SHIPPING & F.A.Q
FREE Standard shipping within Canada!
CANADA POST STRIKE INFO as of November 15th 2024
Please note that Canada post is now on strike, I will be watching the situation and if by Monday Nov 18th they still haven’t worked things out I will be using another shipping company and turning off the Free Shipping option, likely for the rest of the year.
If you are Canadian, it is likely you chose the free shipping option so your options will be either:
- Wait it out, I really don’t see this lasting longer than a week or two.
- Pay for Shipping, I will be using Fedex, UPS or Purolater and will give you a quote for shipping.
- Refund/Cancel, I have my processing times set to certain dates, so every order has a “ship by” date, If I am unable to ship your item by that date, I will message you and you will be given the option to just refund/cancel.
If you are American (or a Canadian that paid for shipping) you will be fine :) I have tons of great options for you so I will just send you a note if your package will be coming via another company.
SHIPPING FAQ (Please read above announcement FIRST!)
HOW DO YOU SHIP?
My standard shipping is done through Canada Post oversized lettermail (USA is Air Packet, Tracked) Tracked options for Canada are available at a discounted rate at check out. If you would like a quote for an alternate shipping service please send me a message. Please note Canada post still does not guarantee any service speeds at this time so please contact me if you are requiring your order by a certain date to ensure you select the correct shipping option for your needs.
Local delivery areas may be possible upon request: Airdrie, Cochrane, Canmore/Banff.
Nov 2024: Canada Post is forever unpredictable and deliveries are normal in some areas, but slow in others. Usually its 4-14 business days within Canada for regular lettermail but can be a bit longer with their various staffing or weather issues. If you need your order ASAP please note I have 2 tracked shipping options at checkout that are offered to you at a discounted rate, they are both faster (speeds will depend on your location) and those options come with a tracking number as well.
USA/INTL Shipping: All USA/INTL Orders are tracked packages. USA is 2-3 Weeks (but can be shorter or longer sometimes!) INTL will vary depending on your location.
Please remember I have zero control over Canada posts shipping speeds and you do have options for tracked/faster shipping at checkout :)
Most orders will be shipped out within 3-5 business days but PLEASE NOTE orders placed after Nov 14th may take 2-3 weeks to be made and ship as it is already a busy Christmas season for me (I do this all by myself!) Please leave me a NOTE if you are hoping to get it by a certain date - I do most of my work made to order to avoid waste/taking up space and orders are filled as they are received. However, Some will ship sooner if it's items I already have on hand.
If you need your order by a certain date please contact me or leave a note in your order :)
The Free Shipping option is sent via Canada Post Oversized Lettermail and usually takes approx 4-14 Business days to arrive to most places within Canada. Faster, tracked shipping options are also available at a discounted rate at checkout.
Free shipping is oversized lettermail which does NOT have any tracking, the shipping upgrades available do have tracking #s provided. All USA/INTL is tracked shipping.
IS YOUR PACKAGING GREEN?
Most of my packing supplies are repurposed from electronics shipments, the bubble mailer envelopes, boxes & most packing supplies I use are items that would normally be sent to be recycled. Re-purposing is even better than recycling as it saves those extra steps. My glass straws typically come wrapped in tissue paper (unless cases have been ordered or are included) to protect from scratches/damages during shipping, sometimes repurposed bubble wrap may be used if shipping a long distance or if extra padding is needed.
If you would like your order gift wrapped please leave a comment on your order along with any gift note you would like to add :) there is no additional fee for gift wrap.
F.A.Q:
Whats the best way to clean my straw?
Under a tap with a cleaning brush or even better: the Dishwasher! Did you know that running a tap for 2 minutes is about the same water use as a full cycle on a dishwasher? the newer ones use even less water! They actually get pretty clean in the utentils holder (try to keep away from the metals so they dont bang against them) My Borosilicate straws are even strong enough for industrial dishwashers and can handle the high temps.
Do you sell Metal / Steel or Bamboo Drinking Straws?
No, In my own opinion Metal Straws are an awful alternative and they are actually one of the reasons I started making Glass Straws, it is also one of the top things i hear at markets: "I have a metal straw but I hate it" Not only are Metal Straws unpleasant feeling/tasting to drink from they can easily cause lacerations to the mouth as they are thin walled and the edges can be VERY sharp. (Example: Starbucks recalled ALL metal straws back in 2016 due to these very issues and haven't sold them since, a lady in the UK even lost her life being impaled by one)
As for Bamboo, while it sounds like a great option - it is a porous material that needs to be cleaned properly to avoid hygienic issues but that's kind of hard when you cannot see through them to make sure they are cleaned well, and only reusable for about a month or two. Also, Why continue to import mass produced straws when you can find locally made ones instead?
Do you have a retail store?
To shop in person you can find Bow Valley Straws at these Local Canadian Retailers and Markets: