FAQ
Questions, answered plainly.
Everything about ordering, making, shipping and caring for a made-to-order SHIBUI piece. Base garments are made in Vietnam, Cambodia and India, then hand-dyed in Kyoto. Allow 4–8 weeks, and note that payment is taken at order with a 24-hour window to change or cancel.
Ordering & Payment
Every SHIBUI piece is made to order. You place your order by email or through the request form on our shop page, and you pay at the time of order. We then send an order confirmation listing your item, size, colour, price and estimated timeline.
Payment is taken at the time of order. Prices are in US dollars (USD). If you have a question about payment methods, please email order@arigatou.world.
Yes, within 24 hours of ordering. Size and colour changes, or cancellation, are possible during this 24-hour change window, so please contact us straight away at order@arigatou.world.
After the window closes, production begins and the dyeing cannot be reversed, so changes and cancellations are no longer possible.
Yes. Sample photographs are available on request before order confirmation, and you can also ask us about a fabric sample. Just email shibui@arigatou.world.
Yes. We welcome enquiries from boutiques, concept stores, interior designers and hospitality businesses. Please email shibui@arigatou.world with your business details.
Production & Timing
Allow roughly 4–8 weeks from your order. After the 24-hour change window closes, your piece enters production: kakishibu is applied in several layers with drying intervals, then the piece is inspected and given a final sun-oxidation stage before packing. DHL Express transit follows dispatch.
SHIBUI does not weave or sew. Our base garments are made in Vietnam, Cambodia and India: the T-Shirt, Long-Sleeve and Oxford are made in Vietnam, the Stand Collar (hemp) in Cambodia, and the Tote in India. Every piece is then hand-dyed with kakishibu in Kyoto, Japan, using liquid sourced from Minami-Yamashiro.
We send five emails: order confirmation, production start, quality check (often with a photograph of your piece), dispatch with your DHL tracking number, and a follow-up after delivery. They come from order@arigatou.world, so please add it to your safe-sender list and check your spam folder if you do not see your confirmation within 24 hours.
First check your spam or junk folder. If the email is still missing 3 business days after your 24-hour change window closed, contact us with your order reference number and payment confirmation, and we will investigate and confirm production status within 24 hours.
Shipping & Customs
We ship worldwide by DHL Express. Parcels are tracked, insured to declared value and include a commercial invoice. Shipping is charged by region and is free on orders over USD 300. Typical transit is 2–10 business days after dispatch, depending on region. See the Shipping & Returns page for the regional rates and times.
Possibly. Import duties, VAT or GST and handling fees charged by your country are not included in your purchase price and are the buyer’s responsibility. DHL may ask you to pay them before it releases the parcel, which is normal. We always declare the true commercial value and never mark goods as gifts. Estimated amounts by region are on the Shipping & Returns page.
Most holds clear within 1–3 business days once any duties are paid. If yours has been held for more than 5 business days, contact us and we can provide additional customs documentation, such as a certificate of authenticity or a material composition declaration.
Yes, until the piece is handed to DHL. Please email order@arigatou.world as soon as the address changes. DHL cannot redeliver to incomplete addresses, so include apartment or unit numbers and any local area codes when you order.
DHL Express cannot deliver to PO boxes. For US military APO/FPO addresses we can ship by Japan Post EMS instead; transit is longer (2–4 weeks) and tracking is less detailed. Please contact us before ordering if you need this.
Check with neighbours, building reception and any safe place named in your DHL preferences, and look for a note from the driver. If you still cannot find it, contact us within 5 days of the tracked delivery date and we will open a DHL trace.
Returns & Cancellation
Because each piece is made to order and hand-dyed after your order, it cannot be returned for change of mind, size regret, a colour that differs from your expectation, customs fees or delays, or colour change after washing.
Exceptions apply if the piece has a significant manufacturing defect, the wrong item was sent, or it was damaged or lost in transit. Contact us first with photographs. Please tell us within 14 days of delivery about transit damage, a wrong item or a manufacturing defect; for transit damage, reporting within 48 hours helps us file the DHL claim. The full policy is on the Shipping & Returns page.
