FAQS - Frequently Asked Questions
You can find information to frequently asked questions below:
Our Mission - we started Studio Maya to create a market for the arts and artists of the modern Maya world. By marketing handcrafted artisan products we create work for women, artists and help provide financial support for the artists, their families and their communities.
Reaching across borders to help women in developing countries allows us to participate in fighting poverty on a global level.
Our Sources: Many of our products are sourced from organized cooperatives funded by foreign non-governmental organizations (NGOs). There are individuals and associations working to help a dwindling number of weavers find support and the means to achieve success. These groups set the pricing for the artists based on the cost of materials, hours worked, cost of labor and the value of comparable products in the global market.
We also purchase products from artists selling independently at local markets. They often endure long journeys to reach their market destination. They may be forced to decide between selling cheap today to have money to purchase food or go hungry and return to the market another day hoping to sell at a fairer price.
We honor fair trade principles of fair pricing, good working conditions, no forced labor and respect for the worker. Most artists can not afford the high cost of Fair Trade certification which commonly applies to food commodities such as coffee.
Our Jewelry - our artisans typically use sterling silver and yellow laton (jewelers brass) in metalworking. Laton is a yellow alloy of copper and zinc with a bright golden appearance (red laton has a higher percentage of copper). Jewelers brass has been used for centuries by artisans around the world. Our jewelry contains no nickel which is often the cause of green lines left behind after removing jewelry. Gold is too expensive for most artisans. Care for silver and laton by soaking in cleansing bath or rubbing with silvercloth to gently clean and brighten finish. Or enjoy the more casual look of the antique jewelry patina.
How to Contact Us - visit our Contact page to send us an email. We will try to answer you the same day and answer any questions.
Shipping - Our products travel from town or market in Central America to airport or port before arriving in the U.S. This could take up to two weeks depending on travel conditions, etc. We try to keep items in stock and ship to you from our studio. You will receive a notice of your shipment that can be tracked with the number from the shipper.
International Shipments - we are sorry that we cannot ship internationally at this time.
Returns, Credits, Exchanges
We work hard to assure that you love our products. All sales are final. We cannot exchange or return an item if you have simply changed your mind, so please choose carefully and read product descriptions thoroughly.
Returns and refunds accepted ONLY with prior approval and within 5 days of original receipt. Please contact us for return merchandise authorization.
A restocking fee of 20% will be applied to returns. No returns are accepted unless defective. Shipping costs are non-refundable. For approval or more information, please contact us at info@studiomaya.shop
No credit or exchanges are issued on items damaged during shipping unless notified within 5 days of receipt. Please contact us right away so that we can contact the shipper.
Contact us if you are completely dissatisfied with the item you received. We will work to exchange it for a similar item. Please note that the exact item you ordered may no longer be available. Or consider gifting to someone who will love it.
The handmade nature of our products means that they are unique and may be one-of-a-kind. We love to see the hand of the artists evident in our products and hope that you appreciate the handmade characteristics of your items and know how much your purchases mean to the artist producers.
We thank you for your support.