F A Q s
What is the process of hand made ceramics?
Each ceramic piece is hand built, hand thrown, hand carved and hand glazed. Once built, the piece is stored to dry slowly over the course of 2 weeks - 2 months, depending on the size of the piece and the seasonal weather.
After the piece has dried fully, it is bisque fired in a kiln to nearly 1000° C. The pieces are then glazed (either hand painted or dipped) and fired a second time to nearly 1200° C.
How can I be notified of new products?
Shop updates are done in bulk. If you’d like to be the first to know about new product, please sign up to my email list. They are the first to be notified.
How long will it take for my item to arrive?
Orders for New Zealand residents will be shipped within 3 business days of receipt of payment.
All international order are estimated to arrive in 10-20 business days, depending on the location. Please note that once the parcel leave New Zealand, it is in the jurisdiction of your country’s post and may be subject to custom and longer processing times.
Import taxes and customs may apply in your country. Is the responsibility of the buyer to understand their own country’s import rules and pay the applicable fees.
Can I pick up the order in person?
Yes, if you’re passing through Nelson or live in the immediate surrounding area, you can arrange to pick up your piece in person. Please use the code “NELSON” during checkout to bypass shipping charges.
I will be in touch to arrange a meeting time. If you do not pick up your piece within 10 business days, the piece will be restocked and your payment will be refunded minus a 20% restocking fee.
Do you ship internationally?
Due to the decreased availability of courrier flights, New Zealand Post is now charging a surcharge for all international parcels for the time being. This means you will be charged a flat rate as well as the normal shipping fees. You can calculate this yourself to get an idea of the shipping charges or you can contact me directly and I can get a shipping quote. I will update this page when the International Surcharge has been dropped*
I can ship pieces internationally, however, I will first need to get an accurate quote for shipping costs so it’s not possible to pay for your piece at checkout if you’d like international shipping.
If you are interested in buying a piece and live outside of New Zealand, please use the code INTERNATIONAL at checkout and I will email you with the invoice once I have priced the shipping. Once the payment is received the piece will ship.
How do I care for my ceramic piece?
All dinnerware sold is intended for normal use and is food safe. While Arête pieces are dishwasher safe, hand washing your ceramic pieces is recommended to extend the life of the piece. All dinnerware pieces are microwave safe.
What are Misfits?
Misfits are pieces that are made as a one off or which do not fit my aesthetic requirements.
All pieces sold as seconds are still fully functional, however, any visual impurities (small chip, cosmetic crack, etc) will be photographed and well represented on the product description.
Seconds are sold in an an attempt to save fully functional pieces from unnecessarily ending up in landfill.
Prices will be reflected to accurately represent the piece.
Can I select the exact piece I want from your site?
While I do my best to accurately represent each piece on the site, slight variations will occur when it comes to sizing and glaze application.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to select the exact piece, however, I do my best to make each piece as uniform as possible to its siblings.
If you feel like a piece has been greatly misrepresented in its description, please feel free to get in touch.
What is Arête and how do I pronounce it?
Arête is a subtle nod to the inspiration I find in the New Zealand mountains and refers to a narrow ridge of rock separating valleys. It’s a French word and is pronounced “uh-ret”.
Terms and Conditions of Purchase
Each Arête Ceramics piece is handmade and will show the unique marks of being handmade. Slight variations in glaze applications and size are to be expected and appreciated.
Arête Ceramics is a small one-woman business so please keep in mind that all sales are final unless damaged upon receipt. A lot of work and love goes into each piece and is made to the highest quality of my abilities so please take care when choosing your pieces as all sales are final.