If the box arrives visibly damaged, photograph the box and contents, do not use the item, and contact us as soon as possible, ideally within 48 hours and no later than 14 days after delivery. We will file a DHL insurance claim for you. If DHL tracking shows no movement for 10 or more business days after dispatch, we will start a trace and, if the parcel is confirmed lost, remake your order at no extra charge.
These are natural characteristics of kakishibu and of hand-dyeing, and we disclose them before you buy. Differences in mura (colour variation), tone depth, natural scent and colour change over time are not defects.
Colour & Scent
Yes. Kakishibu is a natural, living dye, and each application varies slightly with the batch of tannin, the weave of the cloth, drying time and UV conditions during oxidation. Screen colour also affects how photographs look. No two pieces share the same pattern, and this is not a defect.
Almost certainly not. Colour variation (mura, 斑) is a hallmark of hand-dyeing. Folds, seams and layers of fabric take up kakishibu slightly differently, and sunlight is never perfectly even across a garment.
Yes, and that is the point of the dye. Kakishibu deepens with light and wear, from a warm amber-tan on day one to a richer, darker brown over months and years. Some excess pigment may release in the first 8–10 washes. If your piece has not changed at all after a few months, tell us.
Freshly dyed kakishibu has a faint, earthy, slightly tangy aroma that comes from fermentation and is not a flaw. It fades noticeably within the first few weeks of wear and fresh air, and almost disappears after the first few washes.
Wearing it often and giving it regular time in natural light, even indirect light through a window, is the most reliable way. Avoid baking it in midday sun for hours; gradual, repeated exposure gives a more even result.
Care
Hand wash in cold water with a small amount of mild, colour-safe detergent. Swirl gently for 2–3 minutes without scrubbing, wringing or twisting, rinse in cold water until clear, press out the water in a clean towel, reshape, and dry flat out of direct midday sun. If you need to iron, iron the inside on low heat.
Machine washing is possible if you wash the piece alone, cold (30°C) on a gentle cycle; do not tumble dry, bleach or use fabric softener. SHIBUI is not responsible for colour transfer onto other items, iron-related staining, or effects on your washing machine. Our full guidance is on the Care & Maintenance page.
Yes, but wash the piece on its own, never with other clothes, in cold water (30°C) on a gentle cycle. Kakishibu can release colour and iron can dissolve in the wash water, and SHIBUI accepts no responsibility for colour transfer onto other items, iron-related staining, or any effect on your washing machine. Hand washing is the gentlest option, especially in the first year.
Yes, especially in the first 8–10 washes, because kakishibu keeps binding to the fibre over time. Always wash the piece on its own, never with other clothes. It settles down considerably after the first few months.
Send us a photo at shibui@arigatou.world and we will happily take a look and offer advice, free of charge.
Skin & Safety
In the early washes it can, especially if the piece stays damp after sweating. Always wash it on its own, never with other clothes, and do not leave it damp and balled up. SHIBUI is not responsible for colour transfer onto other items.
Kakishibu, a natural tannin made from persimmon, is a plant-derived dye that suits most people. For pieces dyed with iron for a deeper tone, trace iron may cause irritation in rare cases during heavy sweating. We suggest washing a piece before first wear and wearing a cotton layer underneath if your skin is very sensitive. If you are unsure, email us before you order.
Sizing
Our sizes are given as garment flat measurements, which run differently from US, EU and UK sizes, and base garments come from different makers, so measurements can differ by 1–2 cm. Measure your chest, waist, hips and height, then use our size finder. Chart measurements are the garment’s flat dimensions, so add 8–10 cm to chest and 4–6 cm to waist for comfortable wearing ease.
SHIBUI pieces are cut for a relaxed, unstructured fit, so we recommend the larger size. Kakishibu-dyed fabric is slightly stiff at first and softens with washing and wear.
Size-related returns are not accepted because each piece is made to order. Before you order, email us your chest, waist, hip and height measurements at shibui@arigatou.world and we will recommend a size. You can still change the size within 24 hours of ordering.
Still have a question?
If we have not covered it here, the Shipping & Returns page has the full policies, or you can email us directly. We reply within 24 hours, Japan time.