Before You Purchase For International Customers & International Shipping International Shipping Our shop accepts orders from customers outside Japan through WorldShopping BIZ, an international purchasing service operated by ZIG-ZAG Inc. If you are purchasing our work from outside Japan, your order will be placed through WorldShopping BIZ. After receiving your order, WorldShopping BIZ purchases the item from our shop on your behalf. We then ship the item just as we would for a regular domestic order in Japan, sending it to the designated WorldShopping BIZ facility in Japan. Once the item arrives at the WorldShopping BIZ facility, it will be inspected and measured, and may be repacked as necessary for safe international shipping. WorldShopping BIZ handles the international shipping arrangements and customer support for customers outside Japan. International Shipping Costs International shipping costs depend on the weight and size of the package, the destination country, and the shipping method. The final international shipping cost is determined after the item arrives at the WorldShopping BIZ facility and its size and weight have been confirmed. Japan Post EMS is mainly used for international shipping. If EMS is not available, carriers such as FedEx or DHL may be used. The available shipping carriers may vary depending on the destination country and the conditions of the shipment. Customers outside Japan are responsible for the purchasing service fee, international shipping costs, international shipping handling fee, and any other applicable charges in addition to the item price and domestic shipping fee in Japan. The international shipping cost is determined according to the weight, size, destination, and shipping method. For detailed information about shipping costs and available shipping methods, please check the information provided by WorldShopping BIZ when placing your order. Please note that the international shipping cost is confirmed after your items arrive at the WorldShopping BIZ facility. Customs Duties, Import Taxes & Other Charges Depending on your country or region, your purchase may be subject to customs duties, import taxes, VAT (Value Added Tax), or other charges. Any customs duties, taxes, or other fees imposed by your country are the responsibility of the customer. These charges are not included in the item price or the international shipping cost. Please check with your local customs office or other relevant authorities before placing your order regarding import regulations and any possible additional charges. Some countries or regions may also have restrictions on importing ceramic products. Packaging Ceramic pieces are fragile, so we take care to pack each item as safely as possible before shipping. For international orders, we first ship the item from our studio to the WorldShopping BIZ facility in Japan. WorldShopping BIZ then inspects the package and may add protective materials or repack the item as necessary for international transportation. We may use recycled or reused packaging materials when appropriate. If Your Item Is Damaged During Shipping WorldShopping BIZ provides compensation for loss or damage during international shipping according to the rules of the shipping carrier used. If your item arrives damaged, please contact WorldShopping BIZ first and follow their instructions. You may be asked to provide photographs of the damaged item and the packaging so that the condition of the shipment can be confirmed. If you contact our studio directly, we will also do our best to help and confirm the situation. Delivery Time International delivery generally takes longer than delivery within Japan. Delivery may take longer than expected due to customs procedures, local delivery conditions, international logistics, or other circumstances. The number of days required for delivery and the available shipping methods also vary depending on the destination country or region. Please understand that we cannot guarantee a specific delivery date. One-of-a-Kind Pieces, Born from Clay We are enfab, a small pottery studio located in Futtsu, Chiba, Japan. Our studio is home to ceramic artists Masaharu Hasegawa and Shoko Matsuura, together with studio members Misora and Maruhana Kana. The four of us work with clay every day, making vessels and other ceramic pieces. We knead the clay, shape it, apply glaze, and fire each piece in the kiln. Even when we make things in the same way, clay and fire do not always behave exactly as we expect. The color, shape, surface texture, and overall appearance of each piece can vary slightly. Sometimes a piece comes out just as we imagined. And sometimes we open the kiln and think, “Oh... so that's how it turned out!” Those unexpected moments are one of the things we love about working with ceramics. Each piece is something that could only have been born at that particular time, in that particular place, in that particular kiln. We hope you will enjoy the individual character and charm of each piece. Many of the works in our shop are one-of-a-kind. Some pieces will not be reproduced or restocked once they have been sold. About Handmade Ceramics Handmade ceramics naturally have their own individual characteristics. These may include small pinholes, crazing, variations in color, crystals in the glaze, and slight irregularities in shape. We believe that these differences are an important part of what makes each handmade piece