There are significant delivery delays due to Royal Mail Strikes.
UK ShippinG
Standard Shipping is FREE to the UK.
In order to offer free shipping to my UK customers, up until 30th November I had been sending items via Royal Mail 2nd Class which normally takes 2-3 working days. Due to Royal Mail Strikes parcels are taking significantly longer than normal. 2nd Class provides a barcode number and confirms if there has been an attempted delivery or the item has been delivered but is not a fully trackable service. I have been liaising with my local postmaster, she is confident things are not lost and will still arrive just late. Parcels are getting through it but it is taking a long time. I am extremely sorry for the delays, this is entirely out of my control.
** From November 30th 2022:
I am now using a tracked service** If you ordered after this time you will have received a tracking number via email please use this to keep an eye on your parcel on the Royal Mail website. Unfortunately this still does not guarantee delivery before Christmas.
I have no further information about the whereabouts of your parcel than the information provided by Royal Mail.
International Shipping
International items are sent via Royal Mail International TRACKED. Currently shipping times are taking much longer than normal due to Royal Mail Strikes. Please allow up to 20 working days as services can vary depending on your location. Christmas and holidays delivery timescales can some times double due to customs and the workloads of your local mail services dramatically increasing - I can not be held responsible for these delays. Please only order if you are happy with the possibility of your pots arriving after the big day.
I try very hard to keep shipping prices to a minimum. I will only charge what it costs me to ship items plus a small amount for the packaging - I do not make any profit on postage.
I do everything I can to comply with customs to ensure a swift clearance but there may be delays at busy times of year - unfortunately this is outside of my control. You may be liable for local custom tax, please check before ordering.
I have spent many hours testing packaging to ensure your pottery arrives with you in perfect condition. In the unlikely event that your pottery is damaged during transit I will replace the item for you as soon as possible.
I need a bit of time to get your pottery packaged up. I aim to post all items within 2 - 3 working days of you placing your order but at busy times of year this maybe slightly longer - I appreciate your patience. You will receive an email confirmation once shipped.
Care instructions
Hand wash verses Dishwasher
Hand washing is always kinder to hand made ceramics, and the chemicals in dishwashers can be very harsh and will scratch the glazes over time ( this is why glasses often look dull after many washes in a dishwasher )
My pottery is high fired meaning that it is fine to put in the dishwasher (I put my pottery in the dishwasher at home) however to keep your pottery glazes looking their best I advise to hand wash where ever possible or alternate between the dishwasher and hand washing. There is a greater risk of ceramics getting chipped or cracked in dishwashers due to items clanking together during the cycle.
Microwaves
My pottery is high fired so will most probably be fine in the microwave however I am not able to test a range of microwaves so just to be on the safe side I advise to avoid using them in the microwave.
Thermal Shock
As with all ceramics, avoid thermal shock by not exposing your pottery to rapid temperature changes. The risk of thermal shock is greater when pottery is large. Always warm teapots or large mugs with a little hot water before filling. Allow freshly boiled water to cool a little before filling your mug. Always heat food in ceramics from a cold oven. Never put a plate from the fridge into the oven or microwave, never put a hot dish into a sink of water.
Gift Wrapping
If your order is for a gift I can gift wrap the item on request for £4. Choose this option from the drop down before adding your item to your cart.
Made to Order
I am not taking commissions at the current time.
All 'Made to Order' and commissioned pieces are made especially for you and take approximately 6 - 8 weeks. Upon receiving your order I will contact you to confirm the details and inform you of an approximate shipping date. If you have a specific deadline e.g. birthday or wedding gifts then let me know and I will do my best to try and get your order to you.
Wholesale
I happily accept wholesale orders but I do have a limited capacity and can only accept one per month. Wholesale orders are made to order and take 6 - 8 weeks. Please contact me at kara@karaleighceramics.com for all wholesale enquiries and I will get back to you asap.
Sustainability & Packaging
I work very hard to minimise my impact on the environment both personally and within my business.
I use cardboard boxes which are either recycled or from FSC responsible sources - both completely recyclable. I no longer use bubble wrap in 99% of my parcels. The bubble wrap I do use is mostly recycled from packaging I have received. All packing peanuts are eco- packaging peanuts made from corn starch and are completely biodegradable. If you receive a parcel with non- eco packaging peanuts please be assured they are reused. I urge you to try and reuse any non- recyclable packaging yourself.
Refunds and exchanges
I want you to be entirely happy with your pottery, after all without you I couldn’t do what I am doing. I will do my utmost to make sure you are 100% happy with your experience of buying my work. Please contact me at kara@karaleighceramics.com with any issues and I will try my best to rectify it if I can.
I measure and describe each item of pottery carefully, so please read descriptions for dimensions, sizes, usage and care instructions etc before making your purchase. I make all my pottery by hand in small batches so the dimensions can vary from batch to batch. Please check you are happy with all the dimensions and volumes in the listing before placing your order.
Made to order items: All my items are handmade, therefore every one is unique, I celebrate the individual characteristics of each piece. No two items will ever be exactly the same. I do my best to match items to the pictures listings but due to the nature of clay, reactive glazes and firing process they will vary and may be different in size, colour or finish. If you are not completely happy with an item received please do get in touch.
If you would like to return an item that is not suitable please let me know so I can look out for it and I can give you my address to which to return it. I can not accept items returned after 14 days of receipt. Unless an item is faulty, return shipping is your responsibility. If any item is returned in a non-resalable condition (if it gets broken on it’s return journey) a refund won’t be able to be issued so please ensure it is packaged very carefully - read my blog post of Shipping Pottery for recommendations. Personalised items are non-returnable.
