A stay-at-home mom and clothing designer says retail giant Target stole her shirt design. 

Mel Lay started the clothing company Sandi Lake Clothing in 2014. She started by selling her shirts on Etsy, and even launched a website. Mel describes where the idea for Sandi Lake came from.

I could never find clothes that fit our fun and free-spirited lifestyle, but noticed that moccasins and leggings were a huge fad on Etsy! From that, the idea was born! A screen-printer was purchased, some designs created, and on April 1st, 2014, SandiLake became a reality.

The most popular shirts on their website is the #merica shirt. It helped Mel take the company to another level. One day, Mel started getting emails, texts and phone calls from friends and buyers of Sandi Lake clothing that they had seen a shirt that looked exactly like hers. At Target.

Mel Lay went to Target to see the shirt for herself and was dismayed when she did indeed, see a shirt that looked very similar to her design. She took a photo wearing her own design and holding up the Target shirt.

Here's what she wrote about seeing the shirt:

The meaning and importance of #shopsmall has never really hit my heart until today when it hit home and my livelihood. #MERICA is one of our original 5 designs. We opened April 1st, 2014 and this tank launches us to levels we didn't know were possible. This photo is me in @target wearing MY #sandilakeclothing original design and holding up the tank they made using the same one. They are identical. And I'm not alone with my story. Small businesses are being copied everywhere with no leg to stand on. I contacted Target Corporation and they gave me an address to mail a letter to! That's it!!? Please share this story and others you hear of. We work incredibly hard to provide for our families, and dress you and your little ones in a rad way that large companies can't, Know what you are buying and where it came from. I am going to think a lot harder about every purchase I make. @targetdoesitagain #plagiarism #dontsteal #comeupwithyourowndesigns 

After Lay's story went viral, Target released a statement regarding the shirt design:

"Target has a deep appreciation for great design and it has always been our policy to respect the intellectual property rights of others. We are aware of this issue and have reached out to the designer."

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