One of the values I treasure most in running this small business is the opportunity to communicate directly with the people who support our work.
Unlike Amazon or many large online retailers, we are not backed by a customer service department, automated warehouses, or a large logistics network. We are a very small family business. Every order is packed by hand. Every package is prepared by someone who genuinely cares about what is inside. Every email is answered by a real person who knows our products and understands why they matter.
Because we are small, we cannot always offer the speed or convenience that large companies can. Like anyone else, we are human, and despite our best efforts, we occasionally make mistakes or miss something. When that happens, we don't want to hide from it—we want the opportunity to make it right.
That is one of the reasons communication is so important to us.
When you contact us, you are not speaking with an AI chatbot or someone reading from a script. You are communicating directly with the people behind Upcycle Stitches and Sashiko Story. We know our products, we know our shipping process, and we care deeply about every order we send. If there is a problem, we will listen carefully, investigate what happened, and do everything reasonably within our power to find the best possible solution.
That personal relationship is something I value far more than trying to compete with large retailers on speed or convenience.
International shipping has become increasingly unpredictable in recent years. Even when an order is packed carefully and shipped promptly, circumstances beyond the control of both the customer and the merchant—such as customs inspections, transportation delays, postal service interruptions, changing regulations, or geopolitical events—can delay, reroute, or even return a package.
Sometimes tracking stops updating for days or even weeks. Sometimes shipments are delayed. Occasionally, packages are rerouted or returned because of circumstances that nobody could have reasonably anticipated.When that happens, I completely understand how frustrating and concerning it can be.
If your order seems delayed, if tracking has stopped updating, or if something simply doesn't feel right, I have one sincere request.
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Please reach out to us first.
A simple email gives us the opportunity to understand what happened before assumptions are made.
While we do our best to monitor shipments after they leave our hands, we do not have the capacity to manually check every tracking number every day. Like many small businesses, we occasionally rely on our customers to let us know when something doesn't seem right. Your message may be the first indication that a shipment needs our immediate attention.
Once we hear from you, we can investigate the shipment, review the tracking history, contact the carrier whenever possible, explain what we know, and explore the available options. Every situation is different, but we will always take your concern seriously and do everything reasonably within our power to help.
Most problems can be solved through communication.
When an issue immediately becomes a payment dispute, chargeback, or claim through a payment provider, the opportunity for communication becomes much more limited. These systems exist for important reasons, and I fully respect the protections they provide to customers.
At the same time, those systems are largely designed for businesses processing thousands or even millions of transactions. For a very small business like ours, even a single payment dispute can require many hours of administrative work, additional fees, and communication with payment processors, banks, and shipping companies—even when the original shipping issue was completely outside anyone's control.
If situations like this become common, many small businesses may eventually have to make a difficult decision about whether continuing to offer international shipping is sustainable.
I sincerely hope we never reach that point.
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One of the greatest privileges of my work has been sharing Sashiko with people around the world. Every order reminds me that this small practice from Japan has created friendships and connections across countries, cultures, and languages. I hope we can continue making those connections for many years to come.
That is why I am asking for your help.
If you ever have a concern about an order, even if you simply have a question or feel that something isn't quite right, please send us a message before assuming the worst.
We cannot promise that every international shipment will arrive exactly as planned. Today's world simply doesn't allow anyone to make that promise.
What I can promise is something different.
I promise that you will always hear from a real person.
I promise that we will always listen.
I promise that we will always treat your concern with respect.
And I promise that we will always do everything reasonably within our power to help.
That is the advantage of supporting a small business. We may not be the fastest, but we genuinely care about every customer and every order.
Thank you, as always, for your trust, your kindness, and for making it possible for a small family business to continue sharing Sashiko with the world.