Frequently Asked Questions

  • Home
  • Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions Cameron 18/03/2022

General

You can order online anytime via our Shop here. We can ship worldwide (some shipping charges will apply). We can supply single products as well as wholesale or commercial quantities.

If you not satisfied with your purchase we’ll assist you immediately and happily with an exchange or refund based upon either of the following two conditions:

  1. Change of mind (14 days) – You must contact us within 14 days of delivery. Only unused product/s with their original packaging and invoice will be refunded. The return delivery cost will be covered by you and please provide a photograph of the unused product with the original packaging.
  2. Damaged product (14 days) – You must report the product as damaged within 14 days of receipt and include detailed photo evidence of the damage.

Please contact hello@tovigifts.com and we will help you out straight away. Please be sure to include your order number and photographs when contacting us

Our products are durable, but most are an untreated natural product. The following steps are key to ensuring a long life and lots of happy memories:
Hand wash with warm soapy water after each use.

  • Do not soak and allow to air dry.
  • Avoid extreme temperatures including refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher.
  • Avoid use with extremely hot foods.
  • Rehydrate with coconut oil polish to restore shine (every 10 or so uses).
  • Do not put them in the oven!
  • Treat them with love and respect.

Products

Coconut Bowls

Coconut bowls have been tested and approved by the US FDA as being food safe.  Plus people have been using them as bowls for thousands of years.

Coconut Bowls are a 100% natural and unique product with their own size, colour, shape, marking and imperfections. We sort our bowls by approximate size but they will always be unique differences between each product. That is what makes them amazing, cool and unique.

With the proper care and a little love – they will last a lifetime!

Beyond the natural difference our bowls come in different sizes (small, medium or jumbo) and can be used for a range of different purposes.  They differ further by our various designs – from our natural polished bowls to bowls with intricate carvings, images and even laser or hand etched names.

Yes!  Our Coconut bowls are 100% natural, so when the time comes to buy a new set from Tovi, please return them to the earth in your compost or perhaps use them as (slowly) biodegrading pot to plant your favourite flower in!

Our coconut bowls are made from 100% real coconuts!  We use a little Coconut oil to help hydrate them – but they are pure!  Perfect for vegans and absolutely no plastic or other additives!

All coconut bowls will vary slightly by volume, however when we assemble a bundle for you, we try to ensure they are as similar as possible!  We do have three sizes for our products – Kids (small), Normal (medium) and Jumbo (err…Large).  Our normal bowls hold between 500-600ml (16-18 oz) with the kids bowls being around 25% smaller and the jumbo bowls being 30% larger.

Bamboo Straws

The bamboo is cultivated by hand by our artisan makers, cut to length and then ends are filed smooth.  As we believe in zero waste (and love a little natural variation) we use the entire bamboo stalk which means that some straws are slightly narrower or wider!  Our straws are then left to dry in the sun to achieve a natural, even colour. Finally, the straws are pressure washed to remove any dirt residue, hand selected by size/colour and packaged into our wrapping paper.

Bamboo is fully sustainable, strong, naturally antibacterial, and resistant to mould and mildew. It grows to full height in under five years, can be harvested easily and transformed by our team (without the need for a manufacturing plant) into a high value product that creates economic opportunity across Sri Lanka.

Our bamboo straws are brilliant for the environment! They are 100% biodegradable and eco-friendly unlike plastic or metal straws. By purchasing our bamboo straws, you can be confident knowing that you’re taking steps towards achieving a plastic free world and leading by example! 

Yes! – The bamboo we use in our reusable drinking straws is 100% sustainable, eco-friendly, and has not contributed to any deforestation.  Bamboo requires very few pesticides or heavy machinery to harvest, and all our straws are proudly cultivated, processed and cleaned by hand.

There are absolutely no chemicals, pesticides or colorants used in our bamboo straws.  They are 100% organic and handmade.  You will see both colour and diameter variation in our straws – as they are perfect, natural product.

Bamboo straws are plant based so they are fully biodegradable, fully compostable and can be easily recycled or used in your garden!  When you have finished with them, simply put them into a recycling or compost bin.

Yes, Yes and Yes – Your Tovi Bamboo straws can be reused many times over if properly looked after and are the perfect alternative to plastic. Stop using throw-away plastic straws and start your plastic-free journey today!

With every set of Tovi bamboo straws, we provide a really cool, upcycled rice bag holder for your straws.  Each bag will hold up to four straws.  These have been designed to help further reduce plastic waste (as we upcycled old rice sacks which are usually burned) and importantly these little ‘mini bags’ are waterproof – as you don’t want your wet straws leaking in your handbag or backpack.

Yes, they are 100% dishwasher safe, but ensure you switch off the ‘hot’ function and dry them immediately – ideally allowing them to naturally air dry.  We also recommend using a cleaning brush occasionally to remove any trapped debris, and once a month washing them with boiling water and vinegar.

Metal straws can take up to 200 years to decompose, require significant raw materials and energy, they are not biodegradable or organic and they will eventually end up in the ocean or a landfill site. Paper straws are an alternative, however their manufacture contributes to deforestation, and they aren’t reusable!  

