Proprietary Library, Your Questions Answered

Design Pool has two libraries of pattern designs, each with its own unique group of patterns. Most of our patterns are in the licensable library. These designs are available to license, not purchase. Design Pool owns the rights to the designs, and different printers have access to the same pool of designs. There are over 700 patterns in the licensable library, and we add designs continuously to the library. There are no restrictions to viewing any of the designs in this library. The proprietary library is a smaller library of patterns available for purchase. Once a design is purchased, you own the rights to it, and it comes off the website. No one else will ever use it. It is yours exclusively. Also, fewer people see any of these designs because people must register to view this password-protected part of the website.

Which one is best for your business? Can both be? We sometimes get questions from people before deciding if the proprietary library designs are suitable for their business. Let’s answer them here!

Most FAQ about the Proprietary Library

Why do I have to register to view the proprietary library?
Since these designs will be exclusive to the buyer, we want to limit access to those who can see the designs. Basically, we don’t want a knock-off of an exclusive design floating around out there.

How do I register?
Under Our Designs, in our navigation bar, you will see Proprietary Designs. Follow the prompts to register, and a new screen will open asking for your company name, your title, and your company’s website. Just fill out this form and click register.  

Once we get your request to register, we have a real human look at your information to ensure you’re also a real human. We also look at your website and make sure that you are honestly portraying yourself and your business. This process generally takes less than 48 hours.  Once we approve your application, you can log into the website with your username and password and view the entire library.

How do I make a purchase?
Buying a pattern is super easy to do. Add the pattern you like to your cart and purchase the design through the website. It’s that easy.

How much do the patterns cost?
Designs range from $600 – $2000.

What happens after I purchase a design?
It’s yours! You own the exclusive rights to the design and can use it however you want.

How often do you add new patterns?
While we add new patterns almost weekly to the licensable library, the proprietary library grows more slowly. We don’t add patterns regularly, but when we do, we send out a newsletter to everyone registered, letting them know there are new designs to check out.

Let’s take a look at the patterns.

What types of patterns are in the library?
There are over 80 patterns in the proprietary library. Like the patterns in our licensable library, each pattern comes in five different colorways. We often create designs for this library as mini-collections.

Our newest collection is The Netherlands Collection. Kristen’s spring trip to the Netherlands inspired this group of seven patterns. Thoughts and sketches of tulip fields, canals, cheeses, and bikes filled Kristen’s sketchbook. She returned eager to turn that inspiration into a new collection.

You never know when inspiration is going to strike. In this case, a messy desk inspired the Swatch Collection. Kristen often uses a variety of color swatches and paint chips when doing colorwork or communicating with printers about color. One day the swatches looked like an interesting pattern. Kristen started arranging them and eventually created a fun group of sixteen patterns, all geometric in nature.

The String Art Collection is a group of six patterns. These patterns were inspired by curve stitching, a technique used in the 19^th century to teach children mathematics. These patterns bring to mind the seemingly limitless ways one can play with a line to create exciting designs.

We also have two groups of patterns designed by guest designers. First, New York-based designer and illustrator Rebecca Pry created 80s Reimagined for the library. Her personal collection of 1980s sweaters inspired this group of bold and energetic patterns.

Next, artist and designer Paula Stebbins Becker created patterns for us that all begin far from her computer with watercolor or cut paper. Paula’s unique process for creating intuitively results in beautiful patterns that never lose the handmade feel.

Did we answer all your questions?

If not, please leave them in the comments or send us a DM through Instagram. We will update this post with any questions we receive.