FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
We will accept returns on any unworn/unused items in their original packaging in exchange for a refund or store credit within 14 days. We will refund the purchase price less shipping cost. We will gladly provide an exchange if you need another size or would like a different product style.
If you experience any issues with your goods, please reach out to our customer service team and we will be happy to come up with a solution!
Some of the products in our retail stores aren't listed on our website because they are one-of-a-kind or limited in quantity. That doesn't mean we can't ship them to you if you know what you want! You can email us at info@swahili-coast.com with your inquiry, and we can always snap pics of what we have in stock and invoice you directly.
Sandals – Our sandals are very durable and will have a short break-in period, as is the case with all leather footwear. While we do not recommend fully saturating them for extended periods of time, they are fine to get damp at the beach, provided you give them a good toweling off before calling it a day. If you purchased a pair of sandals with metallic beads, their sheen will diminish with repeated exposure to salt water.
Beaded Leather Cuffs – We do not recommend fully saturating our Beaded Leather Cuffs for extended periods of time, but they are fine to get wet with hand-washing, a trip to the beach, etc. If the button closure comes loose, this can be tightened with a screwdriver. If you lose the button closure (not a common occurrence), please contact our customer service team! Our cuffs are beaded using a non-elastic monofilament fishing line that does not stretch. Please do not attempt to bend your bracelet to a flat shape after repeated use, it can cause breakage.
Brass Jewelry – Our brass Kenya Collection jewelry is all shipped with a small polishing pad that can be used to keep your jewelry shining. It can also be polished with a regular brass polishing cloth (available at most jewelry stores and major retailers), or with Brasso and other commercial brass polishes. Brass does develop a patina over time, but if you want to restore it to its original shine, it just takes a little elbow grease!
Kenyan Towels – Our Kenyan Towels are machine washable! They can be cold-water machine washed and machine dried. We only recommend that you do not wash them with any items that have a hooked clasp, such as a bra or dress, as it may catch on the fringe.
Let us know what you had in mind! If your sorority, club, or cause is interested in custom colors or designs, we can chat. Email us at info@swahili-coast to discuss.
While all of our practices exceed fair trade certification requirements, we are not currently certified as the process is currently outside of our financial capacity and there are very few certifying bodies operating in East Africa. We would love to become certified in the future!
Tony and Caroline, who own the US operations for Swahili Coast, are white Americans. Our partner co-op in Tanzania is 100% worker-owned, and all co-op members are Black East Africans.
We offer our sandals in US women's whole sizes 6-11. If you are between sizes, we recommend sizing up! A few of our sizes run a bit narrow, which is noted on the product page.
No, we are a social enterprise, combining elements of traditional business with elements of non-profit goal-setting. We call ourselves a "not-just-for-profit"--our commitments to our artisan partners are over and above our profit motivations. As a business instead of a non-profit, it's been in the best interests of our artisan partners to be able to be nimble and make quick decisions .