Ordering
Returns & refunds
If we sent the wrong thing, or it arrived damaged, or it is not what the page said it was, that is our problem and we fix it at our cost. If you ordered the wrong thing, you have thirty days and we will take it back. This page sets out exactly how, including the cases where we cannot.
The thirty-day return
You may return most items within thirty days of delivery for a refund, provided they are unused and in their original packaging. Email support@syngyns.store with your order number and what you are returning, and we will send a return address and a reference. Please do not send anything back without telling us first — unannounced returns arrive without an order number and take far longer to process.
Return shipping on a change-of-mind return is at your cost. We refund the price of the goods, not the original outbound shipping, and we refund to the original payment method within five business days of the goods arriving back with us. We do not charge a restocking fee.
What cannot be returned, and why
| Item | Returnable? | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Cloth or leather cut to your order | No | the roll or skin has been cut and cannot be sold on |
| Made-to-size clamshell boxes | No | built to your measurements; fits nothing else |
| Gold leaf, once the book is opened | No | it cannot be handled and returned intact |
| Adhesives with a broken seal | No | we cannot certify the contents of an opened container |
| Anything used, marked, cut or written on | No | it is no longer new goods |
| Everything else, unused and in original packaging | Yes, 30 days | — |
These exclusions do not apply if the item is faulty, damaged, or not what we described. Nothing on this page limits your rights where the goods are defective.
If it arrived wrong or damaged
Tell us within seven days of delivery. Photograph the outer box before opening if there is any visible damage, and photograph the contents before moving them. We will send a replacement or refund in full, including shipping both ways, and we arrange collection where the item is too large to post. You do not pay to return something that was our error.
If it is not what the page said
Our product pages state fibre, pH, buffering, tannage, substance and manufacture because those are the properties that decide whether a material is right for a job. If a material we supplied does not match its stated specification, that is a fault and not a change of mind — return it at our cost, inside or outside thirty days, and tell us what the discrepancy is so we can check the rest of the batch. We would rather know.
Natural variation is not a fault
Leather is a natural material. Skins vary in area, substance and marking, and the marks that come with a real hide are not defects — we measure each skin and state its area on your invoice. Cloth colour is consistent within a dye lot but can shift slightly between lots, which is why we say to order the whole job at once if the covers must match across a run. Handmade and mould-made papers vary in deckle and formation by design. None of these are returnable as faults, and all of them are stated on the product page before you buy.
Cancelling before dispatch
If you have ordered and not yet received a dispatch email, email us and we will cancel and refund in full, including shipping. Once a cut has been made or a box has gone into build we cannot cancel it, and we will tell you which of those applies rather than quietly proceeding.
Refund timing
Refunds are issued to the original payment method. We process within five business days of receiving the return or agreeing the claim; how quickly it then appears is a matter for your card issuer and is typically a further three to ten business days. If it has been longer than that, contact us with your order number and we will send you the refund confirmation to take to your bank.
Exchanges
We do not process exchanges as a single transaction, because it delays both halves. Return the item under the thirty-day return above and place a new order for what you actually need; the new order ships immediately rather than waiting for the return to arrive. If the exchange is because we sent the wrong thing, we ship the correct item straight away and collect the wrong one, and you are not out of pocket at any point.
Trade and institutional purchase orders
If you buy on an institutional purchase order, returns follow the same rules but the credit is issued against the invoice rather than to a card. Tell us the PO number when you open the return so the credit lands somewhere your finance office can reconcile it.
What happens to returned stock
Unused goods in original packaging go back into stock. Anything opened, marked or handled does not — it is written off. We mention this because it is the reason the exclusions above exist, and not because we are trying to make returning something difficult. If you are unsure whether an item will be returnable, ask before you order and we will tell you plainly.