+ processing times
All ready to ship pieces will be dispatched within 5 working days of placing your order. If you need your order to be posted sooner, please contact me immediately at hello@lilactreemakes.co.uk and I will see what I can do.
Processing time for custom orders varies, and will be estimated for you before your deposit is due.
+ postage & shipping
All UK orders under £100 in total are offered Royal Mail Tracked 48 shipping for £3.00, with an estimated delivery date of 2 working days after despatch, and full tracking. However, please note that this shipping option is uninsured and at your own risk. You have the option to upgrade to Royal Mail Special Delivery for £8.00, which is fully insured and guarantees next day delivery after despatch.
All UK orders over £100 in total are sent by Royal Mail Special Delivery for £8.00 as standard.
Unfortunately, I cannot offer international shipping at this time.
+ customs & import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs or import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for any delays due to customs.
+ returns & exchanges
Given the handmade nature of my jewellery, I regret that I am unable to offer refunds under any circumstances, unless there is an unrepairable fault with your jewellery when you received it. In this case, please send me a photo of the damage to hello@lilactreemakes.co.uk in the first instance.
Exchanges are handled on a case-by-case basis, but I will usually be happy to exchange a product (or provide a gift card for the purchase amount) if it is returned unused and in its original condition within ten days of purchase. In this instance, the buyer is responsible for any additional postage charges incurred.
I regret that I am unable to offer exchanges for custom items under any circumstances.
+ ring sizing
Please do take care to order the correct ring size, as I cannot refund or exchange on this instance. If you have ordered the wrong size in error, please contact me within two days of placing the order to see if I can change it for you!
Most rings can be re-sized up one size, so if your ring arrived and you would like it to be slightly bigger, I am more than happy to re-size it for you free of charge. I just ask that you cover the return postage costs.
Unfortunately I cannot re-size rings down, as this involves completely disassembling the ring, including removing any stones. Sorry!
If you are unsure of your size, please purchase a ring sizer from my online shop. The cost of the ring sizer is deductable from any ring subsequently purchased within three months!
+ repairs
I strive to use the highest quality materials, but jewellery is delicate. I won't charge for any minor repair work needed within 12 months of purchase. All I ask is that you cover the return postage costs.
Any major repair work will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis, and an estimate of cost for the work will be provided to you on enquiry.
+ polishing
I am delighted to offer free polishing and re-oxidising (darkening) of any piece of jewellery you have bought from me - for life! All I ask is that you cover the return postage costs.
+ caring for your jewellery
Taking the time to care for your jewellery will keep it looking as beautiful as the day you bought it!
Remove your jewellery before bathing, swimming, or washing your hands.
Avoid getting perfumes, oils, lotions or chemicals on your jewellery, as this can discolour the metal and the stones.
Take care not to bump or knock your jewellery as this could scratch the metal or crack the stones.
When you're not wearing your jewellery, store it in an airtight bag or container to prevent tarnishing. Clean occasionally, with a soft cloth.
+ hallmarking
Hallmarks are marks applied to precious metals to indicate the amount of pure metal in the alloy. It is a legal requirement for silver over 7.78g, gold and palladium over 1g, and platinum over 0.5g to have a UK recognised hallmark, which is independently verfied and struck by one of only four Assay Offices in the UK.
Hallmarking dates back over 700 years, when King Edward I passed a statute in 1300 requiring that gold and silver of a defined standard be marked with a leopard’s head - Britain’s first marking system to guarantee the fineness of precious metal.
For more information about hallmarking, please click here.
+ ethical policy
Introduction
Sustainability and ethical working practices are at the heart of everything I do. I am proud that my jewellery is responsible, vegan-friendly, and planet-kind, so that you can be proud to wear it! I am a member of the Vegan Traders Union and Guild of Jewellery Designers, so you can put your trust in my work. My 2023 Ethical Strategy is available to read here.