They are child-friendly with smooth edges that won’t cause any irritation when using. Bamboo drinking straws can be used for both hot or cold beverages.

One bamboo straw can be washed hundreds of times and is suitable for restaurants, bars or cafes. They will withstand many months of continuous use before they should be composted and replaced.

Shipping & Delivery

We always process our orders with 12-hours from receipt of the order and then ship them the same day or next day – depending upon the time of day it is!  Our courier services often work either 5-days or 6-days per week but rest assured we will get your product shipped as quickly as possible as we appreciate every single order!

It depends upon where you live and from which warehouse we send it from (London, Colombo or Brisbane) and the delivery option you have selected.  Delivery in the UK can be 2-3 days or up to 5-days depending upon where you live.  It is the same within Australia.  We will let you know when you place your order when to expect it, which courier service is being used, a tracking number (if there is one) and any other information to help you track your beautiful coconut bowls and other products that you have ordered from us.

Check you inbox for our Order Confirmation which will include all shipping/courier details.  If you are worried please simply contact customercare@tovigifts.com with your name and order number – and we will look into it.

Yes – When ordering select the faster courier delivery service – which does come at a slight premium.  Please also contact customerservice@tovigifts.com if it is really, really urgent and we will see what magic we can do!

We use a number of partners to delivery our products – and we select them based upon dependability, cost, customer service and their environmental polices.  We can also arrange ‘special courier’ services when you want our products urgently!

Our standard shipping rates are below.  These do change from time-to-time plus we offer faster shipping for slightly more.

These are all available to choose at the checkout on our online store.

  • Australia: $47.95 standard shipping. 
  • New Zealand: $49.95 standard shipping. 
  • US: $47.95. 
  • CAN: $49.95. 
  • UK: £4.99 – Next Day service
  • EU: €5.99
  • Rest of world: From US $40. 

We will dispatch your order from our closest warehouse – UK, Sri Lanka or Australia.  If you live outside of these countries – you will be charged for international shipping.  We appreciate every order – so we always work with you to find the best shipping solution possible.

Please note that we have no way of knowing when (or if) customs fees will be charged and, therefore, we are not responsible for any customs duties and / or taxes. If concerned, please consult your country’s tax and duties requirements before purchase however we are happy to provide you a guide from our experience.

All orders are packed using recycled cardboard boxes or recycled padded bags. Where we need to fill the void in a box or we need to help keep your product safe – we use recycled craft, tissue or newspaper. Sometimes our boxes are truly recycled – as we like to reuse any packaging we have with us! Don’t be alarmed – it’s all part of our plan to save the world one cardboard box at a time!

It happens to all of us..

If you catch it in time (usually 6-12 hours) please send us an email to customercare@tovigifts.com and we will update your order info.  Should you notice after we have sent your order – you will need to contact the delivery company.  We can provide you with all the information you need.  Please note we are not liable for lost, held, or misdelivered items as a result of this. If your order is returned to us, which often happens when no one signs for it, we’ll resend for cost of shipping only.

Please allow the appropriate number of days before getting really worried!  If your order status is marked as “delivered” and you still haven’t received your order, please do a couple of things.

  1. First check with your neighbours to make sure the package wasn’t delivered to their house, behind the bins or under a bush!
  2. If you’ve no luck next door or behind the bins, and your tracking hasn’t updated, please contact the postal carrier. Sometimes they’ll hold your order for redelivery and sometimes the package is retuned to us.

As always, we are here to help so please contact us via customercare@tovigifts.com and we will help you hunt down your precious order. 

Well this is embarrassing!..

We are really sorry and sometimes mistakes happen.  Please contact us immediately on customercare@tovigifts.com and we will send you the correct item free of charge! With the incorrect item – we simply ask that you donate it to a friend in need!  Transform our mistake into a random act of kindness to bring happiness to someone who deserves it!

Billing

We accept AMEX, VISA, MasterCard and PayPal payments.

No – we do not charge VAT. 

Returns & Refunds

We really hope you’ll love our products, and they bring you as much happiness as they do for us! But if something looks or feels wrong when they arrive, we’ll replace them or refund you (Please refer to our product guarantee here and/or our returns policy here). The choice is yours.  We try our best to be open and honest in all product descriptions and photos (no fancy filters for us!) and always remember these are a natural product so variation between bowls does happen.

Please make sure that you:

  • Notify customercare@tovigifts.com within 7 days of receiving your order. Any longer and we can’t help. Be sure to let us know your name, order number and the item/s you would like to return plus the reason.
  • Ensure all products are unused and in original packaging. We can’t find a new home for something that has been used and we hate to waste items.

Please note you’re responsible for shipping costs (unless the product is damaged) and your return will be processed immediately upon us receiving it.  We will email you when we have the item back and will issue your refund immediately.

Don’t worry – it happens sometimes with couriers. Please refer to our product guarantee and returns policy for details but you are covered by our immediate (and free) replacement offer. 

Just contact us via customercare@tovigifts.com with a little information and detailed photos – and we will sort it out for you.