FAQs and Policies
We at Paper Connection ensure you are in every way a satisfied customer, from the moment you click on a product, to the opening your package. Here are answers to selected questions you may have, as well as our policies, to help guide you in the ordering process. Don't see your question covered?Call us at 1.401.454.1436 or write us at contactus@paperconnection.com and we will be happy to assist you.
2024 UPDATES:
- As of 2024, we do not pack and ship orders every day. Typically, we pack and ship orders 3 times a week.
- Shipping costs are calculated automatically by our online system based on weight and shipping address. Sometimes you will have a choice, but remember we will always choose the safest and most economical way to get your order to you, unless you tell us otherwise.
- This site is set up to ship via UPS when you order parent sheets of paper. Priority Mail prices for long tubes increased significantly a/o 2022. Small items will be mailed via Priority Mail Flat Rate. if you prefer alternate shipping methods, please email us at contactus@paperconnection.com. (UPS is more of a guarantee than the US Postal system these days )
- If you are working with a deadline, please call us or email us to let us know your individual situation; we will do our best to accommodate. (Especially during the HOLIDAY SEASON)/
- If you don't see it here, we can send you additional images or send us an image or sample to match. Check our catalog, as we are adding more items all the time.
- For those in the local RI area, we are open BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Please call us at 401.454.1436 or email us at contactus@paperconnection.com to make an appointment in advance. Before your appointment please make a "paper wish list" by perusing this shop and/or discuss with us via phone what your project is about.
- Due to recent changes TEMPORARILY, WE WILL ONLY BE SHIPPING WITHIN THE USA VIA THIS SITE. PLEASE EMAIL IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE OF THE USA. This is a TEMPORARY situation. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes to our valued customers outside the US. Presently our priority is finding a reliable, cost and time effective means to deliver our papers on an international scale. If you need paper and currently need it shipped outside the US please contact us at contactus@paperconnection.com for custom service. Thank you for your continued support of handmade paper.
Please note some of our shipping rates have reflected the recent rate increase by both UPS and USPS. If you prefer alternate shipping carriers, please email us at contactus@paperconnection.com.
If you are working with a deadline, please contact us directly at 401-454-1436 to discuss alternatives to expedite your order.
Questions about Paper Connection International and Paper:
Q. What kind of color or tone consistency can I expect from order to order?
A: Due to the handmade nature of the papers, including factors in natural pigments, time of fiber harvest, climate, water condition, you can expect slight color variations in regards to dye lots, and sometimes slight weight differences with undyed handmade papers. Moreover, individual computer device monitor settings will vary greatly and change how one views a color or tone. We do our best to present the reality of color and/or tone of paper on this webshop.
Q: Do you make these papers?
A: Although we are not making the papers we carry, we do offer in-person papermaking workshops at our new Art Annex. Paper Connection International has been providing the finest in handmade papers from the East to paper lovers in the West and beyond! With thirty=five years of experience in the field of handmade paper, we are proud to represent papermakers who elevate their craft by consistently producing by hand quality made sheets. These papermakers practice sustainable methods of papermaking, which are time-honored traditions, and thereby support not only their communities but the environment as well.
Q: What is washi?
A: Washi basically means "Japanese paper", and can refer to a wide variety of papers: whether a richly patterned "Yuzen" paper with traditional Japanese motifs, or a plain white sheet devoid of fibers, ideal for a certain type of printmaking.
Q: Do you have rice paper?
A: "Rice paper" has been a misnomer for centuries, with consumers mistakenly thinking that the above mentioned washi is made out of rice. Although there is such a thing as rice paper, the washi that we carry is generally handmade out of tree-free, bast fibers, such as "kozo", or the Japanese paper mulberry bush.
Some folks refer to Chinese tradtional paper as "rice paper" however, this paper is made from yet another fiber referred to as "xuan" and pronounced "schwen". Traditional xuan paper is usually used for water based ink such as "sumi " or charcoal ink. Often used for calligraphy or brush painting. Xuan paper is very absorbant and is meant to allow bleed and flow of the water-based ink.
