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Frequently Asked Questions about our Eco Wedding Dresses
A green wedding dress should answer questions, not create them. We're happy to help. If you don't see your answer here, feel free to contact us and ask us anytime.
How can you say you're 'ethical' and still use commercial silk in your dressmaking?
Ah. Well-spotted. Lots of eco-designers say that they are ethical and yet use silk, which is a fabric usually created from killing animals. What makes us different?
The silk we use in our designs is reclaimed silk, harvested from dresses that no one wants and that would eventually end up in a landfill. Some people may not agree, but we believe that by giving this fabric a second life and extending its usefulness, we not only honor the sacrifice of the silkworms but we honor the laborers who created the original dress. We do this by reclaiming a resource, rather than consuming new materials. We use new hempsilk fabric because we want to support the hemp farmers of the world and we believe that hemp is a crop that gives back to the earth. To the best of our knowledge, the silk in our hempsilk is cruelty-free, as in the silkworms are allowed to live out their lives in peace and exit the cocoons before harvest. But we will not buy new silk fabric for our gowns when there is so much silk already waiting to be reclaimed.
Why would I buy an eco wedding dress online and not from a bridal shop?
Simple: it can save time, money and resources. Many clients want a special wedding dress but don't want to deal with typical boutiques. We've heard complaints of:
Who needs the headache? You'll save so much energy in simply choosing your design and sending us your measurements. Our clients prefer to use their spare moments and funds for more rewarding pursuits.
It's also more comfortable and less hassle to browse through our gowns online, day or night. You can show the photos to your family and friends anytime. And your dress can be delivered directly to your door.
If you feel that your figure is hard to flatter and do wish to make the effort, we suggest that you try on some dresses first to get a better idea of what you want. We also offer figure advice to help cut through the fog. We want you to feel confident that you'll look gorgeous on your special day.
I've noticed that the pricing changes at times. What gives?
We continually review to costings to make sure that they are fair. The cost will go down if we've found a significantly quicker construction method (less time needed) or we've been able to find supplies in bulk (lower materials costs). Similarly, the cost might increase if our materials costs go up, since we base the dress price on the labor time and the material costs. We do understand that budgets are often important when planning a wedding; we want to be sure that we're offering the fairest price and best value possible. If you wish to view your dress in progress, then you can request that service for an additional fee.
What do I get for my money? What's included?
You get a creation made for you and only you, to your own measurements and specifications. Your gown is made in the USA, for a fair living wage. And quite simply, everything is included. Our gowns are hand-created with meticulous individual construction and from high-quality sustainable fabric like hemp, silk, and organic cotton, as well as reclaimed silks. We can change the straps and tweak the train and all there is in between. Your toile is covered by your initial 25% deposit. All of your alterations are included in the up-front price, as well as a personal final fitting. Extras like fabric scraps for laundering and experimentation are included too. And we'll tell you the cost, right up front. Why do many of our dresses cost over $1000? - Try finding a real silk dress, made to measure with alterations included, for under $2000. Alterations themselves can add hundreds of dollars to a dress cost. Add to this that the dresses are made individually and not in a sweatshop and the question becomes, 'why don't they cost more?' Frankly, because we don't mark them up. We ask a fair price which pays a fair wage. Period.
If I order online, won't I be gambling on a dress I haven't seen?
Not to worry. We offer you the option of private online access to our dress logs which let you view your gown in progress. Not only will you have seen your dress, you'll have monitored its creation at every step of the way. On your private dress page, we give you photos and details and a clear picture of what exactly is happening with your gown, and in real time. You won't be left wondering.
If I order online, how can I be sure my gown will fit me?
As is traditionally done in fine dress-making and couture houses, we create a simple cotton toile for you (made from reclaimed bedsheets) that can be fitted perfectly to your dimensions. You can see how the design of the gown will suit you and make adjustments to flatter your shape and highlight your best features. The toile comes at no extra cost: your 25% deposit covers our time and materials. We can send the toile to you by post or we can come to you to provide a personal fitting. Please contact us for details.
Do you offer a guarantee? a return policy?
Yes, of course. We are aware that this differs from the standard of most made-to-order companies, who may tell you that they cannot refund any part of your purchase. We first and foremost guarantee our workmanship: should the gown arrive to you in a damaged state, we’ll fix it for you at no charge. If you need to cancel your order before the gown is completed, you will only forfeit the deposit. Should you find that you are unhappy and must return your gown (has yet to happen), send it back to us in unused condition within 3 days of receipt. We will refund the balance less the initial deposit and will re-claim the fabric to avoid waste.
We understand that unforeseen circumstances do occur. And we're human and make mistakes now and then. When mistakes happen, we'll do our best to fix them; we consider it part of our excellent service. Please refer to Our Policies for further details.
How long will it take to make my dress?
Since we needn't consort with intermediaries, we can have your gown on its way to you within 4 weeks of our receiving your fitted toile (that's usually around 6 weeks after we receive your deposit). If we happen to be immediately booked, or if you are ordering well in advance, we will clearly communicate with you as to the expected start and completion date.
Rush orders can be accommodated. See How to Order for more details.
