COSplay: The thin line between copyright abuse and fanart

As the title explains, there is a very thin line between copyright abuse and fan art when it comes down to selling my own handmade cosplay outfits. You can make everything for yourself or your friends and show it to the world, but selling it as a company can be very tricky. There are some licensing companies that have the 'dips' on creating and commercially selling costumes or parts of costumes. No license means your bootlegging and actually you are not helping the fandom. Licensed products means a part of the money you spend on them goes directly to the company that made your hero happen and feeds it so it can go on and on. Giving into bootleg means your money doesn't go to what you want to support.

But I really like to make cosplay!

Now truth be told I do twist and turn it into my own creation and mix it with periodic clothing. But what if I want to use logo's and such? I can't sell that, but I can recreate the outfit without logo's. Or I find the licensed versions to use in the clothing. I want to support the fandom and yes there are big and very rich companies behind them that probably already have enough money, but they also check the popularity by looking at their sales. They can't check bootleg. Next to that, bootleg can be punished severely. If I'd have to calculate a lawsuit into my items, it would become un-affordable.

So what should I do?

I, personally, am not going to stop making costumes for myself. I will go all the way. What I can sell from that costume as made to fit, will be the blank parts. Everything that does not immediately links to something that could be licensed. Next to that, with every character I create, I will sell licensed items.

I am a fan, I support the fans, I want to help the fandom grow.

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