FAQ
POTS AND PLANTERS
What are SETTLEWELL Pots and Planters made out of?
All SETTLEWELL products are made out of high performance hydraulic concrete.
HOW ARE SETTLEWELL POTS AND PLANTERS MADE?
In a kiln? On a throwing wheel? NOPE! It’s cast!
SETTLEWELL pieces are made out of concrete, not clay. After the concrete is mixed, it is poured into our unique and handmade molds. These molds aren’t mass produced, we make them from scratch! We pour in small batches of 1-3 pieces at a time. After the concrete has hardened, the pieces are de-molded and set aside to finish curing. Then each piece is individually sanded and washed, set aside again to dry, and finally each piece is stamped and sealed. SETTLEWELL pieces are made individually and by hand, not in a factory or on a production line - because we value the care of craft and the authenticity and individuality of fully unique handmade pieces.
ARE SETTLEWELL POTS AND PLANTERS PAINTED?
No! SETTLEWELL pieces are pigmented, never painted. Dry pigments are carefully measured and mixed into the concrete before it is poured into the molds. SO, more colors means more that one concrete batch is poured into the mold. This is why you might notice unique markings and small variations that occur when pouring concrete by hand. we think that is part of what makes each piece individually beautiful and unique.
WHY DON’T SETTLEWELL POTS AND PLANTERS HAVE DRAINAGE HOLES?
Great question! Whether you’re a long time plant parent or just starting out, you’ve probably heard how important proper drainage is to plant health! It is! SETTLEWELL Pots and Planters are intended for indoor use, and nothing is quite as frustrating as moving a potted plant and realizing that you’ve ruined your coffee table, books, or wood floors. SETTLEWELL Pots and Planters are fully sealed with environmentally safe concrete sealers so you can be sure that you’ll never find unexpected seepage under your pot.
HOW SHOULD I PLANT IN A SETTLEWELL POT OR PLANTER WITHOUT DRAINAGE?
SETTLEWELL Pots and Planters are intended for “set in” potting. Meaning that you simply set your plastic nursery pot into one of our pots or planters. Most indoor house plants like a really good soak from time to time. When you water your plants you’ll want to make sure that you see the water draining out of the bottom so that you can be sure that you’ve given your plant a thorough watering.
We recommend “set in” potting because you can easily remove the plastic nursery pot and take your plants to the sink so you’ll avoid:
Messy Overflow.
Over-Watering or Under-Watering.
Root-Rot.
“Set in” potting also gives you the flexibility to move your plants around and switch out pot colors or styles.
WHAT ABOUT REPLANTING?
Most plants like to be replanted once a year in fresh soil. Spring is the best time for repotting because your plant will be coming out of its “dormant season” and moving into its growing season! Depending on the type of plant, you can use an annual repotting as an opportunity to separate and divid new growth into multiple plastic nursery pots that are the same size or you’ll want to choose a slightly larger plastic nursery pot and size up. When choosing plastic nursery pots make sure that the dimensions are slightly smaller than the SETTLEWELL Concrete Pot or Planter that you wish to use.
If you’d still like to plant directly into your SETTLEWELL Pot or Planter, not a problem, check out our Guide to Container Planting HERE!
CANDLES
WHAT KIND OF WAX DO YOU USE?
SETTLEWELL Concrete Candles are poured with 100% Soy Wax. Soy Wax is an all-natural, cleaning burning alternative to synthetics like paraffin.
WHAT KIND OF WICKS DO YOU USE?
We use 100% Cotton Wicks. Metal-Free. Phew!
WHAT KIND OF FRAGRANCES AND OILS DO YOU USE?
Our Candles are infused with a blend of Fine Fragrances and Pure Essential Oils. All of our candles are completely Phthalate-Free. We care about the quality and cleanliness of what we burn in our home and we know that you do too, that’s why we’ve selected only the best ingredients for our candles.
CANDLE CARE
WICK TRIMMING
Trim your candle wick to 1/4” before each burn. This will keep your candle from smoking and your flame from rising too high. Trimming helps to ensure that you always get the most and very best out of your candle!
MELT POOL
A melt pool is the layer of melted wax that is created each time you burn a candle. Make sure it extends to edges of the container before you blow it out. Approximately 3-4 hours. The first burn is the most important. If you don’t allow the candle to burn to the edges of the container on the first burn, it may never get there on future burns. Fully formed melt pools help you to get the most burn time out of your SETTLEWELL Concrete Candle because it helps your candle burn evenly and avoid tunneling.
REPURPOSING
We spend a lot of time and care handcrafting our Concrete Jars and we think they’re pretty great, I mean, who has ever heard of a CONCRETE JAR?! So, we hope that you’ll continue to use our Concrete Jars long after your candle is finished.
Check out our Guide to Repurposing and Container Planting HERE!
SHIPPING
WHERE DO YOU SHIP?
SETTLEWELL currently only ships within the US. However if you would like to request a quote for international shipping, send us an email and let us know!
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE FOR MY ORDER TO SHIP?
While we do try to keep a small inventory of our pieces in stock, the large majority of our pieces are made to order. From pouring to packing each piece takes between 3-7 days, depending on current weather conditions in L.A. We will always do our very best to ship your order as quickly as possible. You’ll receive an email with shipment confirmation and your tracking number as soon as your order ships.
WHAT IF I NEED MY ORDER FASTER OR BY A SPECIFIC DATE?
We totally understand! Send us an email and let us know! We’ll get back to you as quickly as possible to let you know if we can accommodate your request!
ARE THERE STANDARD SHIPPING RATES?
Our shipping prices are based on dimensional weight which is determined by the width, length, height and weight of the box. We hand pack each piece carefully to make sure that they arrive safely to you. You’ll find specific shipping rates based on your order and shipping location at checkout. These shipping rates are auto-generated by our shipment software and while it’s typically very accurate, sometimes when you are ordering multiple pieces the system can get confused. (Because we are often better at strategic packing than our system is.) If you are placing an order with multiple pieces and the shipping rate doesn’t seem right, don’t sweat it! Email us and we’ll give you an accurate quote based on our packing procedures and if the shipping price is less, we’ll refund you the difference!
WHO SHOULD I CONTACT IF I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT MY ORDER?
Email us at laura@settlewell.com! We’re more than happy to answer questions about orders, shipping and anything else you might have a question about!
RETURNS
DO YOU OFFER RETURNS OR EXCHANGES?
Due to the nature of our pieces being individually handcrafted and made to order, we do not accept returns or exchanges. Please double check measurements, colors and finishes prior to placing your order! If you do have a question or concern about your order please contact us directly at laura@settlewell.com and we’ll do our best to make it right!
SPECIALTY ORDERS
DO YOU OFFER WHOLESALE, DESIGNER DISCOUNTS OR BULK ORDER DISCOUNTS?
YES! If you are a retailer interested in Wholesale you can find our Wholesale Application HERE.
If you are interested in Designer Discounts or Bulk Order Discounts you can find our Bulk Discount Form HERE.
DO YOU DO CUSTOM WORK?
Absolutely! We love to pair with a wide variety of clients to create custom pieces! Email us at laura@settlewell.com and please include as much information as you can about your company or event and your idea, concept, general dimensions, timeframe, etc.
DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH OTHER COMPANIES?
Yes! We love to collaborate with other companies and designers! We typically do 2-4 collaborations each year. Shoot us an email laura@settlewell.com and let us know what you have in mind and if you have a general timeframe!
STILL HAVE QUESTIONS?
If you’ve read through all of our FAQ and still have a question about something we haven’t covered here, send us an email!