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Frequently Asked Questions
Order details
Track your order through the shipping confirmation email that was sent by clicking on the auto generated tracking number.
We call it Our Promise:
If you’re not satisfied with your purchase, neither are we. If you don’t love it, you can return it within 30 days for a refund minus a flat restocking fee of $10. Buyer is responsible for the cost of return shipping.
Products that have been upcycled from your own china are not eligible for return. However, please contact us if anything is incorrect or unsatisfactory about your order so we can resolve the issue.
Email hello@thebrooklynteacup.com within 30 days of receiving your order.
Include your name, order number, and any photos of the box your order arrived in and the damaged item. We will work on getting you a replacement or refund ASAP.
On our assembly page located in the footer.
Simply use a warm, damp cloth to remove any residue directly from your upcycled piece. For a deeper clean, disassemble and hand wash the china and hardware separately in mild, soapy water. Use a soft cloth to wash & dry.
Note: Prolonged contact with liquids, especially acidic juices or sauces, can damage or stain the china’s surface. Clean shortly after use to avoid staining.
Our #1 goal is to make sure your order arrives safely. Our second goal is to reduce waste in all that we do by using eco-friendly packing and shipping supplies and reusing other materials.
Our standard packaging uses a neat and tidy mix of reused, repurposed and/or recyclable materials, including: bubble wrap, shredded cardboard, foam sheets packing peanuts and more. Items in your order are arranged securely so that nothing moves around in transit.
Yes! For china transformations/ upcyle orders, we can collect all of your address recipients at once.
For inventory in our shop, please place separate orders going to different addresses or contact hello@thebrooklynteacup.com for help.
Yep! Gift wrapping and gift notes are available at checkout.
Yes. Please email hello@thebrooklynteacup.com with your specific order information.
Yes! We ship worldwide. We've even shipped china to China!
Yes! We are fully insured for general and product liability insurance. Contact us to request a copy of our certificate of insurance.
Inventory
Unless otherwise stated, it is safe to assume that all of our vintage china is in very good to excellent condition. That means you can expect your order to be free of chips, cracks, stains or defects that might affect its overall appearance or function.
That said, all of our inventory is second hand and has lived a previous life. Expect to see evidence of use and aging. For example, light utensil marks, faded gilding/gold plating, and light crazing (faint fine lines that form in the glazed surface of the china) are commonly found in vintage china. We consider these characteristics to be part of the unique charm of our products and not imperfections.
We purchase or otherwise acquire our inventory from a variety of sources. In general, we buy from estate sales, second hand stores, online auctions and individual sellers all over New York State and beyond. Ariel can never take a trip without coming home with at least a few new pieces of inventory.
You can buy additional hardware here.
Send a picture of the piece you would like to replace to hello@thebrooklynteacup.com and we'd be happy to assist.
While we may not have the same vintage piece in your original order, we will likely have a complementary piece that will work just as well.
All of our inventory is vintage and limited by nature. Many of our pieces are one-of-a-find or were created as one-of-a-kind pieces. In other words, once these pieces sell, they are generally gone for good.
Be sure to add your email to the waitlist for the item in question—When a pattern is popular, we do our best to source it again. Should we find more inventory, we’ll email everyone on the waitlist with a link to purchase.
Also, when there is only one piece left in a certain style, we’ll let you know on the product page, so you can be strategic!
We do not test every vintage plate for lead. It would be nearly possible to do so on our entire, ever-changing inventory and is not standard practice, even among large vintage resellers (which we are not).
That said, we care a lot about our customers and do conduct swab tests for what we consider the everyday plates, bowls and teacups we sell that meet the following criteria for being at a greater risk for containing it.
What kinds of vintage dinnerware are at risk of containing lead?
These risks indicators include the following:
- Cracks in the glaze or if the glaze appears to be wearing off
- Highly decorative patterns with bright red, orange or yellow colors
- Raised details on top of the glaze
- If it's assumed to be made pre-1970, before FDA regulated the amount of lead that could be sold in dishware in the USA.
If you would like to the independently test your vintage china, we encourage you to do so. There are lead swab tests available online which are inexpensive and quick. If it helps to give you piece of mind, it’s a great investment.
about our china upcycling service
Prices range from $39 for a single jewelry/candy dish to $149 for a Fascinator Tray. Here are the current prices for our upcycle product offerings.
The $50 deposit for the upcycle consultation is deducted from the total order value. Customer is responsible for covering the cost of shipping their china to The Brooklyn Teacup.
It starts with booking a brief video consultation (usually under 10 minutes long). On the call, you’ll show us your china (hold it up to the screen) and share what you'd like to create. Together we'll decide the configurations (2-Tier, 3-Tier, etc) that work best based on your china and select hardware handles.
From there, you'll pack and send your china to our Brooklyn workshop. Within just a few weeks, you'll be ready to use, enjoy or gift your "new" creations!
You will receive an email with our mailing address and shipping instructions following our brief upcycle consultation. Book your consultation now to get started.
Once your pieces arrives at our worshop, the turnaround time for your order is approximately 7-10 business days.
Longer turnaround time is required for teacup candles (up to 1 month) which are made in collaboration with our friends at Glow to Grow Candle.
Depending on the china you have, we are able to make many different types of products, from jewelry dishes to birdfeeders!
Here is an overview of our current product offerings for upcycle clients.
As needed or requested, we are happy to incorporate or 'fill in" your china using pieces from our collection to build all the custom pieces you'd like.
Click to learn more or book a consultation to get started.
These are our tried and tested tips and tricks for avoiding damage when shipping your delicate dishware.
Many household items can be used to safely pack and ship your pieces. In the spirit of eco-mindedness, we encourage you to repurpose and reuse materials when you pack your order.