Questions Regarding Ordering, Packaging, and Returns:
Q: How is my paper shipped?
A: We ship all papers rolled, in a tube or rectangular box. Papers shipped flat incur more shipping charges and are more prone to damage, so the rolled method has been the method of choice. The utmost care is taken to select, roll, and pack your paper. Perhaps you ordered a variety in weight, texture, and size; our staff rolls the various papers based on each sheet's personality, so that it is safely nestled in its box en route. Although our packing record is close to 98% perfect, sometimes damage occurs en route, etc. Therefore, PLEASE INSPECT THE CONTENTS OF YOUR PACKAGE IMMEDIATELY AFTER RECEIPT. Contact us within 7 days of receipt, if there is a problem. -See "RETURN POLICY" section below.
Q: How long does it take to receive my order?
A: We typically ship via UPS Ground within the 48 contiguous United States, therefore we prefer if you include a street address with your shipping information. We ship via Prioriy Mail only in certain circumstances, ie, outside the 48 contiguous states: We reserve the right to ship via US Post Office or UPS for all domestic orders at our discretion. Large sheets of paper usually CANNOT be shipped via First Class Mail within the USA, again due to the shape of the shipping tube. If noted or if the customer prefers an alternate shipping method (not shown here), the customer should contact us via email or telephone. If you live in a multi-unit building with no or little security, please contact us and we can add "signature confirmation" service.
1. Please plan ahead. Orders (within the USA) that consist of papers by the sheet will take usually no more than 7 business days to process.. (May be a bit slower if your order is large or during the pre-holiday season.) You will receive an email confirmation upon shipment leaving our door.
2. Orders to be shipped within the USA which consist of product only, (non-sheet items, ie stationery), will take 5 business days to process. You will receive an email confirmation upon shipment leaving our door.
3. Orders comprising of both product and papers by the sheet will take usually no more than 7 business days to process - in this case, sometimes your order will arrive in 2 separate packages. You will receive an email confirmation upon shipment leaving our door.
We are not responsible for loss, theft, or delays that occur after items are shipped out of our warehouse/showroom. Our warehouse is closed on the weekends.
If you are working with a deadline, or have special shipping request, please contact us directly at 401-454-1436 to discuss alternatives to expedite your order. We will do our best to accomodate your situation.
Some international shipments can be shipped First Class; see below.
Q: Do you ship outside the United States?
A: Due to recent changes we will only be shipping within the US. This is a temporary situation. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes to our valued customers outside the US. Presently our priority is finding a reliable, cost and time effective means to deliver our papers on an international scale. If you need paper and currently need it shipped outside the US please contact us at paperexperts@paperconnection.
Q: What types of payment do you accept?
A: Payment is accepted through most major credit cards. Orders may be cancelled if payment is not received within that time period. Buyers will be contacted before any cancellation is processed. Rhode Island customers may be subject to sales tax.
Q: What is your return policy?
Please inspect the contents of your package immediately after receipt. Contact us within 7 days of receipt, if there is damage. We will instruct you what to do in the case of damage.
If the item you ordered is not satisfactory, please contact us within 7 days of receipt of package to see what we can do to leave you a happy customer. (Unfortunately, we cannot refund you for dye lot or slight color variations.)
Orders cannot be returned without pre-authorization. Authorized returns must be completed within 2 business days after contacting Paper Connection. Buyer is subject to a 15% restocking fee, in the case of certain return transactions.
Q: Do I really need to know all these code numbers?
A: Of course not; that is an in-house feature that the Paper Connection staff has publicly shared in order to expedite your ordering process. With over 1,000 types of paper items, we have a lot of inventory to remember! So these codes simply help move your order along even more swiftly. If you do care to remember and call in your order, using these codes, we would be thrilled!
Q: Is your paper acid free/pH neutral/archival?
A: With few exceptions, the majority of our papers’ interiors and exteriors are pH neutral, and there has been zero visible change in many sheets in over 25 years while stored in our warehouse. In particular, most of our Japanese papers are made with low-lingin fibers, which is the reason for their pH level of stability, and longevity. Many of our papers are beloved by conservators for their archival qualities!