Shipping & Returns

1. Shipping Overview

White Cotton ships worldwide from our manufacturing facility in Portugal, EXW Barcelos: the goods are ready for collection at our factory. Your own courier or forwarder can collect them, or we book the courier for you and invoice the transport separately — the terms stay EXW Barcelos either way. Freight, customs clearance, import duties and VAT in your country are yours. Full export documentation (commercial invoice, packing list, EUR.1, HS codes) is included either way. We do not offer DAP or DDP.

Shipping Handled By:
White Cotton, Lda (NIF: 518355411)
Zona Industrial do Corujo, Rua Industrial do Corujo 10
4750-784 Lijo, Portugal
Verify our company →

2. Shipping Methods

Once the goods are collected under EXW, these are the freight modes typically used:

• Express Air Freight: 3-5 business days (samples and urgent orders)
• Standard Air Freight: 5-10 business days (recommended for bulk orders)
• Sea Freight: 20-35 business days (cost-effective for large bulk orders)

We work on a single Incoterm — EXW Barcelos — with two ways to move the goods:

• EXW (Ex Works), your own forwarder collects: You arrange collection and freight from our facility with your own carrier or forwarder, and handle everything from the factory gate onward.
• EXW, we book the courier for you: We book the carrier at DHL/FedEx rates and invoice the freight separately. You handle customs clearance and pay import duties and VAT on arrival.

Full export documentation is included either way. We do not offer DAP or DDP — DDP would need us to register for VAT and import duty in your country.

3. Shipping Costs

Shipping costs are calculated based on:

• Order weight and volume (dimensional weight)
• Destination country and region
• Selected shipping method
• Customs and duties (if applicable)

Freight is always priced separately from the garments, never bundled into the unit price. If we book the courier for you, we quote the shipping cost at DHL/FedEx rates once the order is packed. If your own forwarder collects, we give you the carton count, dimensions and gross weight so they can price it. Either way, import duties and VAT in your country are yours to settle.

4. Packaging Standards

All orders are professionally packaged to ensure safe delivery:

• Individual polybag protection for each garment
• Sturdy export-grade carton boxes
• Custom packaging available upon request (hang tags, tissue paper, branded boxes)
• Packing lists included with every shipment

5. Dispatch & Tracking

Once your order is packed, you receive:

• Full export documentation (commercial invoice with HS codes, packing list, EUR.1 certificate of origin)
• Carton count, dimensions and gross weight
• When we book the courier for you: we send you the tracking number and estimated delivery date by email
• When your own forwarder collects: a ready-for-collection notice with the collection window; tracking comes from your own carrier once they collect

6. Customs & Import Duties

Under EXW: We prepare all export documentation — commercial invoice with HS codes, packing list, and EUR.1 certificate of origin. You are responsible for customs clearance and any applicable import duties, taxes, or fees in your country, whether your own forwarder collects or we book the carrier for you. We do not offer DAP or DDP.

EU shipments: No customs or duties — free movement within the European Union.

7. Returns Policy

Due to the custom-manufactured nature of our products, standard returns are not accepted. However, we stand behind the quality of our work:

• Manufacturing Defects: Items with verified manufacturing defects will be replaced or refunded
• Deviation from Specs: If products deviate significantly from approved samples or specifications, we will remake the affected items
• Transit Damage: When we book the carrier for you, raise transit damage with us and we file the claim. When your own forwarder collects, the claim goes through them or your freight insurer and we supply the packing photos and documentation to support it. Either way, report within 7 days with photographs of cartons and contents, and keep the packaging — carriers reject claims without it.

8. Quality Claims Process

To file a quality claim:

• Report issues within 14 days of delivery
• Provide photos and detailed description of the defect
• Include order number and affected quantities
• Our quality team will review and respond within 48 hours

We may request return of defective samples for inspection. Return shipping for verified defects is covered by White Cotton.

9. Sample Orders

Sample orders have specific shipping considerations:

• Samples ship by express courier under the same terms — we book the courier and invoice the freight separately, or you supply your own courier account for collection
• Freight costs for samples are not refundable
• Approved samples should be retained for bulk order reference
• Minor variations between samples and bulk production are normal within industry standards

10. Bulk Order Shipping

For bulk orders we offer flexible arrangements:

• Split shipments to multiple destinations
• Scheduled delivery or collection windows for inventory planning
• Direct-to-warehouse or fulfilment-centre delivery when we book the carrier for you, or cartons prepped to your intake spec for your own forwarder to collect
• Amazon FBA prep (labelling and carton specification) on request

11. Insurance

Standard carrier liability is limited and does not cover the full value of a production run. When we book the carrier for you, shipments move under the carrier’s standard cover unless you ask us to add insurance, which we quote alongside the freight. When your own forwarder collects, transit insurance is arranged by you or your carrier. For high-value orders we recommend insuring the full declared value — tell us the cover you want and we will either arrange it or give you the declared values you need to insure it yourself.

12. Contact

For shipping inquiries or to file a return/quality claim, please contact us at: comercial@whitecotton.pt