Shipping & Returns

Suberea operates on a strict made-to-order basis. Every piece is cast, cured, and finished by hand in our Almada studio after your order is confirmed. This page describes how that works, how shipping is handled, and the conditions under which a piece can be cancelled or returned.

1. Made-to-Order Production

There is no inventory. When you place an order, the piece is added to our production schedule. Materials are measured, the mould is prepared, and the casting begins approximately 24 hours after your order is confirmed.

Typical lead times from order to dispatch:

• Standard editions (Okto, Lum, Marca) — 2 to 3 weeks
• Collaborative editions (Suberea × Permanes) — up to 4 weeks
• Optional personal notes — add 2 to 3 days for engraving or handwritten card preparation (the Mark itself adds no extra time)

These windows include the time required for the concrete to cure properly. The mineral binder needs time to set, dry, and stabilise before a piece is sealed and packaged. We will not ship a piece before this curing is complete — a rushed piece is a fragile one.

You will receive an email when your piece moves into production, and again when it ships with the tracking number.

2. The Mark and the Right of Withdrawal

Every Suberea piece necessarily receives the Mark (a Cunha): the characters — initials or a date, up to 4 characters — you specify at checkout, permanently and irreversibly stamped into the piece during production. No piece is produced without its Mark. The piece is born yours, and that carries a legal consequence:

As goods made to the consumer's specifications and clearly personalised, marked pieces are not covered by the 14-day right of withdrawal, under Article 16(c) of EU Directive 2011/83/EU (Article 17(1)(c) of Portuguese Decree-Law no. 24/2014). This information is presented at checkout, before payment.

Notwithstanding this exclusion, we offer a courtesy cancellation window:

• Within 24 hours of order confirmation — you can cancel for any reason with a full refund. The piece has not yet entered production. Write to atelier@suberea.com with your order number.
• After 24 hours — production has begun and the piece is stamped with your characters. The order can no longer be cancelled or refunded.

Please consider your order carefully before confirming. We are always happy to answer questions about a piece by email before you commit.

3. Personal Notes (Optional)

You can add a personal note to any order for €5. Two options:

• Handwritten note — a card written by hand on heavy uncoated paper, slipped inside the packaging
• Laser-engraved cork card — your text engraved into a small panel of Portuguese cork, placed inside the box (more durable, becomes a keepsake)

Notes can be up to roughly 60 words. Suitable for gifts, dedications, or messages you'd like to accompany the piece.

To add a personal note: (1) Complete your order through the website. (2) Within 24 hours, email us at atelier@suberea.com with your order number, the note text, and which option you'd like (handwritten or engraved cork). We will send a separate €5 invoice. The note is prepared during production so it travels with the piece.

Personal notes are an addition to the packaging and are separate from the Mark — which is an integral part of every piece. Like the piece itself, a prepared note cannot be undone beyond the 24-hour cancellation window.

4. Shipping Destinations and Rates

Shipping is calculated at checkout based on destination and order weight. As a guide:

• Portugal — from €6, delivery 2–5 working days after dispatch
• European Union — from €15, delivery 5–10 working days after dispatch
• United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway — from €22, delivery 7–14 working days after dispatch (customs may apply)
• Rest of world — calculated at checkout, delivery 10–20 working days after dispatch (import duties payable by recipient)

We ship via CTT (Correios de Portugal) and partner carriers for international destinations. All shipments are tracked and insured.

5. Packaging

Each piece is wrapped in unbleached natural paper, cushioned with loose cork, and packed in a recyclable kraft box. No plastic, no foam, no filler that has to be thrown away.

6. Tracking

When your piece ships, we email you the tracking number. If you don't receive this within the expected production window, or if tracking appears stuck, write to atelier@suberea.com — we will look into it immediately.

7. Customs and Import Duties

For orders shipping outside the European Union, the recipient is responsible for any import duties, taxes, or customs fees charged by the destination country. These are not included in the price or shipping cost shown at checkout.

8. Damaged or Lost Parcels

If your piece arrives damaged, write to atelier@suberea.com within 48 hours of delivery, with photographs of the damage and the original packaging. We will arrange either a replacement (produced as a new commission) or a full refund, at your choice.

This protection is separate from the made-to-order cancellation policy. EU consumer law guarantees your rights when a piece arrives damaged or defective, regardless of how it was produced.

For parcels lost in transit, we wait the carrier's investigation period (typically 14–21 days) before issuing a refund or replacement.

9. Conformity Guarantee

All pieces are covered by the three-year legal guarantee of conformity from the date of delivery (Portuguese Decree-Law no. 84/2021). It covers cracks or breaks from material failure under normal use, failure of sealed interior surfaces, and hardware failures (clock movements, etc.).

The following are not lacks of conformity:

• Damage from drops, impacts, or misuse
• Natural changes in materials over time — cork may darken, mineral surfaces may develop subtle patina, both of which are part of the material's character
• Damage from exposure to extreme heat, freezing, or chemicals

For conformity claims, write to atelier@suberea.com with photographs and a brief description.

10. Returns Summary

Because every Suberea piece is made to order, returns work differently than at a typical online shop:

• Buyer's remorse → 24-hour cancellation window from order confirmation. After that, a marked piece cannot be cancelled or returned (Art. 16(c), Directive 2011/83/EU).
• Products without a Mark (consumables and refills, where offered) → 14-day right of withdrawal from delivery; return in original packaging, return shipping at the client's cost.
• Damaged on arrival → email within 48 hours of delivery with photos, full replacement or refund.
• Lack of conformity → 3-year legal guarantee from delivery, contact us with photos.

11. Questions

If anything here is unclear, or if you have a question about a specific order, write to atelier@suberea.com. We answer every message within 24 hours.