Wow, isn't it amazing how success can be a 2-edged sword.....well, to deal with the sharp end of knock-off competition 2 fronts of attack are required - first, cover yourself with sound legal advice and process and second - an excellent management tool is to smother your competitors with your publicity.  Your company has an ecological focus and mission, so any green-related newspaper articles, TV shows, radio broadcasts - let them know you exist and your company has a passion for saving the planet.  Remember, you are looking for mass publicity so don't limit your efforts to the town or state where you are headquartered.  Look for magazines with a green focus and give their editors the good news about your company.  Align your company with pet charities - another excellent way to get the word out about your company and most importantly you are in a position to help local pet charities.  I do non-profit development work for a few noble pet charities and I will be contacting you directly!  The key thing is to not give up or become defeated by folks far too lazy to create an original idea.  The good folks can win and you will.

Unfortunately copying happens all too frequently. I once heard someone who had the booth right next to mine at a trade show say to the artist whom  she had copied..."the design is out there." The person who copied could price far below the artist who originally designed the line by not soldering and using cold connections. I no longer see the original artist but do see the person who copied at the trade shows. Sad!

I worked for 2 years on a new collection, the first designs since my malignant melanoma diagnosis and the rep/pr person I hired in August told me in November that she "lost" the work. These were all the new designs and I search the internet frequently looking to see if they will turn up somewhere. Sad!