For current order status information and shipping times, please see the VFA Blog “News Update”
CUSTOM ORDERS
In order to focus on efficiency and quality, we are not taking custom orders at this time. However, we love to hear your ideas about colorways and unique products. Customer feedback is an integral part of our product development. Feel free to get in touch at any time with feedback, ideas and requests.
WAITLIST
If you desire a product which is currently not in stock, please use our useful waitlist function. Each product on the website has a button on the product page that says “Join Waitlist” if it is currently out of stock. When you join the waitlist for that product, you will receive an email when it is back in stock. This is not a pre-order; you do not pre-pay for the product when you join the waitlist. Many colorways are seasonal and may be discontinued at any time. There are no “permanent” colorways, so if you see something you like, you shouldn’t wait to purchase it. The waitlist function is for your convenience. We understand that circumstances change, so being on a waitlist does not obligate you in any way to purchase the product when it becomes available. However, we ask please that you do not add yourself to the waitlist for something if you do not plan on purchasing it when it becomes available. We consider the product waitlists when we make our production schedule.
DESIGNER COLLABORATION
We support independent designers, and sometimes provide yarn support for new pattern releases. We are particularly interested in patterns that work well with long gradients (e.g. shawls) or with matching gradient skein sets (e.g. matching mitts, matching socks, mirror gradients, etc.) If you have a pattern that you feel would be a good fit for collaboration, please contact Amy via the Contact Us form to discuss the possibility of yarn support, co-publishing, pattern co-promotion, or a group MAL to launch your new design.
ORDER FULFILLMENT
We aim to provide the best customer service experience from the moment you visit our website till you take your piece off the blocking mats (and even beyond!). We do our best to optimize our workflow to be frictionless. We communicate with you about the status of your order every step of the way so that you’re always in the loop.
Here is an explanation of what certain “order status” denotations mean:
“Pending Payment”: We have received your order. We individually verify that Paypal has forwarded your funds appropriately. We check at this stage to make sure we don’t need clarification on anything. It is possible that Paypal has indeed processed your payment and it shows in your account activity, but we haven’t reconciled it yet for ourselves. Your order should never show a “Pending Payment” status for more than 24 hours. If it does, please contact us.
“Processing”: Everything looks good, and we are actively processing and packing up your order. Processing times can vary between 1-6 weeks depending on order volume. Please consult the “News Update” blog post for specific info on current shipping times.
“Completed”: Your package has shipped.
Our shipping system will generate tracking information which is sent to you via email. Once an order is marked as “Completed”, no changes can be made. If you decide at anytime before your order is complete that you would like to add something onto your order, we can do that. Please place a second order (this will take your products out of inventory so nobody else can buy them) and email us or make a comment under “customer notes” on the order to make us aware of the issue. We will combine the orders, adjust your shipping charges to reflect this, and issue a refund of overpaid charges.
Your order may be cancelled without a problem anytime before your order status is “Completed”. Once the parcel is shipped and out of our hands, you would need to wait for your order to arrive and return it to us. See our Returns policy below for more details.
All Vivid Fiber Arts purchases are prepared with care and shipped in packaging befit for the luxury handmade quality of the product. If you have special packaging requests, please denote this in the “Comments” section of the checkout page. We can pretty much do anything; special occasion wrapping, separate sub-packaging for things you plan to gift to others, handwritten notes, custom messages or cards. Since our products are frequently gifted, our packing lists by default do not include pricing information. Please refer to your Paypal receipt or your order information online for that information.
SHIPPING
We ship most packages via United States Postal Service.
*Important*
Every 6-8 weeks different new colorways become available for order. During that first week, we receive hundreds of orders. We process these in large batches as quickly as efficiently as possible. If you are ordering a newly available colorway during one of these periods where there is high order volume, please note current shipping times on the News Update. If the delivery timeline doesn’t work for you, or your needs change, please feel free to cancel your order anytime before it is shipped for a full refund. Contact us through the contact form on the homepage.
We do not pad our shipping costs. We have established a customized table-based shipping functionality so that we may assess the most accurate shipping cost possible, right down the ounce. Table-based shipping takes into account the weight of the object and the transit distance.
Domestic Packages:
We offer free domestic shipping over $75 (including Hawaii and Alaska!). All packages are shipped with tracking. Insurance is available for a small additional fee.
For domestic purchases less than $75, we use table-based shipping taking into account weight and distance to get as accurate a shipping cost as possible.
