FAQ

MACRAMÉ
What is macramé?
Macramé is the art and technique of knotting cord or string in patterns. This kind of knotting cannot be done by a machine – it must be made by hand.

Can I wear my macramé in the shower/ocean?
Yes! In fact, you can go ahead and put your piece on and never take it off. Our brass beads will never tarnish or turn your skin green.

What does FREE SIZE mean?
Free Size means there is one size only, designed to fit a variety of shapes and sizes. A bracelet that’s Free Size should fit over the widest part of most hands and fit snugly around most wrists. An anklet that’s free size should fit over the widest part of most feet and fit properly around most ankles. A necklace/headdress/choker that’s free size will fit over all heads and can be adjusted to the tightness/height/drape/fit of your liking on most heads and necks.

Do all of your bracelets work as anklets (and vice versa)?
No. In order for a bracelet to work as an anklet, it must be able – when fully opened – to fit over the widest part of the foot, so that you can get it on! Almost all of our bracelets do fit over the foot, but the fit around the ankle will vary depending on the size of the bracelet and the size of the foot.
In order for an anklet to work as a bracelet, it must – when pulled fully closed – snugly hug the wrist. Otherwise, if there is extra room between the piece and the wrist, the piece will flop around on the wrist and may even slide off. Two of our anklets, The Shanti and The Khukuri, are cut slightly smaller and are more likely to work as bracelets.
We do not recommend opting for The Leafdrop, The Simple Featherdrop, The Caviar Featherdrop, or The Stay Anchored as bracelets as they are likely to be too big on most wrists.
Have you been told your whole life that you have a small wrist? If so, we recommend that you avoid trying the anklets as bracelets.

Do you have any macramé with silver hardware?
We don’t have pieces with silver hardware, but we think it’s badass and chic to rock brass with whatever else is on your wrist: leather, costume, stones, pearls, gold, silver, diamonds – brass can hang with ‘em all. Your stack will look awesome. Give it a try!

The closure on my macramé piece feels stiff or hard to open.
Since our pieces are made from waxed nylon string, they can feel stiff at first. Try wearing your piece in the shower once or twice, or soaking it in water for a few hours and it should soften up.

Can I shorten the strings on my macramé piece?
Visit any one of our pop-ups for a custom string adjustment at no additional cost.
Can’t make it to a pop-up? Email allie@reignwala.com with a photo of your piece and your location to arrange an adjustment (please note there may be a very small fee).
We do not recommend cutting your own strings – it takes a skilled artisan to ensure they don’t unravel!

How can I clean my macramé piece?
To clean, soak the piece in soap and water. A spare toothbrush – used very gently – will work great for brushing off dirt, if needed. Brass beads and charms can be brightened up with any brand of brass polish, like the one available here. If you already own a jewelry polish, it should work for our pieces as long as the packaging indicates it’s safe for brass. 

SILKS
My silk piece has an imperfection. What do I do?
Our silk collection is made from reclaimed sarees, so there can and will be small imperfections. We welcome these as part of what makes each piece so unique. If you believe there is something else wrong, send us a photo so that we can assess.

 

What does FREE SIZE mean?
Free Size means there is one size only, designed to fit a variety of shapes and sizes.

Can I shop the silk collection online?
At this time, we do not offer online shopping for our silkwear. While our silk styles are all cut to the same Free Size proportions, the silks themselves vary in texture and draping style. Some of our pieces are made with a more chiffon-like silk, while some are made with a more raw silk. In the case of a kimono, this difference affects how structured or flowy the drape of the piece will be when worn. So while the sizes are all technically the same, there can be pretty significant differences in fit, as well as how the garment flatters (or doesn’t!) a customer’s shape. For example, some customers love how a raw silk trouser fits. Others absolutely hate it! Since we are not currently equipped to process returns or exchanges, we mandate that our customers try on all silkwear before purchasing to ensure a fabulous feeling and fit. reign_wala garments do not like to sit in drawers unused and unworn. We’re a young and growing company – we want our customers to be obsessed with their silk pieces and tell everyone they know! 

To view and try our prints and materials, visit one of our pop-ups.
To set up a Trunk Show (we bring the reign_wala shop to you!), email allie@reignwala.com with your name and location. Northeast USA only.

