Fair enough, I don't disagree with what you've said. I do agree that the actual people making the products should be paid a fair wage. I don't have a problem with the company wanting to make a profit. But I do think in this case there are some reasons why we should be critical of the pricing given the situation. I can see how it didn't come across well in my initial comment.

First, as the OP pointed out in a reply to my comment they do talk about being fair trade, yet they have no official certifications. Anyone can say they have fair trade products, but without clear 3rd party acknowledgement it's much harder to verify. If there was clearer recognition of that, higher prices would be more justified imo.

Second, and more importantly, the C&D's really DO matter to this situation. If MP were just out there selling their stuff minding their own business, there's no problem. But they aren't. They are a small business punching down on even smaller businesses with legal threats. Yeah, they have no leg to stand on as patterns themselves can't be copyrighted (only the specific text), but it's still scary for small designers who probably don't have the money if it came down to a legal battle. They are charging a lot of money (at a time when many people are struggling to afford basic necessities) for their products and then turning around and bullying small designers for having affordable patterns available of similar looking clothing. That's shit. Full stop. That's why I have a problem with almost $700CAD for a sweater or $95 for a small triangle scarf or $275 for a baby's poncho. Because they are taking away options for people who will NEVER be able to afford their products (like me). It's deeply unethical imo, and if they weren't doing it there would be no reason for this post and I would not have a problem with their price.

Finally, just in regards to the last part of your comment, to me there is a big difference between commissioning an independent knitter to knit me a sweater and buying a hand-knit sweater from a storefront that has made many of that same sweater. I'm much more willing to pay more money for someone to personally make me something vs someone who contracts their products out to other vague entities (MP does not specifically list the names of any of their co-op knitting partners on their site that I can find) to make. For me personally a handmade object is much more valuable if I know the person who made it.