What do copyright and trademarks laws say about this? Answer the following questions:?

Question

I print t-shirts. I want to make some Green Bay Packers shirts for myself and perhaps some friends and family. I'm pretty sure it is Illegal for me to put the Packers Logo on a shirt and sell it for a profit. but how far does that go?
Can I print the trademarked Packers logo if it's just for myself?
Can I print the trademarked logo and give it as a gift(making no profit)?
What if there is no logo? Can I print a shirt that just says Green Bay Packers?
Can I sell a shirt that just says "Green Bay Packers" for a profit?
Any recourses would help, I always have questions about this kind of stuff.

Answer 1

Can I print the trademarked Packers logo if it's just for myself?
Yes, the trademark protection only applies to commercial use.

Can I print the trademarked logo and give it as a gift(making no profit)?
Yes, ditto above.

What if there is no logo? Can I print a shirt that just says Green Bay Packers?
IF not for sale then yes. If for sale no.

Can I sell a shirt that just says "Green Bay Packers" for a profit?
Iffy, you may do it but you could get sued, not worth it.

http://www.nolo.com/resource.cfm/catID/DAE53B68-7BF5-455A-BC9F3D9C9C1F7513/310/276/

http://www.nolo.com/resource.cfm/catID/D8932879-DC34-43DF-BF65FC92D55FEE5D/310/274/

Answer 2

You cannot use a trademark in any way that (1) dilutes the value of the mark in commerce, or (2) competes with the right of the trademark holder to use the mark in commerce.

So, using it privately, on your wall in your apartment -- that would probably fall within the fair use exception. That applies whether you are using the name or the logo or both.

Printing it on a t-shirt or coffee mug for your own use, or as a one-time gift, would be an infringement, but it would be a very minor one and not worth the cost to try and prosecute.

The more you make, the greater the infringement, and the more it becomes worthy of attention.

The thing is -- if they find out you are infringing, and then do nothing -- that harms them in any future attempts to prosecute. So, companies will at the very least usually send a cease-and-desist letter if you are doing more than a personal usage.