How can I clean my silk piece?
The best way to clean our silkwear is to dry clean or hand wash in warm or cold water. Our pieces can go in the washing machine, but we recommend washing separately from other clothing for the first wash. After the first wash, feel free to wash with other clothing. Our silks should ALWAYS be hung to dry and should NEVER go in the dryer!

My silk piece has an imperfection. What do I do?
Our silk collection is made from reclaimed sarees, so there can and will be small imperfections. We welcome these as part of what makes each piece so unique. If you believe there is something else wrong, send us a photo so that we can assess.

HOW WE WORK
How do you find local artisans?
Our founder travels to developing countries and spends hundreds of hours in marketplaces and small villages to identify artisans with amazing designs or artisans with amazing resources that we can partner with to co-design.

Who designs the stuff?
Our macrame designs are a collaboration between our artisans and our founder. In many cases, our artisan partners propose designs which we adjust or fine-tune to make them perfect for our customers. In some cases, our founder proposes designs which our artisan partners adjust in order to make them feasible to produce.
Our silk collection is entirely designed by our founder and tailored by our artisan partners.
Our DreamLighter collection and our Hairstick collection are entirely designed by our artisan partners.

How do you deliver the profits in cash?
Our founder travels to our artisans’ home countries to complete the profit deliveries. Since some our artisan partners are in remote villages, in some cases, our founder may deliver the lump sum profit to one artisan who distributes it to the broader team of artisans. In all cases, deliveries are documented on video.

How much profit is shared with your artisan partners?
Reign_wala practices fair trade by compensating our artisan partners with a generous rate for making each piece. Our artisan partners are compensating for creating our pieces, regardless of whether or not they sell. On top of this, reign_wala operates a profit-sharing model, meaning we also share profits with our artisan partners after goods are sold. Our profit payments are not a percentage of sales but rather a flat fee per piece that doubles the artisan's wage for making that pieces. We're hustling to increase this even more as we grow!

Which countries are your collections from?
At present, all of our artisans are based in India. We are looking forward to expanding to other developing countries in the near future.

Do reign_wala goods ever go on sale?
We don’t do traditional “sales,” but we do have offers shared exclusively with the members of our Instagram and Email tribe.
Follow us on Instagram and get on our email list to be included.

SHIPPING

Where does reign_wala ship from?
All reign_wala products ship from India to New York City, and then from New York City to you. Our newest collection — perhaps our most gorgeous yet! —includes silkwear produced in Rajasthan, India and leather bags produced in Goa, India. Both collections were produced in February 2020 and arrived in New York City before March 18, 2020. All previous collections were produced in India and arrived in New York City prior to November 2019.

Do you offer international shipping?
Yes! However, our International shipping fees do not include custom and duty fees you may incur as your product makes it to your country.  At this time our website is unable to calculate these exact fees for you. The customer is responsible for all custom and duty fees.

How much should I expect to pay for shipping?
USPS shipping, which delivers in 2-4 business days within the USA, is included in the price of all reign_wala merchandise.
For all countries outside the USA, shipping rates range from $5 - $12 USD. Your exact rate is calculated at checkout.
Need your order faster? Email allie@reignwala.com for additional options and we'll do everything we can to accommodate your timing.

RETURNS
We at reign_wala aim to create as little waste as possible. We know e-commerce has made it easy (and even encouraged us) to buy and return, but that's not our thing! We want you to select only the piece(s) you absolutely love, and to shop with the intention of keeping what you order.

We also really, really want you to LOVE your reign_wala piece, and tell everyone you know about us. For that reason, if you don't absolutely love your piece, we will be happy to accept your return.

Do keep in mind that our pieces are 100% handmade, so they can and will have imperfections. We find these imperfections endearing and encourage you to embrace them! If you believe your piece is defective or damaged, send it our way so that we can assess and issue a refund if applicable.

Conditions for returns: 

  • Must be returned within 14 days of your purchase 
  • Must be unworn/unused

Any item that is returned more than 14 days after delivery or is not in its original condition may only be eligible for a partial refund (or may not be eligible for refund).

At this time, we ask that you cover the shipping cost for returning your item.

Please send returns to: 
reign_wala 
301 E 78th Street 
Suite 9A 
New York, NY 10075 
United States