Frequently Asked Questions

Here you can find the answers to the most relevant questions.
If you have a question that isn‘t answered here, don‘t hesitate to contact me.

Attending an Upcycling Workshop

How do I find out where your workshops are?

You can find all dates for public workshops on the Events Page and I’m working on an instagram page as well. If you want to stay in the loop, you can register for my newsletter – just send an email to sarah@woodcabin-clothing.com and let me know! 

Do I have to pay for anything?

Some hosts collect a small fee, others don’t. Please check the conditions for each workshop in advance. 

Do I have to bring anything?

Nope! I’m taking care of everything. Materials, tools – all there for you to experiment with.  

Do I need any prior knowledge or special skills?

Not at all! You don’t need any crafting abilities or experience with tools. Everyone can join in on the fun, as long as you can use scissors independently. If you do have a lot of crafting experience, there are also more challenging projects available. 

I like some of the things you make, but I don’t like crafting. Can I buy them from you?

I’m attending local markets where I sell some special upcycled pieces in addition to my clothing. Please check out the Events Page for dates! See you then! 
Some of these pieces might end up in my etsy shop eventually as well – just in case you can’t make it to Dortmund. 

Upcycling Workshops: Booking

Where do your workshops take place? / Can you come to my organisation?

I’d love to host a workshop at your organisation or even your home! And I will bring all the tools and materials needed.
I’m able to travel within Dortmund, Germany and surrounding areas, as long as your location is reachable by public transport. If you are located farther away but would like to book me for a larger event or a series of workshops, please contact me and I’m sure we will figure out a way to make it work. 
I currently do not have a studio in which I can host workshops myself.

Have you worked with [this age group] before?

I have worked with all kinds of people – groups of children and teenagers from age 3 to 19, as well as adults in their 20s until well into their 60s. This gives me a lot of experience to make sure my workshops are fun for everyone involved and optimized for every skill level.

Can I request different materials than the ones you offer? 

I’m always happy to figure out custom solutions for your trash problems on site! If there is a material you have a lot of, I’d love to find a way to make something beautiful out of it. Please contact me so we can talk about the details.
I’m also constantly expanding not only on what to make out of every material but also always on the lookout for interesting new ones to incorporate into my regular stock.

Why do you only accept groups of 10 people? Are larger groups possible at all?

For my usual workshop program I don’t accept larger groups because I would not be able to be there for every participant and assist everyone adequatly otherwise. It is however possible to book a workshop for more than 10 people, or for a bigger event at a different rate, so I can bring another instructor with me (whom I want to pay a fair wage.)  

I would like to book a workshop with you. How do I do that?

First off, thank you for being interested in my work! 
If you want to book an upcycling workshop with me, please send an email to sarah@woodcabin-clothing.com and let me know which topic(s) you are interested in, how long you would like to book me for and any other questions you have. I will gladly answer any specific questions then. 
After booking confirmation, I will arrive at the set date and location with all the necessary materials and tools. After the workshop is concluded, you will receive an invoice to pay within 14 days. 

How much does all of this cost?

My usual rate for a 3-hour workshop is 400,- € and includes materials and tools, as well as preparation time (if not confirmed otherwise beforehand.) This is the price for my usual workshop program, and is subject to change depending on your project. This especially applies to clients outside of my usual location range. 

What happens if I have to cancel a workshop I booked?

If you have to cancel, please notify me two weeks in advance, so we can reschedule. If the rescheduled appointment has to be cancelled as well, you can do so without repercussions or additional costs within the 14-day timeframe. In case of later notifications, I have to collect a cancellation fee of 30% of the original price. 

Clothing

Where do you sell your pieces?

You can find my clothing in my etsy shop
Sometimes I’m also attending local markets, where I will be selling my clothes as well as special upcycling projects. So keep your eyes on my social media and on the Events Page on this website, so you know when to visit the Ruhr Area in Germany! 

How do you calculate your prices? / Why is everything so expensive?