While rare and unfortunate, we know that accidents can happen when shipping and drilling through fine china.
If we are responsible for the damage, we will offer a few no-cost options to try to make it right.
1. Replace the damaged piece(s) with china of your choosing
2. Ask you to send additional pieces and cover the shipping costs.
3. Provide options from our inventory
4. Refund the cost for upcycling the piece(s) that may have been damaged, OR
4. Issue store credit that can be used at a future date.
If you or the shipping carrier is responsible for damage in transit to our workshop, we offer all the same options but for an additional fee and would not cover the cost of shipping.
Be sure to read our packing and shipping tips and instructions to reduce the chance of accidents.
**Please do not send us anything that you feel is irreplaceable, for sentimental or monetary reasons.**
Absolutely! You didn’t have to inherit a set of fancy dinnerware to take advantage of our custom upcycle services!.
Option 1: For those who appreciate "the thrill of the hunt” or have a very particular vision in mind for the serving piece or décor item they want to create, we encourage you to go and look for the china patterns, shapes and textures that excite and inspire you. Our favorite way to do this is by frequenting our local, secondhand and vintage shops. Then, book a consultation. We’d be delighted to turn your found treasures into any number of unique, elegant and functional items on our ever-growing menu of product offerings.
Option 2: If hunting for treasure isn't your thing, you can create something one-of-a-kind from our impressive inventory by visiting the studio in Brooklyn (by appt only) or booking a virtual consultation.
Nope. If you know what you'd like to order or have upcycled with us in the past, feel free to add the items you would like to create directly to your cart from the upcycle design menu.
You will receive instructions for sending us your china after check out.
Depending on what you order, your china will be returned to you disassembled and packaged in the safest and most compact configuration possible.
In an effort to reduce waste, we also try our best to reuse as much of the original packaging you included in your shipment as possible.
Your order will arrive with a card that includes a QR code. Scan for easy assembly instructions for any of the pieces you ordered.
If you're hoping to create a necklace, yes! If there a small chip on a rim of a plate or bowl, we have no problem drilling through it to create one of our many unique pieces
With the exception of the pendant necklace, we can't work with china that has cracks for fear that it would become further damaged while being drilled.
about our candles
Our candles are made from 100% clean-burning, all-natural soy wax. Candles are free of additives, dyes, phthalates, or oil-based petroleum products and use FSC Certified 100% natural, hand-crafted wooden wicks.
The Brooklyn Teacup's candles are made in partnership with Glow to Grow, a small, candle-making business based in Gowanus, Brooklyn.
Each candle is hand poured with love into our unique vintage vessels and shipped to you by a member of our team.
We offer several year-round scents, such as lavender driftwood and peppermint eucalyptus as well as seasonal and rotating options like fraser fir and toasted pumpkin. Review the ever-evolving candle scent list with fragrance descriptions here.
It can take between 4-6 weeks from the time we receive your teacups until you receive your completed order. If you need your finished candles by a certain date, be sure to plan ahead!
Most teacups, mugs, and shallow, bowl-like serving pieces make good vessels for candles. Book an upcycle consultation for more specific pricing details.
The number of hours of "burn time" depends on the vessel and the amount of wax it holds, which we quantify in ounces. Most teacups average approximately 35-45 hours of burn time.
Absolutely! We encourage you to reuse your vintage teacup however you'd like.
Included with every candle is a dust cover made from seed paper. Per our candle partner's recommendations, you can easily clean your vintage vessel using these tips.
about the studio
The studio is conveniently located in the northern part of Park Slope, approximately a five minute walk from Barclays Center, a major sports arena, and the Atlantic Ave. subway stop.
We don't list our address publicly because the studio is located in a residential brownstone.
Once you have booked your studio visit, you will receive an email with the precise address.
By appointment, you are invited to shop and peruse our ever-changing inventory of vintage serving pieces, home decor and accessories.
Mix and match your favorite plates, teacups and more to design completely bespoke serving pieces, tea sets, home decor and accessories.
You are welcome to bring one (1) additional guest with you to your studio appointment.
For groups of up to four, a $100 deposit is required.
To host an intimate event at the studio, email hello@thebrooklynteacup.com to make arrangements.
Depending on when you arrive, it can be challenging to find parking nearby. Within a short walking distance to the Barclays Center, our studio has many public transit options nearby and we highly encourage you to use one of them to avoid frustration.
If you choose to drive, there are metered spots and you can sometimes get lucky with available spots on our street or the the surrounding blocks.
Yep! If you’re not in the mood to schlep home your purchase(s) after your studio visit, we’d be happy to ship it to you (or the recipient of your choice)!
Email hello@thebrooklynteacup.com with a few windows of availability and we will do our best to accommodate.
We also offer virtual appointments where we can shw you around the studio and help you see and select specific pieces. It's not exactly the same as being in person, but it's pretty darn close!
Life happens, we get it! Reschedule with 48 hours notice or more with no penalty. Within 48 hours, your non-refundable deposit will be issued back to you as store credit to use as a later date of your choosing or to apply towards a product.
Share details about your shipping policies, item returns, or customer service.
A non-refundable $50 deposit is required to shop at our private studio. The fee is applied to your final purchase.
Our workshop is conveniently located in a the vibrant and historic neighborhood of Park Slope, Brooklyn. We encourage you to explore the magical brownstone architecture, small businesses and take in the cultural destinations while you’re in town or waiting for your order to be ready.
We will be happy to email or text you when it’s time for pick up (or arrange to have your pieces shipped to you!) All of these spots within a 15 minute walk–an embarrassment of delicious riches!
Find a few of our favorite things to do and places to visit in and around Park Slope, Brooklyn.