pays the cost of returning an item. If it doesn't state this, you will have to cover the cost and your customer is entitled to a refund of the total amount paid, including charges to ship the item and the fee to return it. 

In this lesson, we take the stress out and cover every agreement you need when creating and selling through a website.

If you run a small business, you may know by now how much time, effort and money can be spent resolving conflict. It could simply be an unhappy customer complaining about your service or goods. Small business owners usually deal with conflict alone, which can be stressful and tiring. If you own your own business, you must sharpen your communication and conflict resolution skills to avoid wasting resources better spent on helping your business flourish. The reality is conflict is a normal part of your business growth. The more successful you become, the more likely you will encounter it. 

In this lesson, we outline how to deal with conflict, conflict resolute swiftly and avoid it in the future.

What is the Green Claims Directive, and what are its most pressing requirements? In this Lesson, we share expert tips, including how to communicate sustainability without falling into greenwashing, how the Green Claims Directive will impact the fashion industry, and when these regulations will come into effect.