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Terms & Conditions

1. Definitions

  • "Designer" / "Studio": Refers to Cansu Dağbağlı Ferreira, operating as Studio Matte, the service provider responsible for delivering design services.

  • "Client": Refers to the individual or entity purchasing design services from the Designer.

  • "Project": Refers to the specific scope of design work agreed upon between the Designer and the Client in the project proposal.

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2. Proposal Validity

All project proposals and cost estimates are valid for a period of seven (7) calendar days from the date of issuance. After this period, project pricing, availability, and delivery schedules are subject to adjustment.

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3. Payment Schedule & Phase-Based Milestones

A project slot is officially reserved only upon receipt of the initial payment. Unless stated otherwise in the project proposal, standard project budgets are structured into phase-based milestone payments:

  • Phase 1 Payment: Issued upon project approval and due before work begins. This payment strictly covers the labor, creative strategy, research, and presentation of the initial design options (e.g., three concept directions). This payment is non-refundable as it covers work executed during Phase 1.

  • Phase 2 Payment: Issued upon the selection and approval of a design direction, or prior to final artwork production. The remaining balance must be settled in full before any final file delivery, native source file handoffs, or intellectual property transfers take place.

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4. Late Payment Terms

Invoices not paid within fourteen (14) days of the due date are subject to a late fee of 1.5% per month (or the maximum rate allowed by law) on the outstanding balance until paid in full.

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5. Accepted Payment Methods

  • Credit card payment (subject to a 3% processing fee).

  • Direct bank transfer (SEPA / European bank account).

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6. Communication Channels & Business Hours

  • Business Hours: Studio Matte business hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (CET).

  • Official Channels: All official project communications, feedback, and approvals must take place via email or designated project management platforms. Direct messages sent via social media or personal messaging channels will be redirected to email to maintain clear written documentation.

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7. Client Responsibilities & Materials

  • The Client agrees to provide all required brand content, questionnaire responses, dielines, packaging specs, assets, and consolidated feedback within agreed timeframes.

  • Delays caused by late asset submissions or delayed client feedback will result in corresponding extensions to the overall project timeline.

  • The Client warrants that all text, images, trademarks, dielines, and artwork provided to Studio Matte for use in the Project are legally owned or licensed by the Client. The Client agrees to indemnify and hold Studio Matte harmless against any legal claims, liabilities, or expenses resulting from third-party copyright or trademark infringement tied to materials supplied by the Client.

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8. Project Timeline, Delays & Pauses

  • Presentation Schedule: The initial presentation of design concepts will be delivered within the timeframe specified in the project proposal (typically 4 weeks from kickoff).

  • Feedback Timelines: The Client agrees to provide consolidated feedback or revision requests within two (2) weeks of receiving any presentation or deliverable.

  • Scheduling Impact of Delays: If client feedback is delayed by more than two (2) weeks, completion timelines will be rescheduled based on studio availability and current workload.

  • Project Inactivity: If a project is placed on hold or remains inactive for more than four (4) consecutive weeks due to client delays, the remaining schedule and project budget will be subject to renegotiation before work can resume.

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9. Scope of Revisions & Concept Pivots

  • Revision Scope: Included revision rounds apply strictly to refining, tweaking, and finalizing one single design direction selected from the Phase 1 options.

  • Concept Pivots / Scope Expansion: Requesting to restart the concepting phase, introduce a revised brief, or revert to legacy branding after Phase 1 options have been presented constitutes a major scope change. Such requests are not covered by initial fees or standard revision rounds and require a separate scope estimate and fee before work can resume.

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10. Intellectual Property, Transfer of Rights & AI Restrictions

  • Condition Precedent: Transfer of intellectual property (IP) and commercial usage rights for the single finalized, approved design option is strictly contingent upon receipt of 100% full payment of the total project balance.

  • Unselected Concepts: All preliminary concepts, moodboards, discarded options, and draft layouts remain the exclusive intellectual property of Studio Matte. The Client acquires rights only to the single final selected design. Unselected options may not be used, adapted, or shared by the Client or third parties.

  • Generative AI Restrictions: The Client agrees not to input, upload, or process any preliminary concepts, raw working files, vector assets, or final design deliverables produced by Studio Matte into generative AI platforms or machine-learning models for style cloning, automated asset generation, or training purposes without explicit written consent.

  • Portfolio Rights: Studio Matte retains the right to showcase the completed project and visual assets in its portfolio, website, and promotional materials, unless an executed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) explicitly restricts it.

