FAQs
How do I contact customer service?
WE ARE HERE TO HELP
If you have a question, you can call us, email us, or reach us via this website. Please give us as much information as you can, so that we can address your questions and concerns appropriately. The more information that you provide us with, the quicker we can respond to your inquiry.
Call us: +1 (864) 256-1222
Email us: polished@polished.shoes
Online: Use this form
We are a small company, and our normal customer service hours are as follows:
M-F, 9:00am to 6:00pm (Eastern Time). If you don’t reach us immediately, please leave a message and we’ll get back to you as quickly as possible.
How long will it take to get my shoes?
We typically ship within 1 business day. Most orders are delivered within 3-5 business days, depending on where you live.
We ship from South Carolina, so if you're close, you might get your order in 2 days. If you live on the West Coast, it may take 5 days, but we'll get them to you fast and free no matter what.
How much is shipping?
Shipping is on us! So the price you see in your cart is the price you'll pay -- there are no hidden fees or shipping charges. If you need to exchange an item for a different size, we'll pay for shipping both ways on the exchange, too, so you can order today with confidence. If you decide to return the product for a refund, the shipping cost for this return is on you, but we’ll make it easy by sending you a pre-paid return label, which will be deducted from your final refund amount.
Where are your shoes made?
Our shoes are made in the south of Brazil, in a region known for its generations of artisan leather workers and amazing designers.
Who makes your shoes?
Our workshops employ skilled craftsmen, working for fair wages, under good working conditions. We (Tim & Niko, the owners) think it's important for people to earn a living wage and have a good quality of life, both inside and outside of work, and we do what we can to ensure that. The stuff you hear about in other countries—child labor, forced labor, subsistence wages... we don't want anything to do with that. Our shoemakers are good, honest people, making a living doing what they love and know best: making the finest leather goods in the region.
What makes your shoes different?
Our shoes are made with 100% real leather (see below for the benefits). In most cases, even the linings and insoles are leather—something you don't see with most other shoe brands. Our shoes are unique. All of our shoes are small-batch original designs. Typically we're making only a few hundred of a particular shoe, so you shouldn't expect to see a duplicate showing up on your neighbor.
Why real leather? (What are the advantages of real leather vs. synthetic materials?)
Real leather. Bonded leather. Synthetic (PU) leather. Fabric. Other man-made materials. You have lots of choices when it comes to what your shoes might be made of.
Our shoes are made of hand-selected, high-quality full-grain leather.
Bonded leather is basically scraps that are glued together with a binder. Most bonded leathers contain only 10-20% real leather. Bonded leather tends to get hard and crack after time. So you don't want shoes made with bonded leather.
PU (faux, or synthetic) leather doesn't breathe, making it hotter in summer and colder in winter, since your foot can't regulate its temperature naturally inside what is essentially a plastic bag. You don't want PU (synthetic, or faux) leather.
There's a whole range of fabrics, some of which can be ok, but they will never match the durability, flexibility, or style of genuine leather. If the whole upper (including lining and insole) is made of leather, it will be more comfortable in all seasons, since your foot breathes and regulates temperature more easily. The shoe will stretch and shrink slightly, even changing with your foot throughout the day. (Most people's feet swell over the course of the day, meaning the synthetic-made shoe that was comfortable in the morning is no longer comfortable in the afternoon or evening! But a high quality leather shoe will adapt with your foot all day long, giving you support without constraining you.)
Real leather shoes feel like an extension of your body, keeping your feet dry and comfortable in ways synthetic materials can't match. For proof, try wearing our shoes without socks. You might never go back!
What is the deadline for returning or exchanging products?
Please let us know about any issues right away so we can make them right. We accept exchanges and returns within 30 days of your original order.
How do I make a return or exchange?
See our “Exchanges & Returns” page for all the details. Click here.
How do I choose the correct shoe size?
Use our size guide by clicking here.
Where can I find a size chart with your shoe measurements?
Use our size guide by clicking here.
Do you offer a guarantee on your products?
We stand behind our products with a one-year warranty on materials and workmanship. If you have any concerns about quality, please contact us right away and let us make it right. We will make it right by refunding, repairing, or replacing your shoes.
Do you have physical stores?
No. We sell all of our shoes direct to you, our customers, to keep costs low and quality high.
How do I access tracking information?
You will receive shipping confirmation and tracking information as soon as we ship, usually within 1 business day of your order. If you have any questions, please contact us and we’ll be glad to help!