Welcome to Sunbird Stories.

These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your use of our website, www.sunbirdstories.co.za, and any purchase you make from us. By using our website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use our website.

Important Notice

These Terms contain provisions that may limit Sunbird Stories’ liability, create risk or liability for you, or require you to acknowledge certain facts. Please read these Terms carefully before placing an order.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any rights you may have under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (South Africa).

1. HANDMADE NATURE OF PRODUCTS

All Sunbird Stories products are handcrafted primarily from solid Kiaat wood.

As with all natural materials, variations in grain, tone, colour, texture and pattern are a natural characteristic of the timber. Likewise, because each resin pour is completed by hand, every piece will have its own unique resin movement and design.

The item you receive will therefore vary slightly from product photographs and from other pieces in colour, grain, resin pattern and finish. These natural variations are part of what makes every piece unique and are not considered defects. They do not affect the quality, durability or functionality of the product.

Website photography is provided as a guide only. Colours may vary slightly due to natural material variation, lighting conditions and differences between device screens.

2. PRODUCT USE & CARE

Your board is designed to be used either as a beautiful serving board and display piece, or as a dual-purpose board with the timber side suitable for everyday chopping. It is important to follow the Care Guide included with your order to keep your resin finish beautiful for years to come.

Our epoxy resin is decorative and is not intended for food preparation. These areas are intended for serving foods such as dips, olives and soft cheeses (with parchment paper underneath if needed).

All cutting should strictly be done on the Kiaat timber side. Do not cut directly on the resin, and do not place hot pans or food straight from the oven on the resin (use a trivet). Sunbird Stories is not responsible for damage or illness resulting from misuse of the product. For additional use and care information, please refer to the Care Guide included with your order and available on our website.

Everyday Care

• Wipe clean with a soft damp cloth and mild soap
• If timber side is used as a chopping board, place a tea/dish towel down underneath your board while chopping to prevent micro-scratches on your resin
• Do not soak or place in the dishwasher
• Dry immediately after washing
• Apply a food-safe wood butter / mineral oil regularly to nourish and protect
• Re-apply when the wood begins to look dry
• No hot pans on either side

Storage

• Store flat or upright on a soft surface; do not stack with weight on top of the resin (prevents micro-scratches).
• Store in a cool, dry place and out of direct sunlight
• Avoid storing in damp areas like under the sink

3. ENGRAVING & CUSTOM ORDERS

Personalised and engraved items are made to your specifications. Please double-check spelling, punctuation, layout and wording at checkout. After your order has been placed, we will contact you with a selection of font options before engraving begins. We engrave exactly what is provided. We are not responsible for typographical errors in the text you supply.

Custom items cannot be cancelled once production starts. Engraved items cannot be returned or exchanged for change of mind. Defects, errors on our part, or major failures are covered by our returns policy.

4. PRICING & PAYMENTS

Products are priced in South African Rand (ZAR) and are inclusive of VAT unless otherwise stated.

Prices may be subject to change without notice. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue a product without prior notice.

While every effort is made to ensure pricing and product information is accurate, errors may occasionally occur. If an obvious pricing error is identified after an order has been placed, we reserve the right to cancel the order and issue a full refund.

All products are subject to availability. We reserve the right to limit the quantities of any products or services that we offer.

We accept payment through the methods displayed at checkout, including credit and debit cards. Card details are processed by our payment provider(s) and are never stored by us.

5. ORDER ACCEPTANCE

Order confirmation: Your receipt of an order confirmation does not signify our acceptance of your order. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order before it is fulfilled if:

• An item is out of stock or unavailable
• A pricing or product description error has occurred
• We suspect fraud or unauthorised use of payment
• Your delivery address falls outside our serviceable areas
• We are unable to fulfil the order for any reason.

If we cancel an order you have paid for, we refund the full amount to your original payment method.

Payment: Payment must be made in full before your order is processed. We accept various payment methods. All transactions are processed through secure payment gateways.

Shipping: Shipping options, rates and estimated transit times are explained in our Shipping Policy. We aim to deliver your order within the estimated delivery timeframes provided; however, these are estimates only and may vary due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control. We are not responsible for delays caused by couriers or other events beyond our reasonable control.

Your personal information is collected and processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

6. RETURNS & EXCHANGES

Our full returns and exchange policy is set out on our Returns & Exchanges Policy page. It explains your change-of-mind window, what is excluded, and how to start a return.

7. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

All content on our website, including text, photography, graphics, logos and designs is the property of Sunbird Stories or its content suppliers and is protected by South African and international copyright laws. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, distribute or commercially use any of this content without our prior written permission.

Our trademarks, including “Sunbird Stories” slogan and logo, may not be used without our written permission.

8. USER CONTENT & CONDUCT

If you submit photos, reviews, comments or other content (for example, by tagging us on Instagram or submitting a product review), you grant Sunbird Stories a worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual licence to use, reproduce, modify, publish and distribute that content for marketing and operational purposes. You confirm that the content is yours to share and does not infringe anyone else’s rights.

You agree not to use our website for any unlawful or prohibited activities, including but not limited to:

• Violating any applicable laws or regulations.
• Infringing on our intellectual property rights or the rights of others.
• Uploading or transmitting any viruses or malicious code.
• Engaging in any conduct that could damage, disable, or impair our website.

9. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

To the fullest extent permitted by South African law, Sunbird Stories shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special or consequential loss or damage arising from the use of our website or products.

Our products are intended to be used in accordance with the care instructions provided. We are not responsible for damage resulting from misuse, accidents, improper care, normal wear and tear, or use outside the intended purpose of the product.

We are also not responsible for delays or failure to fulfil our obligations where such delay or failure is caused by circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to courier delays, supplier shortages, power outages, natural disasters or government action.

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes any rights you may have under the Consumer Protection Act, 2008 (South Africa).

10. CHANGES TO THESE TERMS
We may update these Terms from time to time. Updates take effect when posted on this page. Orders placed before a change are governed by the Terms in force at the time of the order. Continuing to use our site after a change means you accept the updated Terms.

11. CONTACT INFORMATION
If you have any questions, please reach out — we’re always happy to help.
Email: hello@sunbirdstories.co.za
Phone: (+27) 72 151 1756