Ordering/Shipping Information and Sizing Information

For Hi there and thank you for supporting small businesses and shopping! 

As an avid shopaholic myself, I know how excited you must be to get your items! I feel you on that! Here's a couple of need to knows when placing an order with me!

 

TAX INFORMATION:

As per Illinois tax law, all orders placed from Illinois residents will be taxed a total of 7.5% on the cost of goods and shipping. For those residing in other states, since I do not have nexus or a location based in any other state besides Illinois, orders from other states will not be subjected to tax.

 

Shipping Times:

I'm a one woman show, I do my best to put things out in a timely fashion. Most days, your orders will probably go out THE SAME DAY they are placed (M-F). I'm a very fast shipper! In the event I will be leaving for a trip and out of town for any extended period of time, I will put notification of such on my website here as well as all social media accounts. If your order is placed while I am away, it will go out in the mail very quickly upon my return

 

SIZING INFORMATION:

As you may have noticed, some of the tee-shirts and tank tops in my store are listed as "Relaxed Fit" and "Slim Fit". Traditionally, these would be listed as "Men's" or "Women's" items, but because I value and respect all of my non-binary and gender non-conforming friends, I am trying very hard to get away from gendering the apparel I sell; these garments are for everybody, regardless of what body you are in. 

As always the case, REFER TO THE SIZING INFORMATION to ensure fit. 

For shirts that say "Relaxed fit": roomier through the waist and chest and relaxed fit tanks will have wider arm holes than the "fitted" options. For persons with a smaller bust/chest area or who are petite through the arms/shoulders, the relaxed fit tanks/tees may be a little baggy/ill fitted in the armpit area and choosing the SLIM FIT versions will likely be a better fit. 

"Slim Fit" teeshirts and tanks will be more nipped in around the waist for persons who want a teeshirt or tank that fits closer to the body. Recommended for those with more petite upper bodies or who wish for more of a body hugging teeshirt. 

For all other apparel that is not designated as "Relaxed Fit" or "Slim Fit" please refer to the specific size chart posted on those product pages! I use two different apparel manufacturers who have different size charts!

Yes, the cost is $1-2 higher for larger sizes on some garments. Yes, I know that sucks. And I'm by no means trying to punish people who wear larger sizes. Mixtape Your Life is a body positive, body inclusive brand. However, my manufacturing partner charges ME more money to have those garments made because of extra cost of fabric and materials. I used to charge the exact same price for ALL sizes but that has ended up costing me money in the long run because my factory charges me more to make a size 2XL shirt vs a XS-XL shirt. More fabric=costs more. I wish this was not the case but until I find a decent apparel manufacturer who charges me the SAME to make all sizes, I'm unfortunately going to have to charge a little more on larger sizes. 

 

HOW TO SIZE FOR VINTAGE ITEMS:

As for sizing, please note that vintage garments sizing (including childrens) is MUCH different than modern sizing.  Many of the fast fashion clothes that are worn today have stretch and use vanity sizing. Just because you wear a size 6 dress from (insert your favorite retailer here), doesn't mean you will wear a size 6 in a vintage garment! Vintage sizing is generally 4-6 sizes bigger than their modern equivalent and this also varies depending on the era the garment is from (1940's sizing is different than 1980's, for example). Clothing that is made with all natural fibers (wool, 100% cotton, rayon, silk, leather, suede) will not have the same stretch or forgiveness as a garment made with stretch or that has elasticized waists.  I list the approximate modern size equivalent for every item, but when in doubt, ALWAYS refer to your OWN measurements against the measurements given. 

All my vintage items have lots of photos for reference as well as all pertinent measurements. Vintage garments are not brand new, they are vintage! I take pride in selling the very BEST and lovingly curated vintage and would not sell something that I wouldn't myself wear. Unless otherwise indicated, garments will be sent UNWASHED. Mind you, NOT dirty, just NOT freshly laundered or dry cleaned. Everyone has preferences for types of detergents they prefer, especially with regards to children's/baby clothes. Vintage garments will be sent in as immaculate condition as I can, but they will not be ready to wear when you get them. Assume you may prefer to launder them/dry clean them in the way you prefer, prior to being worn. 

Vintage items are ALL SALES FINAL.

 

SHIPPING INFORMATION:

 

INTERNATIONAL IMPORT FEES/CUSTOMS FEES/VAT FEES:

Some countries, including Australia and countries within the UK, tack on customs, import duties and other fees onto all packages coming into the country. As an international buyer, you assume the responsibility of knowing that your package may have additional fees to pay upon its arrival. I have no control over this as its a fee that is applied by your country's customs. The customs declaration slips will reflect the retail merchandise that has been sent to you. 

If you absolutely do not want to pay the customs fees on your goods after they arrive, you have the option to have the package returned back to me. I will refund for the purchase price only after I receive the goods back and in the same condition they were when I sent them. Keep in mind, return to sender packages sometimes take a month or longer to return. You will not receive a refund on any postage paid. 

