Frequently asked questions

Last updated on March 24, 2007

• Which countries do you ship to?
• Why do you not ship to the whole of the EU?
• How is payment made?
• Can I buy if I don’t have a PayPal account?
• Will I have to pay import duty?
• Do your prices include shipping and sales tax?
• How much does shipping cost?
• Can I reclaim VAT?
• What carrier do you use?
• How do I know if my goods have been despatched?
• How long will my goods take to arrive?
• Can you gift-wrap items?
• Can I come and view these products before buying?
• What if I don’t like what I have bought?
• I am a wholesaler. Do I get a discount?
• How do I obtain the items in the Special Order section?
• Can I wash these products?
• My piece of silk feels a bit stiff. What is wrong with it?
• My piece of silk does not look like machine-made fabric. What is wrong with it?
• Who makes these products?

• Which countries do you ship to?
• We ship to the USA as well as the following countries within the EU : Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.
• Why do you not ship to the whole of the EU?
• We can only ship to countries approved by PayPal and that allow Royal Mail tracking.
• How is payment made?
• Payment is handled through PayPal using their secure server. We do not see or store any of your credit card details.
• Can I buy if I don’t have a PayPal account?
• At the moment we can only accept payments through PayPal. It is easy, fast and secure to create an account, and if you do not already have one, the checkout process takes you through account creation. By signing up you will be able to purchase goods from many other sites that accept PayPal payments, including eBay.
• Will I have to pay import duty?
• Any goods sent to an EU address will be free from import tax. However, goods sent to the USA may be subject to import and sales taxes which we cannot handle.
• Do your prices include shipping and sales tax?
• The goods on this site are not subject to United Kingdom VAT. Shipping is calculated by PayPal as you progress through checkout.
• How much does shipping cost?
• Shipping costs GBP7.00 for goods up to GBP50. For goods over GBP50, please see our Terms and Conditions.
• Can I reclaim VAT?
• You will not be charged VAT.
• What carrier do you use?
• We use Royal Mail. For destinations within the UK we use the Special Delivery Next Day service. For the USA and countries in the EU we use Airsure. In both cases a signature is required at the point of delivery.
• How do I know if my goods have been despatched?
• We aim to despatch your goods within three working days (Monday-Friday, excluding public holidays) of receipt of the order. We will notify you by email as soon as your order from PayPal been accepted, and again after the despatch.
• How long will my goods take to arrive?
• For UK destinations they should arrive the next working day after despatch. For other EU destinations and the USA they should arrive within five working days after despatch. These are the stated timings on the Royal Mail website where you can track your shipment using the tracking number we email to you with despatch confirmation.
• Can you gift-wrap items?
• Yes, gift-wrapping is free and you just have to ask. When you are checking out there is a Message To Seller box in which you can request wrapping and specify your message to the recipient.
• Can I come and view these products before buying?
• Yes, you are more than welcome; we are based in Bristol (UK). Simply contact us for an appointment. You would of course be saving on postage by taking away your purchase. Payment in this case would be by cash or a cheque supported by a cheque guarantee card.
• What if I don’t like what I have bought?
• You are entitled to a refund of what you paid for the goods, minus delivery costs. The refund will be issued through PayPal after you return the goods in their original condition. Proof of posting will be required. Please see our Terms and Conditions for details.
• I am a wholesaler. Do I get a discount?
• Wholesale prices apply for purchases of 10 or more items. Please contact us for prices.
• How do I obtain the items in the Special Order section?
• A minimum order of 10 of each design is required for special orders. Special orders take approximately two months to weave. Please contact us for more details.
• Can I wash these products?
• You can gently handwash any scarves, shawls or throws using cool water and a mild detergent suitable for silk. They should be line-dried in the shade and ironed while slightly damp with a cool iron. Alternatively, they may be dry-cleaned. Other items cannot be washed.
• My piece of silk feels a bit stiff. What is wrong with it?
• New silk can feel a little stiff at first. The more it is handled and used, the softer it becomes.
• My piece of silk does not look like machine-made fabric. What is wrong with it?
• Cambodian silk is very finely woven and typically has over 2,700 threads per metre, but occasional irregularities do occur. These are characteristic of hand-woven fabric and add to its individuality.
• Who makes these products?
• They are made either by disabled Cambodians, trained by and working within non-government organisations, or women’s cooperatives that sell their products to non-government organisations.