Care, process, returns
Care guide
Mugs. Dishwasher and microwave safe. Hand washing is recommended: it keeps the glaze and carving at their best for longer.
Lamps. Switch off and unplug before cleaning or changing the bulb. Dust with a soft, dry cloth, and keep water away from the socket, cord and switch. A cloth dampened with water alone lifts marks; avoid cleaning sprays and abrasives. Brass hardware can be wiped with a dry cloth, or left to darken naturally. Table lamps take a G8 LED bulb and the floor lamp an E12 LED bulb.
All stoneware. Stoneware is strong, but a knock or a fall can chip or crack it. Avoid bleach and scouring pads.
Order process
- Choose — Pick a piece, finish and size. The product page shows the current lead time.
- Order — Check out. You receive a receipt by email.
- Made — Your piece is thrown, glazed, fired and wired.
- Checked — Each piece is checked and packed by hand.
- Shipped — It ships with tracking. Shipping is calculated at checkout.
Current lead time: 4–6 weeks.
Shipping & returns
Shipping is calculated at checkout, where faster services can be chosen too. We ship within the United States; for anywhere else, write to the studio.
All sales are final. Every piece is made by hand, and most are one of a kind or made for your order, so we do not accept returns or exchanges, and we do not give refunds. This covers edition drops, one-of-a-kind pieces, made-to-order lighting and commissions.
Changing or cancelling an order. Orders cannot be changed or cancelled once paid for. Made-to-order lighting goes into production when you order, and edition and one-of-a-kind pieces are final at purchase.
Commissions. Every commission needs a 50% deposit up front to begin, and the deposit is non-refundable. The remaining balance is due 2–3 weeks before the piece is finished.
Damage in transit. Please open your parcel as soon as it arrives. If anything is damaged, keep the piece and all of the packaging, including the outer box, photograph the damage and the box, and email help@alexsceramics.com within 48 hours of delivery. The carrier needs the photographs and the packaging to accept a claim. We will then repair, replace or refund the piece; a one-of-a-kind piece cannot be remade, so it is refunded. Damage reported after 48 hours, or without the packaging, may not be covered.
Variation in glaze, colour, size and form is part of handmade work and is not treated as damage or a defect.
Handmade variation. Every piece is made by hand in stoneware, one at a time. Glaze, colour and shape vary slightly from piece to piece and from the photographs, so no two are exactly alike. That variation is part of the handmaking process, not a flaw. It is what makes each piece yours.
Accessibility
We want everyone to be able to browse and buy from this site, including people who use a screen reader, a keyboard instead of a mouse, zoom, or reduced motion. The site is built toward the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA: every image has a description, every form field has a label, the site works from the keyboard with a visible focus outline, and the moving effects calm down when your device asks for reduced motion.
If anything is hard to use, or you would like help placing an order another way, email help@alexsceramics.com and the studio will help, usually within two working days.
Questions? Write to the studio.