International Packages:
We ship everywhere except places where courier service is infeasible due to war or a natural disaster.
Right now we ship to the following countries via First Class International Parcel Service:
Canada
Mexico
All EU countries (and the UK)
Norway
Switzerland
Lichtenstein
Iceland
Japan
New Zealand
Australia
First Class International Parcel service is pretty affordable due to our low average order weight. Shipping cost for international orders can be as little as $9.50. The maximum weight for First Class International Parcel Service is 4 lbs. (1.8kg), all heavier packages must ship Priority Mail International. All First Class International Parcel packages do not ship with insurance or tracking. We do keep record of customs tracking numbers, but we are not responsible for loss or damage to First Class International packages. If you would be more comfortable with a trackable service, please consider upgrading to Priority Mail International.
Elective shipping upgrade to Priority Mail International is available at extra cost. Please request this under the “Order Notes” section on the checkout page. We will invoice you for the additional shipping cost through Paypal.
International shipments to countries other than the ones listed specifically above are handled on a case by case basis. We may require registered mail processing for some countries. For countries where national mail delivery is less than reliable, we reserve the right to limit shipping options to private courier. Courier shipping may incur additional cost. We can give you a quote so you can make an informed purchasing decision. For countries that do not use the latin alphabet for shipping labels, we may require some assistance from you to make sure it’s addressed properly.
Shipping time to international destinations varies. Average transit time to Canada, UK and Europe is about 8-14 days, NZ & AUS 10-17 days. However, during high volume times of the year (holidays) it can take up to 4 weeks. USPS does not guarantee the delivery of First Class International Parcel packages, and unfortunately neither can we. If you require a faster transit time, please consider upgrading to Priority Mail International.
All international customers are responsible for their country’s customs fees and duties. Fees vary from country to country and buyer is responsible for these fees. Customs forms are filled out in accordance with international law to accurately reflect value and contents of the package. Packages cannot be marked as “gifts” as this is illegal. Any seller who promises to do this for you is breaking the law. Please investigate possible customs fees/GST/VAT obligations before ordering. Orders that are returned to us from your customs office as “Unclaimed” are not eligible for refund.
MISSING PACKAGES
We aim for do everything possible to make sure you receive your purchase, however shipping misadventures can happen. If this occurs, we cannot be responsible for loss or theft, but we will do everything we can to help you locate your parcel and minimize missing parcel stress.
For Domestic (U.S.) packages:
Contact us with your order number and tracking information and we will contact USPS and file a missing parcel claim that business day. USPS will then contact the last post office location your tracking information has listed, and have them locate the package, or confirm the delivery of the package. If your package was lost but insured, we will either arrange for a replacement shipment, or a refund.
Vivid Fiber Arts cannot replace or issue a refund for packages lost or stolen if it has been confirmed as “Delivered” by the carrier. We can help you contact the carrier to pursue a search.
For International Packages:
Please note that there is an element of risk with First Class International Parcel service that we cannot assume. USPS First Class Mail International Parcel service does not offer tracking, delivery confirmation, or guaranteed transit time. These packages are ineligible for claims to be filed by USPS. We are not able to replace or provide refunds for lost or stolen parcels. The most common place parcels get held up is at your customs office. If you are waiting for what seems an unusually long time for delivery, we recommend you contact your customs office to see if they package has been held in review. When you contact them, you may use the customs form package ID that we add to your shipping notification. If your package goes unclaimed from Customs, they will return the package to us marked as “unclaimed”. Once the package arrives here, we will happily notify you and reship the package to you at your cost if you so desire. We cannot provide a refund for items returned to us as “Unclaimed”.
If your package was sent Priority Mail International and seems lost, please contact us with your order number and tracking information and we will contact USPS and file a missing parcel claim that business day. USPS will then contact the last post office location your tracking information has listed, and have them relocate the package, or confirm the delivery of the package. We are not able to replace or provide refunds for lost or stolen parcels that are designated “delivered” by the carrier.
SALES TAX
Vivid Fiber Arts is located in New York. New York residents will be charged appropriate sales tax on all orders, including electronic downloads.
ELECTRONIC DOWNLOADS & VAT
If you are in an EU member state, please contact us before downloading an electronic product. We use a different distribution method for electronic products for our EU customers.
RETURN POLICY
Love it, or return it. Period.
