STANDARD UK delivery

Within 5 business days (timeframe accounts for production, packing and courier).

FAST TRACK UK delivery

Usually 2 business days, but no more than 3 (timeframe accounts for production, packing and courier).
FAST TRACK deliveries can be tracked with DPD or UPS, via your Shipping Confirmation email.

All timings are estimates. Delays are rare, but they do happen. If you have a close shoot date, we recommend having a Plan B up your sleeve in case of any unexpected delays outside of our control.

Black Velvet Styling cannot be held responsible for any delays affecting the delivery of your order or any consequences caused by those delays.

STANDARD INTERNATIONAL

We use tracked shipping from UPS, FedEx or DHL. Delivery takes up to 14 days from your order date.

Please note that customs clearances and shipping procedures can occasionally cause delays outside our control.

We strongly recommend placing your order with the above delivery timeframe in mind. If you have an important shoot date, we recommend having a Plan B up your sleeve just in case of delays.

Why can’t we ship as fast as Amazon?

We always use fast, tracked services from UPS, FedEx or DHL, but we still can’t match Amazon speeds! Big retailers like Amazon pre-pay taxes and use their own brokers, so their parcels clear customs faster. As a small UK business, our overseas shipments must go through standard customs clearance, which can sometimes mean extra paperwork, border delays and local duties or VAT on delivery.

Black Velvet Styling cannot be held responsible for any delays affecting the delivery of your order or any consequences caused by these delays.

We're sorry but yes, you may be charged duties and tax in your country when our goods pass through customs. Please ensure you are happy to pay any local import charges before ordering.

If you refuse to pay import duties or taxes and the order is returned to us, I'm afraid we won't be able to issue a refund. Please note: we cannot under-declare the total amount you paid for the products to reduce your import/customs duties. Customs requires us to declare the actual amount paid by the customer. We also can't declare items as gifts.

UK VAT is not added to international orders; your prices should change when you enter your delivery address at checkout.

Black Velvet Styling cannot be held responsible for any delays affecting the delivery of your order or any consequences caused by these delays.

If your order status shows as 'Unfulfilled' don't worry, it means your backdrop is in production and is on track to be delivered within your chosen timeframe. No need to chase!

As your backdrop is custom made to order, we're very sorry, but once you've received your Order Confirmation email, it means production has started and we're unable to cancel, or amend designs.

If you've had a change of mind or made a mistake while ordering, you would need to place a new order and return the original item once you've received it, so we can process it under our Refund Policy. Please do get in touch here as soon as you can.

What if I just refuse the delivery if I've changed my mind and don't want it anymore?

Sorry, no, we can't accept a delivery refusal as a valid return. Please use a tracked service to ensure it's returned to us safely. Deliveries that are refused by the recipient often never make it back to us, or arrive damaged weeks later.

Apologies, we also can't refund the original shipping cost for unwanted items, unless of course the product is faulty, or we've made a mistake on our side.

OUR STANDARD BACKDROP SIZES ARE:

• A1 - approx 84x60cm
• A0  - approx 120x84cm
• XL - approx 150x101cm

We can't print larger than this.

If you'd like smaller or irregular sizes the backdrops are easy to cut down with scissors, a guillotine or a knife and cutting matt.

ARE THE BACKDROPS SOFT & ROLLABLE OR RIGID?

All of our backdrops are rollable and arrive in a hardboard tube.Vinyl is naturally flexible, allowing for super-easy rolling and storage. Paper backdrops can be stored as rolled, but might need more time to relax and flatten out.

WE PRINT OUR PHOTOGRAPHY BACKDROPS ON TWO DIFFERENT MATERIALS:

Waterproof vinyl offers the highest durability and is perfect for messy food styling.

Sustainable paper (A1 only) is a more affordable option for product and dry photography.

Both are matte with very little glare. Single-sided (white on the reverse). The same design can appear slightly different depending on the material. If you need several backdrops in the same design, we recommend ordering them in the same material for a perfect match.

More info on paper backdrops.
These are the perfect choice if you have a smaller budget, or want to build a varied backdrop collection. If you regularly rotate props for clients, our sustainable paper can be easily recycled after use, making them a brilliant eco-friendly option. By no means are they a lesser product – they offer a different solution at a more affordable price.  For our first 2.5 years in business this is the only material we offered and there are over 160 5-star Google reviews to date.

