Happy Holidays!
Thank you for shopping small this season, and thank you for supporting our trans-owned business!
The Archives warehouse will be closed from 12/22 to 1/5 for a holiday break. Orders will not ship during this time. We'll continue to respond to emails during this break, albiet on a longer timeline. Thank you for your patience!
We send updates to our newsletter and social media regularly, so be sure to sign up for emails here!
General FAQ
Processing & Shipping Timeline
Our small shipping team (one of us!) packs and ships each order by hand with great care. All orders go through a short processing period before they are picked up by a carrier and delivered to your door.
As we are a brand-new company and aren't sure what our order volume will be yet, please be patient with us and understand that our processing period is longer than fast-fashion brands.
For holiday shipping times, see the FAQ above.
Current order processing and shipping times are between 7 - 20 days for domestic orders, and 20-60 days for international orders, depending on your chosen shipping method. See the drawers below for additional details.
Processing Period
Our shipping team can take up to 10 business days to process and package your order before handing it off to a carrier, but that period may be longer depending on order volume and preorders. We are an incredibly small team, so we thank you for your patience!
Estimated delivery times you see during checkout are after the package has been handed off to the carrier.
Shipping Carriers
After your order has been packaged with care, we offer shipping through USPS and UPS. Once your order is on its way, typical shipping times are as follows:
USA
USPS: 2-7 days
UPS: 2-5 days
International
UPS International Expedited: 7 - 14 days
Other international: 14-60* days
*International shipping prices fluctuate, and we strive to provide the lowest possible costs to our customers. Shipping times and rates are dependent on your individual country's policies and local tax regulations, and are available at checkout.
International Shipping
While we do ship outside of the USA, please note that all orders may be subject to duty fees and taxes. Those fees are added to the product values on the website, and the total amount of the fees is shown at the end of checkout - you do not need to pay extra upon delivery. Your package will be delivered right to you, as opposed to getting hung up in customs.
Additionally, please ensure that you keep a careful eye on your tracking number, as some international packages may be held at a pickup point by the carrier. We do not receive any additional information about the package after it is handed off, so we are unable to keep you updated ourselves!
Sizing
We currently offer a size range between XXS and 5X, with details available in each garment's Size Chart.
All of our Size Charts are Garment Measurements - meaning that they’re measurements of the items laid flat. Bodies are unique and your fit preferences may vary, so the most sure-fire way of choosing the correct size is to measure a garment from your closet that fits you well, and has a similar stretch content to what you’re looking to purchase.
Our size conventions (S,M,L, etc.) do our best to follow standard American sizing from typical retailers, and we always note in product descriptions if the fit is oversized, classic, or close-to-skin. Pay close attention to each item's unique size chart and product description to find your best fit.
If you're still unsure, please feel free to email us through the Contact form and we are happy to provide more tailored advice!
Garment Care
While we endeavor to create beautiful garments, their ultimate look over time is just as important to us. To keep your items from the Archives looking their best over time, we always recommend hand-washing any item in cool water with a mild detergent and laying flat to dry, both for the longevity of the garment and the eco-friendliness of the wash method.
While hand washing is ideal for some, many of our items are easy to launder in a washing machine or by a professional dry cleaner, whichever is more accessible to you.
Please carefully read the Garment Care Instructions on each item listing, as each unique piece has specific instructions and guidelines. The garment is also equipped with a care tag. If you have any questions, please email us through the Contact form for more information!
Paypal
As a small business working within tight margins, unfortunately we are unable to accept PayPal at this time, but we do provide alternatives as you place your order.
If you are interested in making a purchase but are in need of a custom invoice, please reach out to us via our Contact page.
Address Change
If your address is incorrect, please reply to your order confirmation email as quickly as possible so we can attempt to get it changed within our order processing window. If the package has already shipped, you will need to reach out to the carrier to see if it can be re-routed. If it gets sent back to us, you will be subject to reshipment fees.
Exchanges and Returns
As of right now, we are only able to accept exchanges and returns within the USA, so if you’re International, please reach out to us with any questions you may have before ordering!
Returns and exchanges must be initiated within 7 days of receiving the package, and are subject to return shipping fees. Exchanges are case-by-case, and stock moves quickly, so please follow the instructions in our return policy ASAP to ensure we can get the correct items in your hands.
For either return or exchange, all items must be in their original packaging, in original condition, and never washed, ironed, or steamed. All items that have been tried on should be free of dust, dust bunnies, or any other animals.
For more detailed information and instructions, please check out our Return Policy!
Lost or Damaged Package
If your package is marked as ‘Lost’ by your carrier, or your package has arrived damaged, please reply to your original order email to let us know as soon as possible! This helps us do our research on your package, and do our best to set things right. Be advised that we do require a claim be filed with your carrier so that we can remedy the situation properly.
Restocks
We would love to have restocks, but due to high minimum order requirements and our committment to reducing clothing waste, we cannot restock something if there isn't enough demand for it. The best way to let us know that you’d like an item restocked is to sign up for our email list, contact us via email, or reach out on socials about the item you’d like to see restocked!
Preorders
In the event that a garment sells out very quickly, a preorder may be held for those who weren’t able to get what they were hoping for the first time around! The usual fulfillment time is around 3 months.
If an item goes back up for preorder, our email list and social media will be the first places to hear it- be sure to sign up!
Values & Process
As a small business dedicated to slow fashion practices, we do our best to ensure that every step of our business has ethics and sustainability in mind. As our team is made up of professionals who have held jobs in textile manufacturing, costume stitching, and the small fashion industry, we have held the same jobs that we ask our manufacturers to do, and our relationships are all the stronger for it.
We start our practices in the design of our garments, which prioritize natural fibers, eliminate difficult decorative work that takes advantage of stitchers, and prioritize size inclusivity across all bodies. All of our designs are considered collaboratively, and final designs are completed in-house by our Artisan and Armorer.
We work with our manufacturing partners in Hong Kong to source fabrics, verify designs, and see straight through workplace certifications to the conditions and practices of our manufacturing partners. We work closely with our international project managers to shift timelines and ensure that our process is as timely as it is sustainable for our partners to maintain. Together, each collection takes between 6 to 12 months to design, produce, and ship to the United States.
Ethics & Sustainability
We strive each and every day to further improve our practices, and are always looking for ways to improve, whether it’s through using biodegradable packaging, validating the workplace certifications of our manufacturers, or choosing a lengthier shipping period by boat to lower carbon emissions. As the biggest impact on the Earth and on our carbon footprint is in shipping, we currently ship our bulk orders by boat, which takes 2-3 months to arrive in our warehouse. From there, rather than employing an additional shipping partner, we ship directly to our customers to further reduce our costs and footprint.
We will always share new sustainability milestones with you all, so keep an eye out on our social media, and feel free to contact us if you have dedicated questions about our process.