We have noted that 6-10 months' advance is the norm for many bridal salons. We can only guess that such long turnaround times are due to the many middlemen through which the dress must pass.
Is a sustainable wedding dress worth the effort?
Well, of course we think so. In fact, we think it's such an important question that we have devoted an entire page to our answer: Why Sustainable?. Because simple choices can really make a difference.
Why create a new gown at all? Isn't second-hand more eco-friendly?
A second-hand dress is a wonderfully green option and used-clothing sources are doing their part. We adore thrift stores and we support them whenever possible with donations *and* purchases! But not everyone has access to a good shop or can find a dress that they love. And not everyone wants to take the time to go out and search.
Consumption isn't a bad thing when done responsibly. We favor reducing needless resource depletion by producing garments out of fabrics that are reclaimed and that can be re-used themselves. And we prioritize fabric that is sustainably created. That benefits all of us, from the farmers to the artists.
How do your prices compare with other gowns?
Manufacturers in the Wedding Industry are notorious for mark-ups of 300-700%. Then the bridal salons impose their own mark-ups, often over 200%, which pay the wages of staff and intermediaries. This is why you'll often see a vague range when looking for a price on a gown in a magazine (like $ - $$$$). The pricing is deliberately hidden because the far-removed mass-manufacturers have little idea what their authorized representatives will actually charge.
There are no middle-man mark-ups or hefty surcharges in our pricing. We give you a clear number, not some vague range. And we give it to you right up front so that you can budget without difficulty. Our garments are sewn in a private studio, not in factories. Each gown is priced specifically according to the required materials and the time and attention needed to create it. We believe that our prices are fair and provide a working, living wage directly to the creators, under safe and respectful working conditions.
We do not support low-wage exploitative labor, even though that would result in a less expensive gown. Those gowns that one sees in the shops or on eBay for unbelievably low prices? They are often the result of cheaply-made, synthetic/petroleum-based fabric and shoddy construction for pennies, often assembled by underpaid factory workers under questionable conditions. Keep in mind that as our gowns are made individually on single machines, each will have an unique character and full quality is guaranteed. You will know that your gown was made mindfully and by experienced dressmakers.
Our gowns hold even greater value with our exclusive service of creating Christening/Naming Ceremony gowns and receiving blankets from your dress after the wedding. It's a fabulous option to re-use your gown in a very meaningful way. The hempsilk and organic cotton fabric is already chemical-free and pesticide-free, which is important to many new parents. And, since the garments are machine washable, they can be re-used for each child and can be passed down through families. What a wonderful and sentimental way to recycle! See Our Policies and About Our Eco Wedding Dresses for further details.
Is there a studio where I can try on a sample gown?
Yes. Our studio is in State College, PA and you are most welcome to visit. We understand how important it can be to see how a gown will look before committing to such an important purchase. In our studio, we keep floor samples of most of the designs we offer. Want to visit? Let us know when and we'll put the kettle on. That said, we do not currently lease a brick-and-mortar retail shop; this saves the resources of powering a separate commercial space. It is one of the ways in which we are able to keep our prices so reasonable; we aren't paying overhead for a space that requires extra resources to maintain. We prefer to use our website as our shop, which can be open and accessible 24/7.
If you don't wish to travel to us, then we can provide a Personal Fitting Service to help you see how your gown will look on you before the fabric is cut. Please see question #2 or contact us for details. We also suggest that you try on similar gowns locally if you want to be certain that a style will flatter you.
Can I order and pay by phone?
Yes. We can accept all major credit cards by phone, and are happy to accept personal checks for your convenience. We use Authorize.net for our secure payment processing and do not process or keep credit card numbers or personal information on site.
Do you provide alterations to your dresses?
Yes. Final alterations are included in our service if we can see you in person. If distance is an issue, you can have your gown sent to you and contact a local seamstress or tailor should the need arise for fine-tuning. Though with the lace-up bodice closure we use in our designs, there's rarely a need for extensive tweaking. If you don’t already know someone, check in your local listings or online for skilled sewing-folk and support local businesses whenever possible.
What if I want to change a design? Do you do custom work?
A custom gown is a great value due to the fact that you get *exactly* what you want. And custom-made has a supreme advantage: it fits perfectly. There are no hidden ‘Alterations’ Fees since the gown is already made to fit you and only you. We are happy to make minor changes at no extra charge. It's a simple matter to shorten a sleeve or adjust a waist. Straps can be added to a strapless gown if you are concerned about support. Depending on the designs involved, we may be able to mix and match (for example, *this* bodice with *that* skirt). Please ask us and we'll let you know if such a change is possible.
There is also the option of ordering something similar to what you'd like and have someone local and clueful make adjustments; we can include extra-wide seam allowances just in case.
If you have a specific design in mind and you don't see anything like it here, we invite you to order your material by the yard and have your gown made locally. Or, if you are willing to visit our studio in person at least twice, we can create a gown to your own design.
How do I care for my eco wedding gown? How do I store it?
We provide all the details on our About Our Eco Wedding Dresses and Formal Attire page.
We aim to keep these FAQ's current; contact us if you have ideas to contribute.
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