Metal
I recycle and reuse all of my metal scraps, so they have a new lease of life! Any precious metal that I do buy is meticulously sourced - all sterling silver is recycled, and the majority of the gold I buy is single mine origin, originating from a single, responsibly run gold mine that has strict ethical, environmental and health and safety standards.
Gemstones
The gemstones I use in my jewellery are sourced directly from independent lapidary artists and gemstone traders, either at gem fairs or online. Meeting traders at gem fairs gives me an opportunity to ask them about their processes and sourcing - I would expect all traders to know the provenance of their stones, if not I don’t buy from them. Online, I buy from sole traders, many of whom either cut the stones themselves, or who ensure that they’re giving a fair wage to those that do.
You will never find coral in any of my designs - you might not know but it's actually an animal, not a plant! Coral reefs provide a thriving eco-system for 25% of all known marine fish, and are essential to the biodiversity of the ocean. But live red and pink coral has been used throughout history as an accessory, decimating these delicate eco-systems. I think coral is far too precious to wear! As a vegan, I do not use shell or pearls, in any of my designs.
Ensuring that the gemstones I use are conflict-free is of paramount importance to me. Diamonds are the stones everyone thinks about when you say "conflict-free", but it applies to others, too. For example, although its lapis lazuli mines have been in operation for thousands of years, much of the lapis currently exported from Afghanistan is mined illegally. The UN estimates that lapis mining has become the Afghan Taliban's second-largest source of income, after opium. All of my lapis therefore comes from the Americas (US, Canada, or Chile) where I can be more confident of its ethical origins.
Processes
All of my jewellery-making process are vegan, and carefully designed to ensure minimum impact on the environment.
Traditionally, jewellers use a rawhide mallet to shape and form metal. However, an alternative is a nylon mallet which I use and works just as well.
In addition, many traditional polishing compounds are bound with animal fats, and some polishing mops are made with wool. To counter this, I use water-based polishing compounds instead and use cotton mops to polish.
Lastly, I use non-toxic citric acid to clean firescale from my jewellery in the "pickle". This means that there are no noxious fumes entering the air. However, the copper in metal alloys is deposited into the "pickle" solution throughout its use, which would be damaging to wildlife if it entered the water supply. So to counter this, I neutralise the acid with bicarbonate of soda before allowing it to naturally evaporate, which is non toxic to wildlife.
Packaging
Because the earth is so important to me, I'm committed to ensuring that my packaging is 100% recycled and recyclable, and where possible, biodegradable and reuseable.
Your jewellery is presented in a reusable cotton bag, and is attached to a card backing which is made from 100% post-consumer waste. All of my marketing materials are made from recycled card-stock and are recyclable.
If you're ordering from me online, your jewellery will arrive in a 100% recycled postage box, and is secured with biodegradable tape! If you've bought from me at a market, you have the option to carry your purchase in a recylable paper bag that's made from post-consumer waste.
There are no plastics of any kind in any of my packaging.
Displays
At markets, my displays are made from reclaimed and salvaged wood, and other natural materials including jute. Jute is a very important material to me, as Dundee (near where I'm from originally) used to be the centre of jute production in the UK!
Charity
My ethical policy doesn't just end at sustainability. I'm proud that as a small business owner I actively contribute to important causes, too.
Every month I nominate a special charity that is close to my heart, and donate £2 for every order that month to the charity. You can find out more about the charities I've nominated by visiting my Good Causes page.
+ terms & conditions
Introduction
These terms and conditions apply to the use of this website at www.lilactreemakes.co.uk.
By accessing this website and/or placing an order, you agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. Using this website indicates that you accept these terms regardless of whether or not you choose to register with us or order from us.
Please read these Terms of Service carefully before accessing or using our website. By accessing or using any part of the site, you agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. If you do not agree to all the terms and conditions of this agreement, then you may not access the website or use any services.
Our store is hosted on Squarespace. They provide us with the online e-commerce platform that allows us to sell our products and services to you.
