1. Our Commitment
Every Lume Loam piece is made by hand, to order, by a named maker who has done this ten thousand times. Before purchasing, we encourage you to read the product description carefully, including dimensions, metal type, finish and food-safety notes. If something is not right when your order arrives, we are here to help.
Before initiating a return, please also consider our Repair and Re-polishing programme in Section 12. A dulled surface or a worn tin lining can often be restored rather than replaced.
2. Return Window
- You have 30 calendar days from the date of delivery to initiate a return.
- EU and UK customers: you have a 14-day right of withdrawal from delivery under the Consumer Rights Directive and Consumer Rights Act 2015. The 30-day window is our voluntary extension.
- Returns initiated after 30 days will not be accepted unless the claim falls under our warranty or the repair programme.
3. Return Eligibility
To be eligible for a return, your item must:
- Be in its original, unused and undamaged condition
- Be returned in its original packaging and protective materials
- Include the original invoice or packing slip
- Not have been used with food or drink, for hygiene and food-safety reasons
- Not have been polished, re-finished or altered by you in any way
We cannot accept returns for items that:
- Show evidence of food or drink contact, use or cleaning
- Are missing original packaging, invoice or protective wrapping
- Are returned without a valid Return Authorisation (RA) number
- Were marked Final Sale or Clearance at purchase
- Are bespoke or personalised items, such as engraved, initialled or dated pieces (see Section 8)
- Fall outside the 30-day return window
- Have been damaged by the customer through mishandling, incorrect care or dropping
4. Food Safety & Hygiene Return Rule
Food-contact pieces should be used according to the purpose stated on their product page. For hygiene reasons, once a food-contact piece, meaning any bowl, cup, plate, tray, serving dish or drinking vessel, has been used with food or drink, it cannot be returned or exchanged.
This applies even if the item has been washed. Please inspect your piece on arrival and contact us before first food use if you have any concerns. Decorative pieces not intended for food contact are not subject to this restriction.
5. How to Initiate a Return
- Email lumeloam@dekulture.com within 30 days of delivery.
- Include your order number, the items you wish to return, and your reason.
- We respond within 2 to 3 business days with your Return Authorisation (RA) number and return address.
- Pack the item securely in its original packaging and write your RA number clearly on the outer parcel.
- Ship via a trackable, insured courier service. We recommend insuring high-value metal pieces.
- Once we receive and inspect the return, 3 to 5 business days after arrival, we process your refund or exchange.
Important: Returns sent without a valid RA number may be refused and returned to you at your cost. We do not accept walk-in returns at our workshop or fulfilment facility. We strongly recommend retaining proof of postage until your refund is confirmed.
6. Return Shipping Costs
| Scenario |
Who Pays Return Shipping |
| Item arrived damaged or defective (our error or carrier error) |
Lume Loam covers return shipping. We provide a prepaid label where available |
| Wrong item dispatched (our error) |
Lume Loam covers return shipping |
| Change of mind, standard item |
Customer is responsible for return shipping cost |
| EU/UK statutory right of withdrawal (14-day cooling off) |
Customer is responsible for return shipping unless we state otherwise |
| International returns, outside the UK and EU |
Customer is responsible for return shipping and any re-import duties on the return |
We are not responsible for items lost or damaged in return transit. Retain your tracking reference until the refund is confirmed.