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11. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy & Asset Creation

Studio Matte guarantees that primary brand identity elements, including core logos, brand marks, layouts, typography structures and packaging designs are 100% human-created, original design works. Studio Matte reserves the right to utilize AI technology as a creative workflow tool for research, moodboarding, concept visualization, or in the creation of supplementary brand illustrations, background textures, and decorative graphics. Any AI-assisted illustrative assets incorporated into deliverables are generated using commercially licensed tools and refined by the Studio for project use.

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12. Trademark & Legal Registration Disclaimer

Studio Matte creates original visual work, but does not conduct trademark searches, patent checks, or legal registrability assessments. The Client is solely responsible for performing legal trademark searches, copyright clearances, and brand name availability checks through qualified legal counsel prior to commercial use. Studio Matte is not liable for legal challenges, trademark rejections, or rebranding costs.

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13. File Delivery, Formats & Native Source Files

  • Final Deliverables: Upon 100% full payment of the project total, final deliverables will be provided in standard production-ready formats (e.g., SVG, vector EPS, PNG, JPG, print-ready PDF) for the single approved design.

  • Native Source Files: Native, raw editable working files (e.g., layered .AI, .PSD, or Figma files containing raw design structures and proprietary workflows) remain the proprietary trade property of Studio Matte. Native source files are not included in standard deliverables unless explicitly stated in the project proposal or acquired through a separate source file buyout agreement.

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14. Font & Third-Party Asset Licensing

Project fees do not include commercial licensing fees for third-party assets, including desktop/web fonts, stock photography, illustration assets, or physical packaging mockups. Studio Matte will identify any required third-party licenses during the project. The Client is solely responsible for purchasing, licensing, and maintaining their own commercial end-user licenses for all final brand fonts and stock assets.

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15. Proofreading & Print Production Approval

The Client is solely responsible for proofreading and verifying all copy, text, spelling, grammar, dimensions, barcodes, dielines, ingredient lists, and regulatory information before approving artwork for final print or digital production. Studio Matte is not liable for printing errors, reprint expenses, physical material waste, or production delays once final artwork approval has been granted by the Client in writing.

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16. Additional Revisions & Extra Work

  • Revision rounds beyond the agreed scope are billed at an hourly rate of $200 USD / €180 EUR.

  • Additional deliverables outside the original project agreement will be quoted separately and must be approved in writing by the Client prior to execution.

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17. Non-Payment & Unauthorized Use

  • If the project balance is unpaid, or if the engagement is terminated prior to full payment, no license, copyright transfer, or permission to use the work is granted.

  • Any commercial, public, or production use of unpaid designs, preliminary concepts, or unreleased assets constitutes direct copyright infringement and may result in immediate legal action or take-down notices.

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18. Project Cancellation, Termination & Offboarding

  • Cancellation after Phase 1: If the Client cancels the project after the Phase 1 presentation (initial concept delivery), the initial payment is non-refundable as it fulfills Phase 1 labor. The Client will not be billed for unexecuted Phase 2 work, provided no further revisions or deliverables were requested.

  • Cancellation during Refinement: If the project is terminated during or after revision rounds have commenced, Studio Matte will invoice for all hours and milestone development completed up to the date of written cancellation notice.

  • File Release upon Termination: No final production files, native source files, or copyright transfers will be released for cancelled or terminated projects where the full project balance remains unpaid.

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19. Confidentiality

Both parties agree to treat non-public project discussions, proprietary brand strategy, and financial documents as confidential. Studio Matte agrees not to disclose confidential business information prior to the public launch of the project.

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20. Taxation & VAT Exemptions

  • Studio Matte is registered in France. Companies registered outside of France are exempt from French VAT.

  • Non-French EU Clients: Must provide a valid intra-community VAT ID to qualify for reverse-charge VAT.

  • Non-EU Clients: Must provide official company registration details to qualify for VAT exemption.

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21. Dispute Resolution & Jurisdiction

In the event of a dispute, both parties agree to attempt an amicable, good-faith resolution prior to initiating legal proceedings. If formal legal action is necessary, disputes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with French law, under the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts where the Designer is registered.

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22. Force Majeure

Studio Matte is not liable for project delays caused by events beyond reasonable control, including natural disasters, utility or internet outages, pandemic restrictions, or severe personal illness. In such events, timelines will be extended proportionally.

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23. General Terms

Studio Matte reserves the right to adjust pricing, policies, and service terms for future engagements. By issuing payment for a project proposal or deposit, the Client acknowledges, accepts, and agrees to be bound by these Terms & Conditions.

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For any questions regarding these Terms & Conditions, please contact hello@studiomatte.com.

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