Terms & Conditions

These terms govern your use of suberea.com and your purchases from Suberea Atelier. By placing an order, you agree to them.

1. About the Studio

Suberea Atelier is a small independent studio based in Almada, Portugal, producing handcrafted objects in cork and concrete. The studio operates on a strict made-to-order basis — there is no inventory, and each piece is produced when ordered.

You can reach the studio at atelier@suberea.com for any question concerning these terms.

2. The Pieces

Each piece is hand-cast from a mix of cork and mineral binder. Because of this, every piece carries small natural variations in colour, cork distribution, and surface finish. These are not defects — they are the signature of the process and the reason each edition stays small.

Numbered editions (such as 012/30) are finite. When the last piece in an edition is cast, the edition closes. We do not revive closed editions, though future editions may share the same form.

Every piece also receives the Mark (a Cunha): the characters — initials or a date, up to 4 characters — that you specify at the moment of purchase, permanently and irreversibly stamped into the piece during production. No piece is produced without its Mark. It is the sign of the person who commissioned it: the piece is born yours.

3. Placing an Order

Orders are placed through the website and processed via Stripe. When you complete a purchase, you will receive an order confirmation by email. This confirmation is the start of our agreement with you.

All prices are shown in Euro (€) and include any applicable VAT.

Checkout includes one required field: your Mark — up to 4 characters of your choosing. The characters you enter are recorded with your order and constitute the production specification of the piece.

4. Made-to-Order Production

Every piece is produced after the order is confirmed. Production begins approximately 24 hours after order confirmation — once materials are cut and the casting starts. Typical lead times:

• Standard editions: 2–3 weeks from order to dispatch
• Collaborative pieces (Suberea × Permanes): up to 4 weeks
• Personalised pieces (with engraved or handwritten note): add 2–3 days

These timelines include the time needed for concrete to cure, surfaces to be finished, and pieces to be sealed. We will not ship a piece before it is properly cured. If unusual conditions extend a lead time, we will tell you by email.

5. Cancellations and the Right of Withdrawal

Every Suberea piece is produced with the Mark specified by the client — making it a good made to the consumer's specifications and clearly personalised. Under Article 16(c) of EU Directive 2011/83/EU (transposed into Portuguese law by Article 17(1)(c) of Decree-Law no. 24/2014), these orders are not covered by the 14-day right of withdrawal. This information is presented prominently at checkout, before payment, and its acceptance is a condition of ordering.

Notwithstanding this exclusion, we offer a courtesy cancellation window:

• Within 24 hours of order confirmation — you may cancel for any reason with a full refund. Production has not yet begun. 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.

6. Returns

Marked pieces are not eligible for return after the 24-hour cancellation window has passed. Please consider your order carefully before confirming.

Standard products and consumables. Where the studio offers products without a Mark (for example consumables or refills), the 14-day right of withdrawal applies from the day of delivery, under Decree-Law no. 24/2014: notify us of your intention by email within that period and return the product within the following 14 days, in its original packaging, with return shipping costs borne by you. The refund is issued within 14 days of receipt of the returned product, via the original payment method; we may deduct any diminished value resulting from handling beyond what was necessary to establish the nature and characteristics of the product.

This does not affect your rights regarding pieces that arrive damaged or are defective on delivery — see our Shipping & Returns page for those procedures.

7. Conformity and Warranty

All pieces are covered by the three-year legal guarantee of conformity from the date of delivery, under Portuguese Decree-Law no. 84/2021. In case of lack of conformity — cracks, breaks, or failures arising from material defects under normal use — you are entitled to repair, replacement (within the same edition, where possible), price reduction, or termination of the contract, as provided by law.

The following are not lacks of conformity:

• Damage from drops, impacts, or misuse
• Natural changes in materials over time (cork darkening, mineral surfaces developing patina) — these are part of the character of the materials
• Damage caused by exposure to extreme temperatures or chemicals

8. Payment

Payments are processed by Stripe, which is PCI DSS Level 1 certified. We do not see or store your card details. We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, and MB Way.

9. Intellectual Property

The Suberea name, mark, photography, written content, and product designs are the intellectual property of Suberea Atelier. They may not be reproduced or used commercially without written permission.

10. Limitation of Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by Portuguese and EU law, our liability for any claim arising from your use of this site or your purchase is limited to the amount you paid for the relevant order.

11. Governing Law and Disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of Portugal. Any dispute is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Portuguese courts.

In the event of a consumer dispute, consumers in Portugal may resort to the Alternative Dispute Resolution entities provided for by Law no. 144/2015, namely CNIACC — Centro Nacional de Informação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo (cniacc.pt) or the territorially competent consumer arbitration centre. Further information at consumidor.gov.pt.

Electronic Complaints Book (Livro de Reclamações Eletrónico): livroreclamacoes.pt

12. Changes

We may update these terms from time to time. The "Last updated" date above reflects the current version. Customers with active orders will be notified by email of any material change.

13. Contact

For questions about these terms or any order, write to atelier@suberea.com. We read every message.