7. Refunds
7.1 Refund Timeline
| Stage |
Typical Timeline |
| Return transit to our facility |
Varies by origin country, 5 to 21 business days |
| Inspection and approval |
3 to 5 business days after we receive the item |
| Refund initiated by Lume Loam |
Within 5 business days of approval |
| Credit appearing in your account |
5 to 10 further business days, depending on your bank or payment provider |
7.2 Refund Method
- Refunds are issued to your original payment method
- If your original payment method is unavailable, we may offer store credit or bank transfer
- Store credit, if offered, is valid for [24 months] and is non-transferable
- Original outbound shipping charges are non-refundable unless we made an error or the item was defective
- COD charges, if any, are non-refundable once the order has been dispatched
8. Made-to-Order, Bespoke & Personalised Items
Every Lume Loam piece is made to order. Because production begins only after you place your order, and a named maker dedicates a full day's work to your piece, the following apply:
- Standard made-to-order items without personalisation: returnable within 30 days under the standard policy above
- Bespoke items with your name, initials, date or a personal inscription: non-returnable and non-refundable, except where the item arrives damaged or materially different from what was agreed
- Custom-finish or custom-size items confirmed by you before production: non-returnable, except for verified manufacturing defects
If a personalised item arrives damaged or incorrect, contact lumeloam@dekulture.com within 7 days with photographic evidence and we will remake or refund at our discretion.
9. Damaged, Defective or Incorrect Items
Despite our care in packing, damage can sometimes occur in transit. If your order arrives damaged, defective, or is the wrong item:
- Contact us at lumeloam@dekulture.com within 7 days of delivery.
- Include your order number and a clear description of the issue.
- Attach photographs of the damage, the packaging, the shipping label, and if possible an unboxing video.
- Do not discard any packaging materials until your claim is resolved.
What we offer for verified damage or defect claims:
- Priority replacement at no cost, dispatched as quickly as a new piece can be made
- Full refund to your original payment method if a remake is not possible within a reasonable time
- Partial refund for minor cosmetic damage where you choose to keep the piece
Handmade variation, which is not a defect: Lume Loam pieces are hand-hammered and hand-finished from solid brass, copper and bronze. Slight variations in surface texture, hammer-mark pattern, depth of shine, metal grain, minor colour variation within the same metal, and finish imperfections are inherent characteristics of the handmade process.
These are not manufacturing defects. The piece you receive is the only one exactly like it. Your maker's mark is in the surface itself. If you are uncertain before purchasing, contact lumeloam@dekulture.com and we can share additional photographs of the specific piece.
10. Exchanges
- We offer exchanges for standard in-stock items within 30 days of delivery
- Because all pieces are made to order, an exchange may require a new production cycle. We will confirm timing with you
- Contact lumeloam@dekulture.com with your order number and the item you would prefer
- The customer bears return shipping costs for change-of-mind exchanges
11. Cancellations
| Scenario |
Policy |
| Before production begins, typically within 24 hours of order |
Contact us immediately. Full refund if production has not started |
| After production has begun |
Cancellation may not be possible. If the piece can be redirected, we will attempt to do so |
| After dispatch |
Cannot be cancelled. The standard return process applies on delivery |
| Bespoke / personalised items |
Cannot be cancelled once personalisation work has begun |
| Business cancellations (pricing error, stock issue, payment failure, customs restriction) |
We reserve the right to cancel. Full refund within 5 business days |
| Pre-order items |
Cancellable for full refund at any time before the dispatch date |
12. Repair, Re-polishing & Re-tinning Programme
Because metal is the rare material you never have to throw away, Lume Loam offers a lifetime repair, re-polishing and re-tinning service. Before initiating a return for surface dulling, worn tin lining or minor physical damage, consider:
-
Re-polishing restores brass, copper and bronze to a bright or satin finish
-
Re-tinning (kalai) renews the interior food-safe tin lining on bowls, cups and serving vessels
-
Minor repair covers re-welding of joints and re-finishing of edges
Contact lumeloam@dekulture.com for service details, pricing and shipping guidance. We would rather restore one thing you keep for thirty years than replace it once.
13. Non-Returnable Items
| Item Type |
Returnable? |
| Standard made-to-order pieces, unused, in original packaging, within 30 days |
Yes |
| Food-contact pieces used with food or drink |
No, for hygiene and food safety |
| Bespoke / personalised / engraved items |
No, except if defective |
| Final Sale or Clearance items |
No |
| Items showing signs of use, cleaning or re-finishing |
No |
| Items returned without RA number |
No |
| Items returned after 30 days, unless a warranty or repair claim |
No |
| Items damaged by customer mishandling, dropping or incorrect care |
No |