 

PLACES I WILL NOT SHIP TO AND WHY:

Art theft within the indie art and pin/flair community is a very big problem. As a small business owner and creator, protection of your own intellectual property is important. Unfortunately, many professional art theft/counterfeiters originate from particular countries. These individuals who actively seek out items to copy and then sell them online for very cheap on places like Wish, DHGate, Ebay and AliExpress, as well as selling these counterfeited goods wholesale to unsuspecting business owners who stock their stores (both online and brick and mortar stores) with cheap knockoff counterfeit pins and patches made from stolen art. Many of these items also end up in the hands of individuals who buy them for cheap online and then attempt to "flip" them for profit on places like Mercari, Depop, Etsy, Poshmark and eBay. The artist/creator who owns the art that these items were counterfeited from never see any compensation on these items and once these items end up being distributed in such a massive way, it is almost impossible to put an end to. As a consumer, your best way to support artists and creatives is to never buy cheap pins/patches from places like AliExpress or Wish, as they are more times than not, much inferior products than the original and made from stolen art. 

While I would love to offer my items to anyone anywhere who would want to buy them, I must also be very mindful to take steps to protect my intellectual property. As a result, I will not be selling to particular countries that are known for buying pins for the purpose of copying them and reselling counterfeits from them. If you wish to purchase an item from me and you are find that your country is blocked, please reach out to me directly through email so I can ensure that you are a real person, buying with honest intentions, and the items are being sent to a verified address and shipping with proper tracking can be used on the package. 

 

 

Domestic packages:

Domestic packages for small items such as pins, patches, jewelry and other small items are sent out via First Class USPS with tracking. You will receive a tracking number with your order, which I will also track on my end. Larger multi-item orders or large items that can't fit into a smaller box/bubble mailer may need to be sent as Priority Mail. In the very RARE occurrence that your package ends up going MIA, please communicate this with me and we'll try to figure out what happened. Please understand that I have no control over how fast the USPS delivers packages. In some cases, people receive their items within a couple of days, in other cases, it might take a week to deliver a package a state away, with not much reason as to why. 

 

International Packages:

As of January 2018, the USPS has changed how they handled first class international shipments, significantly raising the cost of international shipping rates. 

To keep shipping costs reasonable for me and my international customers, I'm using a fulfillment program called global advantage provided by my shipping service. All small pin/patch packages sent internationally will now be sent by me to a postal processing facility in Carol Stream, IL (about 10 miles from my location), which are then shipped on to their international destinations from that location. This process generally adds an additional day or two in the shipping time as all these packages now have to be routed through an independant sorting facility first, relabeled and then sent out. 

Unfortunately this new service does not have the same tracking capabilities as USPS. You will be able to track when your package has left the US, but not all packages will be tracked upon entering their destination countries - this is dependent on the postal system in your location. From what i can tell so far (as of early february 2018), about 20% of international shipments will continue to be tracked when they reach their destination countries, with the remainder only tracking until they leave the US - so please keep in mind when ordering internationally that your provided tracking information may be incomplete.

This is frustrating, but this is currently the only option for keeping international shipping affordable, and so far i haven't had any complaints with international packages being delivered, just that sometimes they take longer! It may take a little longer for international packages tor each their destinations. International orders generally take around 10-15 business days to reach their destinations, but can occasionally take as long as 6 weeks and they may take longer if your country typically holds packages longer in customs before releasing them (such as the case for Brazil and Italy).  

If you're leery about using the global advantage program, or know that your country has issues with package theft or unusually long customs processing or have a high value order and would like your international order sent via a more trackable shipping service, just send me an email FIRST at melissa@mixtapeyourlife.com and we can discuss other options at a higher cost.

Keep in mind that USPS tracking is a guide, not an exact science.  The barcode on your package’s label is scanned as it moves through various shipping facilities on its way to you, but it’s not uncommon for scanners to miss the barcode, causing tracking information to be insufficiently updated.  please be patient and give your package time to arrive safely to you.  

Once packages are dropped off by me at the post office, I don't have any control over them, so if you have questions about the status of your shipment after it's shown as being delivered, talk to your mail carrier or call your local post office to follow up. I supply tracking information with every package and once the package is scanned as "delivered", it is considered as received. If you are having your packages delivered to your business or your work, please bear this in mind. I'm not responsible for the mail boy at your office stealing your mail. If you have a history of packages and mail being stolen from your mailbox/porch, as a seller I am not responsible for mail theft. In the event a package is scanned as being "delivered" but you have not received it, the post office will be able to determine the GPS location of where the package was scanned. Human error happens, and your package may have been scanned as delivered simply by a neighbor or at another location. In the rare instance that a package seems to simply drop off the map entirely and has gone MIA, please wait at least a week as it may take the system to update the tracking information due to packages not getting routinely scanned. If your package hasn't arrived and the tracking is still showing it as missing in action, I can contact the USPS to submit a lost mail investigation to figure out where it may be. Packages that have gone missing like this are rare, but do happen. If the package has not been scanned as being delivered, I am able to open up a claim on said package and will gladly send you a replacement. All I ask is that in kind, should your extra one show up, you send the extra one back to me should it ever show up. 

