Images by @cutie-keebs
In June 2021, I joined a group buy for epbt Dreamscape, a keycap set inspired by BTS’s album, Love Yourself. This keycap set was originally scheduled to be shipped around 2022. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
Due to the long wait times these sets have and how limited they are, this led to my decision to use clones. As expected, not everyone is happy with this for good reason. But based on the current state of the hobby and how manufacturing times have increased since the pandemic, surely there is some fair argument for using counterfeit.
What are clone keycaps?
Clone keycaps are copies of sets made by designers. “Shady” people and companies would notice a demand for these products and produce a cheaper and in-stock version of these sets.
Normally, GMK sets would be the ones that get heavily copied. However, as more sought-after sets from different manufacturers enter group buy, it comes as no surprise that a company would copy these items.
Why are clones bad?
The simple answer to this is because “you’re not supporting the original designer.”
The Verge published a really good article about this in 2022, where it interviewed designers who had their designs cloned by others. These designers expressed their disappointment as people would go for the knock-offs and all their hard work went to waste. Especially when the novelties are original sketches.
However, there is an argument to be made that “you can’t copyright colours.” (Well, technically you can but you have to be a huge company like Barbie and Tiffany & Co. to have some sort of trademark on specific shades).
The concept of purchasing clones and knock-offs isn’t new. From high fashion to trading card games, the ethics of using counterfeits has become a topic worth discussing, especially now as the cost of living increases.
Vice Australia released an article about the “twisted ethics” of purchasing high fashion dupes and people are mostly buying them for the brand. Meanwhile, Swifties began looking for alternatives to the Wonderstruck perfume that came out around 2011-2012 in preparation for the Eras Tour. In the Magic The Gathering scene, the discussion about proxies continues to be an ongoing thing, especially when there are good cards that won’t be reprinted. This led to Wizard of the Coast releasing an article in 2016, stating that Proxies are fine, just don’t use them in sanctioned/official events.
So clearly, there is a demand for these items, especially if they came in limited batches or if they’re no longer being sold for various reasons.
My stance on using clones
My original stance on clones is this:
“You can use them during your very first keyboard build. Perhaps even your second. But the moment you’re willing to invest in this hobby, you have no excuse to not support the original designer.”
Your first build is to see if you would like to be part of this hobby. For starters, the keyset that you want may not be available due to missing the group buy date or will be entering this process. So, of course, clones would be your go-to.
My first build used KAT Arctic clones that I got from Ali Express. It was used on an NJ80, a cheap keyboard that cost less than $200 AUD. And guess what, I was happy with it. But the more I got into this hobby, I knew I couldn’t rely on clones forever, especially due to their cheap quality and how it affects designers.
However, when keycaps take forever to be released, being patient isn’t worth it anymore. Especially when you have a board just waiting to be used.
Case in point – the dreamscape build.
Why did I use clones?
The clone version of these keycaps was a good temporary measure since I really wanted to use my Ikki Aurora build and get an idea of how the finished product would look. Sure, it wasn’t as pretty compared to the original. At the same time, the manufacturer that sold this set had a really bad reputation in the keyboard community.
But the fact this keyset took 2 YEARS for it to be shipped was overkill. The same can be said for KAT Artic. The group buy for this set ended in 2020, but extras in the Australian market weren’t available until 2023. THAT’S THREE YEARS TO GET EXTRAS. I had to rely on multiple aftermarket purchases just to get a set. This led to duplicates and fortunately, there was a nice person who lived near my area who was willing to get them off my hands.
The “ethical way” to use clones
So, we know clones are bad. It affects designers and there are companies with shady reputations that would produce these sets. However, there is a demand for sets that either: had their group buy end years ago or are taking their sweet time to be produced.
Is there a good way to grab hold of sought-after keycaps? YES.
The answer: Make IN-STOCK VERSIONS!
The best part, this actually happening. The photo above is an official clone of GMK Modern Dolch Light called OTC Modo Light. While the spacebar was from the official GMK set, the rest of the keycaps were remakes of an old GMK set. These keycaps are still available for purchase on Omnitype.
Meanwhile, CannonKeys announced NicePBT in 2022 and had sets that were based on GMK sets. The store offered refunds to those who pre-ordered GMK keysets and wanted to opt-in to the in-stock version.
And don’t get me started on the influx of various GMK Olivia keysets that float in various marketplaces like NovelKeys and Wuque Studios.
While it is very unlikely that every keyset ever made will have an in-stock variant, it’s interesting to see that vendors and designers became open-minded to producing available keysets based on designs they’ve sold before. Not only are they cheaper than the GMK variants, but they also give those who are starting in the hobby to grab hold of official sets, even if the manufacturer is different. It’s also important to point out that designers and vendors are opting for the in-stock model, which reduces the production of clone variants.
Unfortunately, there will be people who will go after clones. And that’s fair since this hobby is so damn expensive. But if there is a key set that you want and was sold years ago, there is a slight chance that an in-stock variant exists somewhere.
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