Site Access & Changes
Our website changes regularly and access to this site is permitted on a temporary basis. We aim to update our site regularly, and may change the content at any time, including the product details and pricing without notice. If the need arises, we may suspend access to our site, or close it indefinitely. Any of the material on our site may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update such material. You are also responsible for ensuring that all persons who access our site through your internet connection are aware of these terms, and that they comply with them.
Contract
No contract will exist between you and Lilac Tree for the sale of any product unless and until Lilac Tree has accepted your order with a confirmation email and a full payment is taken from your credit/debit card or via Paypal. Our acceptance of your order brings into existence a legally binding contract between us. Only adults (persons aged 18 and over) are entitled to enter into legally binding contracts.
Lilac Tree reserves the right not to accept your order in the event that: we are unable to obtain authorisation for payment; and/or if shipping restrictions apply to a particular item; and/or if the item ordered does not meet our quality control standards and is withdrawn, out of stock or if there is an error in pricing or content. We may also refuse to process and therefore accept a transaction for any reason or refuse service to anyone at any time at our sole discretion. We will not be liable for any indirect or consequential loss, damage or expenses arising from not accepting your order and we shall have no liability to you, by way of compensation, other than to refund the amount paid for the goods in question.
Payment
By purchasing on this site you confirm that the Paypal account or credit/debit card that is being used is yours or that you have been specifically authorised by the owner of the Paypal account or credit/debit card to use it. All credit/debit cardholders are subject to validation checks and authorisation by the card issuer. If the issuer of your payment card refuses to authorise payment we will not be liable for any delay or non-delivery. Payment can be made by Paypal or via your credit/debit card linked to your Paypal account. Also by any other methods that may be advertised on our website site.
All credit/debit card transactions on this site are processed using Pay Pal, which is a secure online payment gateway which encrypts your card details in a secure host environment.
The prices payable for ordered goods are as set out in our website in GBP (UK Pounds). Delivery charges will be clearly displayed when selected and included in the total cost.
Amendment to terms
We may update our published terms and conditions from time to time. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are aware of any changes to this policy. If you have any further question about our terms and conditions, please contact us at hello@lilactreemakes.co.uk.
+ privacy
Introduction
Your trust is very important to us, and as such we take our obligations regarding data protection seriously. We are absolutely committed to ensuring that any personal data we hold is kept safely and securely.
Why we collect personal data
We only collect personal data for the following three purposes:
- To fulfil an order
- For our mailing list (by consent only)
- For UK tax and accounting purposes
Buying from us
If you buy from us in person at an exhibition or fair, we only ask for the information required to complete the transaction. This may also include your email address or phone number if you have requested a receipt, or your email address if you have agreed to join our mailing list.
If you pay for an item by credit or debit card, we use iZettle and have no access to your payment details, and do not retain the information you have have provided to us in order to send a receipt. You can read iZettle's privacy policy here.
If you place an order through www.lilactreemakes.co.uk, we require a name and postal address to secure the order, and an email address or telephone number in case it is necessary to communicate with you regarding that order. Any order placed on our website is processed by a third-party payment service provider, Paypal. You can read Paypal's privcay policy here.
Mailing list
We email a newsletter from time to time with information on forthcoming collections, special offers, and exhibitions or fairs which we think you might be interested in attending. The persons on this mailing list have given their consent to receive these emails either in person at an exhibition or fair, by email, or by filling out the form on this website.
These emails are sent out using a secure email system called Mailchimp, who safely store names and email addresses on our behalf. You can read Mailchimp's privacy policy here.
Subcribers to this mailing list can unsubscribe at any time by following the "unsubscribe" link on the emails they receive.
Sharing personal data
It is sometimes necessary for us to share personal data, but this is only ever done to enable us to provide a service or meet obligations, for example when using a delivery company to send an order, or when complying with UK tax laws.
Retaining personal data
We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to provide you with our services, to fulfil our legitimate business interests and lawful obligations.
You have the right to request information on the personal data we hold on you, and you can request that the data we hold be erased from our records by contacting at privacy@lilactreemakes.co.uk.
Data storage
We have physical and electronic systems in place to safeguard the personal information we collect and store.