 

If after you've spoken with a USPS rep your issue still isn't resolved, email me and i will make sure you get a replacement or refund. 

 

APPAREL/HOME GOODS ORDERS:

I have a lot of really fantastic things in my shop and I hope you take advantage of the assortment of home goods, hats and custom apparel that I offer! With the exception of DIY Fashion and Vintage items, all other apparel, shoes, home goods are made to order and fulfilled by my manufacturing partner. If you are ordering items from my shop like vintage, pins, patches, art prints, etc in the same order as these items, please know that those items will be shipped separately and will take longer to get to you. Average delivery time on those items range from 2-4 weeks, depending on the item. I don't have control over how quickly these items are made or shipped, so please do not order them if you need them right away or are in a hurry! 

 

REFUNDS/EXCHANGES:

I do my very best to inspect every item before I sent it out. Sometimes things happen in transit that are beyond my control. If you receive an item that is broken/defective, please don't hesitate to email me and let me know! If you receive a made to order item that is improperly sewn, has printing issues, or other defects, please take photos of such and let me know. In order for ME to get a refund from my manufacturing partner, I need to provide them PROOF that there was a serious printing or sewing/construction issue. I can't just "take your word on it" and have a new garment sent to you. In order to help me help you, if there is a serious quality issue on a garment you receive, I will need to present my factory with documentation in order to get a replacement paid at THEIR cost if it was THEIR error. I will NOT take exchanges or refunds on garments due to buyers remorse, if it doesn't fit you like you want or you change your mind on a tee-shirt color. Sizing charts are provided on all items, please refer to them before purchasing. My manufacturing partner will not refund me on the cost to produce those items or allow me to exchange them for you unless there was a manufacturing defect that was done by them. Please order carefully and refer to your own measurements prior to order. Not the measurements you had 2 years ago, or the measurements you wish you had, but the measurements you have NOW. 

 

HOW TO BEST CARE FOR YOUR NEW PINS/PATCHES:

Buying and collecting pins is fun and an addicting way to buy "mini art" from artists (like me!) whose work  you like and to show off your personal style! 

If you are new to buying pins and patches there are some things to know to get the most out of your experience! 

 

PINS:

If you plan on putting your pins in "permanent residence" onto a particular garment, hat or bag, it is highly recommended to purchase and use LOCKING PIN BACKS to keep them secure. All of the pins in my shop by default come with RUBBER pin backs, which will keep pins on to a certain degree but are not recommended if you are planning on keeping a pin onto something long term or on a garment that gets heavy wear. Some pin producers/sellers sell their pins with metal "butterfly closure" pin backs, but it has been my personal experience that those do no better of a job keeping pins on than the rubber ones.

I will not refund your money or send you a new pin because you lost your pin! Its happened to me too, and it sucks, but I'm not responsible for you losing your pin. 

The reason why locking pin backs do not come standard with all of my pins is because they are much more expensive from the manufacturer and not everyone wants locking pin backs for all their pins. 

Locking pin backs are available for purchase in my shop and are highly recommended for larger pins, multi post pins or limited edition pins that won't be produced again. 

If you need a LOT of locking ones, I highly recommend just buying them on Amazon, because that's exactly where I buy mine and it will be cheaper for you to do so if you are needing a lot at once. 

PATCHES:

Iron on patches must ALWAYS be ironed on with a protective barrier in between the patch and the iron. NEVER EVER put a hot iron directly onto a patch, YOU WILL MELT IT. The embroidery thread that is used for these patches are almost always polyester thread, which will MELT if you put a hot iron directly to it.

To apply, take an old cotton teeshirt or equivalent and place on top of the patch before putting the iron to it. You do not need to go over the area back and forth like you're ironing a shirt or press down particularly hard. The goal is to heat up the glue enough so that it adheres to whatever you're trying to iron it onto. For larger patches or irregularly shaped patches, you may want to give extra attention to edges to ensure adhesion, carefully checking it as you go to make sure the glue is being heated up throughout the patch. 

If you plan on putting patches on a garment that will require regular washing, please note that regular washing and washing in hot water may likely result in the glue starting to lift in areas. The best items to put patches onto are things that won't really require much (or any) regular washing such as jackets. 

The glue that are on iron on patches will NOT STICK to things like leather, satin, silk, PVC, PVP, fake leather/pleather or any kind of "slick" material. So that satin bomber jacket you want to put a bunch of patches onto? No go. You'll have to plan on sewing those on. You could try different types of glue but you may just end up ruining your patch and leaving a bunch of gross glue residue on them. Glue just doesn't stick to these types of materials; you need to apply them to POROUS material such as denim, wool, corduroy, twill, flannel and other types of WOVEN material. Patches just will not stick to polyester or synthetic fabrics much (or at all). 

 

If you have ANY questions at all, please just shoot me an email! I don't bite (hard). LOL I generally answer emails within 24 hours! 

melissa@mixtapeyourlife.com