Paper backdrops may need a bit of time (a few hours or overnight) to relax and flatten after being rolled for shipping. Aim to avoid scratching them with sharp objects, as this may damage the ink.

The best way is to remove the lid and slowly shake the backdrops out. Make sure there is lots of clear space around you - be careful not to shake your backdrop out onto a hard edged piece of furniture!

The other method is to gently insert your hand into the centre of the rolled backdrop - we recommend wearing a glove, but certainly no jewelry! Don’t try to pull it out by the top outer edge - find the inner fold of the roll (the part that’s tucked in first), hold onto that and gently twist slightly inward as you pull up. This makes it easier to slide the backdrop out of the tube without ripping, snagging or creasing.

Please unroll your backdrops as soon as possible to help them flatten out.

• Store flat if possible. Or lightly rolled in the hardboard shipping tube.
• Paper backdrops will have a slight curve to them after being rolled to ship which will need some time to relax. Lie them face down with a book or two on top to speed this up.
• Never fold your backdrops - sharp folds will leave permanent marks.

Avoid leaving your backdrops exposed to strong sunlight or in a hot room.

• Strong sun can cause vinyl to soften and stick. Hot environments might cause the colour on paper backdrops to fade over time, and any curves may become permanent and more difficult to flatten out.

Messy food photography

• Vinyl backdrops should be wiped clean with a damp cloth only. Chemicals and abrasives could scratch and damage the print.
• Please don’t put anything hot on your backdrops, as this could cause marks or ripples.
• Strong-coloured food and drinks (turmeric, beetroot, coffee etc.) could stain your backdrops; please use with caution.

All of our backdrops can be hung from a horizontal arm or attached to foamboard.

We never enlarge files or stretch pixels to fit bigger print sizes. If a design needs to be printed on a larger size, we carefully repeat the image to keep the print sharp and the pattern perfect. It's an industry standard method which ensures your backdrop stays crisp, clear and true to the original design, with no blur or pixelation.

It means that at A0 & XL you'll see more of the pattern; the crop isn't always exactly the same. For example, you might see more tiles or bricks on an XL backdrop compared to an A1 (similar to how a patterned duvet cover shows more of the pattern compared to a cushion cover!).

WE NEVER USE AI...

We shoot real textures with a full frame camera, on location, in natural daylight. We also offer a small selection of graphic patterns- all created in Adobe Illustrator by BVS Founder, Sophie.

Our backdrops are made to order, rather than pre-stocked. This allows us to offer a much wider range of designs and sizes without needing storage space, and it means we never have to overprint or worry about leftover stock going to waste.

It may take a little longer for your backdrops to dispatch, but the benefit is that each one is freshly printed and posted - no shelf time!

REFUND POLICY

We accept returns on standard backdrops within 14 days of the delivery date. Items must arrive back with us within this 14 day period.

If you change your mind about an order, please email us with your order number to arrange a return. I'm afraid we can't refund your original shipping cost for unwanted items, unless the product is faulty or we've made a mistake.

Return postage costs are the responsibility of the customer. We strongly recommend using a tracked service and keeping proof of postage.

Return packaging

Returned items should be packaged carefully and must arrive in unused and original condition. Items that show signs of use such as marks, stains, creasing or colour wear may not be eligible for a refund.

Items that are returned damaged cannot be refunded unless the damage was reported at the time of delivery. If you're returning an item, please make every effort to securely repack it in the original tube or equivalent protective packaging. We can't refund items that arrive back to us damaged in transit as we're not responsible for any damage that occurs during return delivery.

Refund processing

Once your return has been received we’ll notify you of its acceptance.

Refunds are processed to the original payment method within 7 days.

We're sorry to hear that, we do our very best to ensure everything arrives perfectly for you. If any part of your order arrives damaged or faulty, please let us know straight away at hello@blackvelvetstyling.com - please attach some photographs and we'll quickly arrange a replacement.

If you still have outstanding instalments after the return, they will be automatically adjusted by Klarna to reflect your return.

In cases where you have no remaining instalments after the return, Klarna will cancel any future scheduled payments.

If a refund is due after acceptance of the return, Klarna will process the refund back to the credit or debit card that you used to pay your first instalment, usually within 10 working days.

These are Klarna's standard terms.

To stay updated on your payment schedule and manage your account, you can download the Klarna App or log into your Klarna account.