Regarding the pricing of handmade clothes, I highly recommend reading this article (click!)
There are many factors involved in pricing an item. There are the material costs, the fees involved in shopkeeping as well as money transfers, costs for packaging… And of course there is also my wage for coming up with the design, patternmaking and sewing. Not to forget all the little things that don’t really get paid or even cost money like taking pictures, writing the item descriptions, maintaining a social media presence, working on and paying for this website, my student loans, bookkeeping… All these things play a role in calculating the final price of an item.

Are you accepting discounts? / Can I haggle?

Short Answer: No. 
I’m already trying to keep my prices as low as possible while making sure I can still eat. Since I want to uphold a certain quality standard, I’m not willing to reduce production costs by using cheap or unethical materials. However I will run sales from time to time, so keep your eyes out for those. Repeat customers do get special promotion codes sometimes as well. I’m also accepting deferred payments via etsy (klarna).

What is the sizing of your products like?

Since I’m based in Germany, I’m working with European (German) sizes during patternmaking. The items in my etsy shop include detailed descriptions regarding size and fit. If you are still not sure, you can always message me about it, I’m happy to help.
Currently my shop’s size range is relatively narrow but I’m constantly working to expand on that!

What do I do if my garment doesn’t fit properly?

If a piece from my etsy shop doesn’t fit, please contact me within 5 days of delivery to return it. You can also request to have it changed to fit you and I’ll see if it’s possible. Since I’m very transparent about measurements and fit, you will have to pay for shipping in case of returns or altering requests; the alterations themselves are free (if not too severe). In any of these cases, please contact me through etsy.

What do I do if I don’t like my garment?

You can return any piece from my etsy shop if you contact me within 5 days and send it back to me within 7. You will get a full refund, minus shipping costs. Please contact me through etsy in this case. 

Who is making my clothes? Are you a big team?

Woodcabin is just me, Sarah.
All designs, patterns and clothes are entirely made by me. I’m also taking care of my social media accounts, web design, bookkeeping, customer support, packaging and shipping as well as a lot of the photography.
Whenever I do collaborate with photographers, models or other artists they are always credited (and please do check out their beautiful stuff!)

What are your sustainability guidelines?

I started Woodcabin with the intention to make truly sustainable and ethical clothes and I’m continuously working to improve! You can find my guidelines and goals here (click!) and more detailed information here (click!)

How do I care for my Woodcabin garment?

Care instructions are delivered with every item. As a rule of thumb: Wash at no more than 40°C with the program for delicate fabrics, or even better by hand. Do not put into the dryer, do not bleach. Iron on low to medium heat.

What do I do if I damage my item somehow?

Small repairs are included in the price you originally paid for your garment. This guarantee is life-long, so you can contact me at any time if there are damages. You only have to pay for shipping.
For bigger rips or other damage which is hard to mend, a small fee will be collected. If the root lies in a manufacturing error, all repairs will of course be made free of charge.
You can read more about this service here (click!)

Are the garments in your pictures available for purchase?

Some are! If you have seen something on social media or on this website and can’t find it on etsy, don’t hesitate to send me a message and it might be included in the next shop update. 
Currently I’m not working on new pieces of clothing however, since I’m mostly focussing on my creative educational work. 

Can you make something custom for me? / Didn’t you offer custom clothing before?

For personal reasons I don’t offer custom clothing anymore. Thank you for understanding.

Since you don’t offer custom pieces, can I buy patterns from you? / Can I replicate your design?

No, please don’t copy my designs. Not even in a varied version.
I’m putting a lot of love, effort and especially time into my designs. For that reason I want to be the only one to use them in any form. This is also why I’m not selling my patterns. Please don’t comission someone else to replicate my designs either. 
Copyright violations will be prosecuted.

Can I buy materials from you?

No. Since I’m not producing any materials myself, I can’t offer them for sale.

I would like to use your clothes in a photoshoot. / I would like you to make something for a project of mine. Is this possible?

Yes and no. 
If you would like to use one of my pieces in a photoshoot, please send me an email to inquire. You are responsible for any damage to the items. 
If you want me to make something specifically for your project, please understand that I do not offer comissions. I’m sure you will find another talented tailor to help you out! 

Can I send you pictures of me wearing your clothes?

Yes, please do! I love seeing photos of people feeling comfortable in the things I make. Just drop me a message on social media or send me an email!

Still have questions left?