We stand behind the quality of all our products. We aim for every skein or yard of fabric to be immediately and enthusiastically enjoyed. We take great effort to provide accurate photos and descriptions, but monitors do display colors differently and not every color or product is going to suit every person’s individual taste. That’s OK! We will rehome your skein or fabric with someone who’s a better match. We don’t want you to feel “stuck” with a product that’s not for you.
In exchange for this liberal return policy, we ask that you please return all merchandise promptly and in resaleable condition. All purchases may be returned for any reason within 30 days of parcel receipt. Please contact us first for a return authorization and prepaid shipping label. Refunds will be issued for the full invoice amount minus shipping cost incurred. Return shipping is at the buyer’s expense. All returns must be sent back to us with tracking. Returned products must be in resaleable condition; no signs of fraying from frogging, and absolutely not washed or blocked. Outside of the 30 day return window, please make use of the lively de-stash market on Ravelry. Due to the seasonal nature of the colorways and products, we cannot accept returns outside of the 30 day window. International customers may want to consider de-stashing vs. returning because the return shipping may make returning with tracking more costly in the end. However, the option is there.
Please allow up to two weeks for all returns/exchanges to be received and processed.
Packages mailed to Vivid Fiber Arts without return authorization will not be refunded.
CARE INSTRUCTIONS
All Vivid Fiber Arts skeins are hand dyed. Variation is part of what makes hand dyed skeins so unique. We use professional dyes and mordants and all skeins are processed appropriately for the fiber type. That being said, all hand dyed yarns (superwash wool included) require handwashing.
All protein-based yarns and fabrics (wool, alpaca, silk etc.) should not be soaked in water over 105 degrees due to the fact that certain colors of dye are delicate and become detached from the fiber at that temperature. 105 degrees is probably not as warm as you would think it to be, so please be careful. You can use a wool wash, a little dish detergent or hair conditioner.
All plant-based yarns and fabrics (cotton, bamboo, tencel) should be soaked in plain COLD water only, with a bit of fabric softener if you like. This is for two reasons: 1) plant fibers don’t need to “open up” or relax, they don’t have a cuticle like animal fibers and 2) we go to great lengths to wash and treat your yarn with a very expensive semi-permanent fabric softener that is safe for sensitive skin. You may wash some of this away if you use warm water and detergent. We triple rinse every skein, but some bleeding can be expected for the first few washes, especially with darker colors, reds, and turquoise/blue green.
Please wash your hand knits separately and be careful with what comes in contact with the yarn while it’s wet or blocking. (i.e. do not block a red shawl on your nice fluffy white bath towels. If you are combining a hand dyed yarn with another light colored yarn, please consider possible dye migration issues. You may want to pre-wash your hand dyed skein before you being your project to be super safe if you are combining with light colored yarn .
FOR THE CHEMICALLY-SENSITIVE/ALLERGY SUFFERERS
All Vivid Fiber Arts products are fragrance-free, and allergy-friendly. Please handle your purchase when you receive it to make sure you do not have any kind of sensitivity to the actual fiber. If you do, please return it within the 30 days window for a full refund minus shipping costs.
QUALITY
Our gradient yarns are not machine knit into “blanks” and unraveled; they do not have uneven dye absorption or white spots. They are not kinked; they arrive ready for action, professionally steamed, and reskeined or caked. Our unique process produces exceptionally smooth gradients for slow color shifts. You may see slight variations or the occasional striation, but our gradients are not stripey, and do not have large “jumps” in color. Each gradient has between 24-48 individual shades of color applied in succession. Our gradients are true gradients, not long self-striping skeins dyed with distinct segments or color changes. If you require something that provides a little more “action” as you work it up, please choose skeins that are labeled as “self-striping” or “Varigradient”.
HUMAN BEING POLICY
Our quality control process is very stringent, however it’s possible something that wouldn’t normally be up to our high standards might sneak by. We try our best to make sure every single thing we send out is perfect, but we are still human beings. All skeins are handmade with some variation. We check over all skeins as they are washed and wound, but we do not check each one inch by inch. There may be the occasional spinning slub, or fuzzy bit that just isn’t visible when we check them. We consider the following things to be “flaws”; multiple noticeable white spots where dye didn’t penetrate, more than 1 join/100g yarn that doesn’t break the gradient. We will happily work with you regarding flawed or damaged skeins. Please contact us prior to returning request a free return shipping label in this case.