special. Maybe you like a slightly uneven shape. Maybe you are drawn to the way a glaze changes across the surface. We hope you will enjoy these small differences and the individual character of each piece. Some pieces with noticeable characteristics in their shape or glaze are not sold as regular pieces. These are offered in our “Outlet” section, with the reason clearly described in the product information. We do not sell pieces with cracks, chips, or other damage that would affect normal use. About Product Photos We photograph each piece carefully so that you can see the colors and details as accurately as possible. However, the actual color of a piece may look slightly different depending on your monitor, screen settings, lighting, or viewing environment. If you would like additional photos, such as photos of the back, side, bottom, or other details, please feel free to contact us before purchasing. About Size and Measurements Because each piece is handmade, every piece has its own shape. Measurements may therefore vary slightly depending on where the piece is measured. For pieces with complex shapes or natural irregularities, it can be difficult to provide completely precise measurements, so approximate dimensions are given. In some cases, decimal places may be omitted. Please consider the listed measurements as a general guide to the size and proportions of the piece. If you have any questions about the size of an item, please feel free to contact us before purchasing. Caring for Your Pottery The pottery we sell has already been prepared at our studio. You do not need to seal or pre-treat the pottery before using it. To help prevent staining or color transfer, we recommend briefly rinsing the piece with water, or lightly wetting it before use. Over time, however, handmade pottery may naturally develop subtle stains or changes in color. If this happens, gently clean the surface with a melamine sponge or a similar gentle cleaning tool. If an unpleasant smell remains, boiling the piece in water may sometimes help. A Little Extra Care for Your Pottery Microwave ovens and dishwashers can be used, but we recommend avoiding them whenever possible. Microwave use can expose pottery to heat and sudden temperature changes. Dishwashers can subject pottery to strong water pressure and repeated washing. Because every handmade piece is different, it is difficult to predict exactly how these stresses may affect a piece over a long period of time. If you use a microwave or dishwasher, please check the condition of the pottery and use it with care. Handmade pottery deserves just a little extra care. We hope that this small amount of attention will help you enjoy your piece for a long time. Please also keep the following points in mind: • Do not store wet pottery for a long time in a tightly enclosed or poorly ventilated cupboard. • Do not leave food or drinks in the pottery for long periods of time. • In particular, when using the piece for coffee, Japanese tea, milk, or similar drinks, we recommend washing it as soon as possible after use. • For flower vases, avoid continuous long-term use. After using a vase for several days, allow it to dry completely before using it again. Ceramics can gradually change through everyday use. We hope you will enjoy not only the way your piece looks when it is new, but also the subtle changes and character that develop over time. About Your Order Before shipping, we carefully check each piece to make sure it is in good condition. Our works are also available for purchase directly at our studio. Because of this, an item may occasionally be sold at the studio before the online shop inventory has been updated. If this happens, we may unfortunately need to cancel the online order. We appreciate your understanding. This is one of the small challenges of running a small studio shop with many one-of-a-kind pieces. Returns & Exchanges We generally do not accept returns or exchanges for reasons based on customer preference. For example: • The color looks slightly different from what you expected. • You ordered the wrong size. • You changed your mind after purchasing. Please carefully check the product photos, measurements, description, and other information before placing your order. For damage that occurs during shipping, please refer to the section “If Your Item Is Damaged During Shipping.” If you have any questions about a piece before purchasing, please feel free to contact us. A Little Note from Our Small Studio Rather than making large quantities of work at once, we value taking our time with each piece—touching the clay, working with our hands, and seeing where the process takes us. A vessel to use at the table. Something that makes you a little happy when you happen to notice it. We would be very happy if one of our pieces could quietly become part of your everyday life. It means a lot to us to think that someone living far away from Japan might discover a piece made at enfab, bring it into their home, and continue to use and enjoy it for years to come. We are a small pottery studio, but we will continue to work with curiosity, have fun, and make things one piece at a time. If you happen to see something in our shop and think, “I kind of like this.” or simply, “There’s something about this one...” we hope you will consider giving it a place in your everyday life. We hope you enjoy it, day after day. Thank you very much for visiting our shop.