Retail clothing company H&M has been accused of stealing an original design from an American artist and using it for its own homeware collection.

The Swedish high street store has been blamed for ripping off a graffiti artist’s work and then reproducing it without the artist’s permission.

Tori LaConsay, of East Atlanta, in United States, painted a sign on a disused billboard in Georgia that wrote “You Look Nice Today” to put a smile on the faces of all commuters and residents in the area.

The work was in black lettering, on a white background and it ended with a small red heart.

Recently, H&M published a range of household items, merchandise and apparel in the UK including pillowcases, sheets, towels and doormats all with a similar slogan of the same words, same font and same heart.

When confronted, H&M denied copying the design and stated that it was not a direct copy. However, the international fashion firm sparked an internet fury and was slammed on social networking sites for its customer service response.

A spokesperson said: “We employ an independent team of over 100 designers. We can assure you that this design has not been influenced by your work and that no copyright has been infringed.”

The organisation has since issued an apology on their Facebook page for customer service’s poor handling of the matter, stating: “We apologies if anyone should think we have copied, which has never been our intention and also not allowed. We have merely been inspired, after seeing many different varieties with different text messages, to create something similar in a different font, with the use of big and small brackets and the placement of the shaped heart.

“We are truly sorry if we have led someone to believe that we intentionally should have copied someone else’s creation.”

They have since tried to quash the controversy and control the damage on Facebook by saying that they are in contact with the designer. And since the complaint came to light, the homeware items have been removed from the H&M website.

Check out Ulster Weaver’s vast range of homeware items which includes our own and many other designers.

There is everything you could possibly need to make a house a home from door stops, kitchen tea towels and cake tins; to tableware, bone china mugs and tea cosies.

Image courtesy of ArtLyst. 

This weekend Music Day is taking place!

Saturday 8^th October has been founded and dedicated to encourage all people everywhere to rejoice on music.

It is one day set aside a year to inspire Brits to claim and reclaim in one’s ability to sing and make music.

Now if you are like us here at Ulster Weavers HQ and you cannot hold a note or even sing in tune, you can still celebrate the day with the help of our fabulous musical cat homeware range.

We have a vast collection of home essentials that are music themed so if music is a passion of yours install some rhythm into the kitchen. Look no further than our beating Musical Cat range that comprises of matching tea towel, shoulder bag, aprons, pot mitt, oven glove, gauntlet and tea cosies.

Create some soul into your cooking with harmonising homeware and get the complete set so the kitchen is nothing but singing in gorgeous textiles. Whether you like listening to rock and metal, opera, country-style or pop music when practising your culinary skills, make sure you look the part this weekend.

Sing along to your favourite song and hum to your much-loved tune and cook up a melody in 2011. Become the “singing chef” of your home, with Ulster Weavers. And rest assured, it really is common to cook and sing at the same time, as singing waiters and chanting chefs can be hired for parties, events and even weddings!

Musical Cat Linen Tea Towel

Musical Cat Tea Cosy

Musical Cat Cotton Apron

With less than 48 hours to go until the royal wedding of the year, now is no better time than ever to embrace your nationality and be proud of being British with the help from Ulster Weavers!

On Friday millions upon millions of people across the globe will be watching Prince William and Kate Middleton get wed in Westminster Abbey in London.

Whether you are going down to the pub to watch it, sitting in your living room, or travelling down to the capital in person; celebrate the big day with everything that is British and throwing a traditional street party.

But you don’t have to leave the home to show how much you care about Her Majesty The Queen. Ulster Weavers has some fantastic British ranges including Linen Tea Towel, PVC Aprons and China Mugs, so you can dress as a royal for the day when cooking and even clean up the pots patriotically.

And as part of the British range there are cute PVC Bags that are themed in funny cats dressed as guards to take out and about on the big day.

So whether you are staying in this Friday 29^th April or going out and about, get involved with the Royal wedding and let everyone know how honoured you are to be British.

British Cats Linen Tea Towel

British Cats PVC Apron

British Cats Medium PVC Bag