FAQs

Products

  • Are your products vegan / cruelty-free? Yes! Cruelty-Free Stitchery is a fully vegan company, with a vegan owner/operator - so no animal products or by-products are used. (I even go so far as to avoid stocking fabrics that depict non-vegan food lol). Cruelty-Free is in the name, but this term generally applies to cosmetics and animal testing - so no I don't test products on animals! 
    • I mostly get this question in regards to the "natural rubber elastic" I use for scrunchies. Actual natural rubber comes from a tree that produces latex sap. It is not the petroleum rubber used for things like car tires. 

 

  • Are your products plastic-free? Mostly! I'm working to phase out synthetic materials wherever possible. Very few products contain polyester thread, or use synthetic (not plant-based) materials. Read more about sustainability here! I ship plastic-free as well - most orders go in recycled paper mailers, or reused boxes with paper tape.

 

  • How many (cotton rounds, cloth wipes, nonpaper towels) should I get? This is not a super easy answer, so it depends! How many disposable ones do you typically use? How often are you able (or willing) to do laundry? From my experience, having more is better so you don't run out too fast and end up going back to disposables anyways. But you can always start with a pack and add more! If we're talking NonPaper Towels and you have kids - add one per kid. (They loooove to help pick a print!)

 

  • What's with the purple threads? Branding! And sustainability! My brand color is a lilac pinky-purple, so you know where they came from. Stocking multiple colors of thread is very costly, and is impossible to change colors on the sewing machine efficiently without wasting some. Seriously, the machine I use can take an hour to re-thread on a good day if the stars are aligned.

 

  • Your care instructions say to wash before use - why don't you pre-wash? Many factors here, but mainly it's beyond impractical for me to pre-wash them all. I cut and sew hundreds of yards of fabric at once.
    • Washing removes stiffeners and "sizing" that makes the fabric smooth and easy to work with. If washed after cutting, the fabric will fray.
    • Lots of my customers have allergies or sensitivities to detergents as well.
    • So many people have handled the fabric from the time it was woven to the time it leaves my office...
  • All the same reasons you wouldn't go buy new bath towels or underwear and use them right away without washing! At least I hope you wouldn't...

 

Orders / Shipping

  • When will my order ship? Orders typically ship within 3 business days, not including weekends or holidays. In the event of an upcoming delay for a vacation, etc, I will announce on the heading banner of the home page.

 

  • Can you rush my order or send by a specific date? Sometimes - please email me in advance if you have a specific deadline. Shipping upgrades are available at checkout, but they do not guarantee a faster processing time. (DO NOT DM me on social media for urgent matters or order questions - I don't have notifications on, and DMs get lost quickly.)

 

  • I placed multiple orders - can you ship them together? Yes - if the first one has not shipped yet. My shipping software will catch this automatically if you used the same shipping address for both, so no need to contact me. Thanks for helping reduce packaging waste!

 

  • Where do you ship? Great news! As of July 2024, I can ship anywhere!
    Orders ship from Maryland, USA.
    Within the USA, including US Territories and APO/FPO, your order will ship via USPS.
    Outside the USA, you have the option between UPS and DHL. Please note that UPS cannot deliver to a PO Box. 

 

  • Shipping costs? I use calculated pricing for domestic shipments, depending on weight, and if you select an upgrade at checkout. Orders over $35 ship free to the U.S.

    Outside the U.S. - I use Shopify's Global Markets to get the best prices for a very small company like mine. Duties and taxes are calculated at checkout, so you won't have to pay upon delivery. (You may see prices increase at checkout, as the tax may not be added on the product page.)

 

  • Do you have an Etsy? Should I use that for International orders? I do have an Etsy, for the time being, but ask that you order here as my fees are much much lower. It also is likely cheaper for you to order here if you're outside the U.S. - Etsy's international shipping rates are a bit high. 

 

  • Help! The post office lost my package / it says "delivered" but I don't have it! If the package has been showing as "in transit" or "in transit, running late" on the tracking page for more than 7 days (within the continental U.S.) - please contact us so I can submit an inquiry for you. This could increase during holidays, natural disasters, etc. Sometimes they do find it, or it magically starts moving. If the package has been marked as "delivered" but you didn't receive it - do the usual check behind the bushes, with neighbors, etc. Occasionally, they are marked "delivered" a bit too early, so if it doesn't turn up in a day or two - try contacting your local post office with the tracking number. 90% of the time, the package fell behind the seat on the delivery truck.

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