“A Mix of Anger And Amusement”: Edwin Goh On How He And Fiancée Rachel Wan Felt After Their Crochet Patterns Were Stolen And Listed With AI-Edited Images

Local celeb couple Edwin Goh, 31, and Rachel Wan, 28, who co-founded the crochet brand, The Club Made, recently found themselves dealing with an unexpected issue with their small business. 

The couple, who have been together since 2023, lived in Australia for two years before returning to Singapore in early 2025. After Rachel introduced Edwin to crochet, a hobby he quickly grew to love, the pair started a crochet business together, offering patterns, kits, yarn, and their latest addition of crochet-patterned pimple patches, running it as a tight-knit team of two.

On May 4, the pair took to Instagram to share an unfortunate discovery they had recently made. They were alerted by fellow crocheters online to a seller on Etsy offering identical versions of their designs.

The seller not only copied their pattern to produce and sell the same crochet shirt, but also used artificial intelligence (AI) to alter the original photos, which were shot by Rachel and modelled by Edwin. In the generated images, Edwin’s face was replaced with those of models of different skin tones.

According to the couple, the incident left them feeling baffled at how easily their work had been stolen and monetised.

Speaking to 8days.sg about his reaction upon first discovering their work had been copied, Edwin said: “Honestly, it was a mixture of anger and amusement. We put a lot of work and heart into what we do, plus Rachel’s time and effort into shooting and editing. It just feels like someone stole from me, because that’s exactly what it is.”

As the model whose image was altered by AI in the copied photos, Edwin said the experience felt strange, though he acknowledged others have faced much worse situations involving the technology.

“It is a weird feeling. I’ve read news about people going through much worse, so I’m glad the thief was just out for profit. My heart goes out to everyone who has had their image altered without permission,” he said, before quoting The Office: “Identity theft is not a joke.”

Disappointed that their creativity and hard work had been so easily copied, the pair have since reported the seller. 

When asked if they received any updates on the situation, Edwin revealed: “We have reported one of them. After filling out a really long form and going through a frustrating and confusing process, we finally got Etsy to do something about it.”

They also reached out to another seller who had done the same thing. While the seller removed their products from the page, other AI-generated products still remain listed.

That said, the pair do feel there is a place for AI in business, especially when it comes to making things more efficient. They use it in their own workflow too, such as for writing website copy, organising video files, and creating clearer visuals to help manufacturers better understand their ideas.

Rachel and Edwin’s experience sparked discussion online, with many netizens pointing out how easy it has become to copy others’ work thanks to today’s accessible tech, while also saying that AI is a bit of a double-edged sword, convenient, but with its downsides too.

When asked where crochet fits in all of this, Edwin said: “Crochet is still one of the few crafts left in this world that cannot be made by a machine. In the fast paced world of AI and fast fashion, crochet provides a way for people to slow down with intention and enjoy the feeling of making something with their own hands.”

“It allows people to calm the noise in their heads. It fits in this world where people are craving something real and meaningful in a sea of generated images & quick trends,” he opined.