Return & Exchange Policy
At dearthomas, each piece is thoughtfully designed for little companions using delicate fabrics, soft trims, and refined decorative details. We want you to feel confident with your purchase, and we are here to help if something is not right with your order.
Because pet apparel may come into contact with fur, odors, outdoor surfaces, and hygiene-related concerns after try-on or use, we generally do not accept traditional returns for items that have been worn, washed, used, or tried on.
Instead, depending on the situation, we may offer a replacement, a partial refund to the original payment method, a courtesy discount, or a digital gift card.
Digital gift cards are offered only when appropriate and will not be used as a mandatory substitute for a refund when a refund is required.
Purchases Covered by This Policy
This policy applies only to items purchased directly from the official dearthomas website.
We are unable to process returns, refunds, replacements, or order resolutions for items purchased from third-party retailers, resellers, marketplaces, unauthorized sellers, or secondhand sources.
Gifted collaboration samples, promotional items, and complimentary accessories may be subject to different terms as described below.
Contact Window
If there is an issue with your order, please contact us within 7 days of delivery at:
Please include:
- Your order number
- The email used for your order
- A brief description of the issue
- Clear photos of the item
- Photos of the packaging if the issue is related to shipping damage or delivery
For sizing concerns, please also include your dog’s chest measurement, neck measurement, back length, weight, and clear fit photos while your dog is standing naturally.
Handcrafted Details & Natural Variations
dearthomas pieces are made with delicate materials and handcrafted details such as lace, tulle, bows, rhinestones, trims, decorative stitching, and soft finishing techniques.
Due to the nature of handmade pet apparel, slight variations may occur. These may include:
- Minor loose threads
- Slight stitching irregularities
- Subtle differences in trim or embellishment placement
- Gentle asymmetry
- Slight variation in lace, tulle, or ruffle edges
- Light heat-finished edges used to help reduce fraying on delicate fabrics
These small variations are not considered quality defects when they do not affect the item’s comfort, structure, appearance as a whole, or normal wearability.
If your item arrives with a serious issue such as an open seam, broken structure, large visible damage, missing major embellishments, sharp or uncomfortable edges, stains, odors, or anything that clearly affects normal wear, please contact us within 7 days of delivery with clear photos.
Grey Cloud Heat-Finished Edge Note
Some delicate tulle or mesh edges may be gently heat-finished to help reduce fraying and loose threads.
For styles such as Grey Cloud, slight tonal variation or a subtle finished edge may naturally appear along the tulle edge. This is part of the finishing process and is not considered a quality defect when it does not affect comfort, structure, or normal wear.
Starlight Rhinestone Note
Starlight features very small rhinestone embellishments designed to create a soft sparkle effect.
Because these rhinestones are tiny decorative details, minor variation in placement may occur. In rare cases, one or a few rhinestones may loosen or come off during shipping or handling. This is generally considered an aesthetic concern rather than a wearability issue when the overall look of the item is not significantly affected.
If your Starlight item arrives with multiple visibly missing rhinestones, noticeable embellishment loss on the front main area, or a decorative issue that clearly affects the appearance of the piece, please contact us within 7 days of delivery with clear photos.
Neck Fit & High-Collar Styles
Some dearthomas styles may include a collar, neck trim, mock neck, or high-neck design.
For these styles, neck measurement is especially important. Please measure your dog’s neck carefully before ordering and make sure there is enough comfortable room around the neck area.
If your dog is between sizes, or if your dog has a thicker neck, fuller coat, or is sensitive around the neck, we recommend choosing the size based on chest measurement first, while also checking the neck measurement carefully.
A garment should never feel tight around your dog’s neck. If the neckline appears uncomfortable, restrictive, or difficult for your dog to wear, please discontinue use.
Sizing Concerns
Pet sizing can vary by breed, body shape, coat thickness, neck shape, and personal fit preference. We strongly recommend measuring your dog before ordering.
Chest circumference is the most important measurement for most styles. Neck measurement is also very important for styles with collars, neck trims, mock necks, or high-neck designs, followed by back length.
If your dog does not fit the item as expected, please contact us with:
- Chest circumference
- Neck circumference
- Back length
- Weight
- Clear fit photos
If the item does not fit because of customer measurement error, ordering by weight only, or choosing a usual size without checking our size guide, we generally do not offer a cash refund or free replacement. However, we may offer a one-time Fit Support Discount to help with a future order.
If the item’s actual measurements are clearly inconsistent with our published size guide, we will review the issue and may offer a replacement, partial refund, or other appropriate resolution.
Complimentary Accessories & Small Button Notice
Some orders may include complimentary accessories or spare parts, such as small buttons.
Please open any small-button packaging and handle these accessories in a place your dog cannot reach. Small buttons or tiny accessories should be kept away from pets and children when not in use.
Complimentary accessories are provided as an extra courtesy and may not be eligible for refund, replacement, or separate compensation unless they arrive damaged in a way that affects their intended use.
Wrong, Missing, Damaged, or Defective Items
If you receive the wrong item, the wrong size, a missing item, or an item with a serious quality issue, please contact us within 7 days of delivery.
Once reviewed, we may offer one of the following resolutions:
- Replacement
- Partial refund to the original payment method
- Full refund when appropriate
- Same-value replacement if the original item is unavailable
For clear brand-responsibility issues, such as wrong item, missing item, or serious quality issue, we prioritize replacement or refund.
Replacement options are subject to product and size availability. If the original item or requested size is unavailable, we may offer a same-value replacement, a partial refund, a full refund when appropriate, or another suitable resolution.
Minor Issues
For minor issues that do not affect comfort, structure, overall appearance, or normal wearability, such as small loose threads or slight finishing differences, we may recommend careful trimming or provide care guidance.
In some cases, we may offer a courtesy discount as a goodwill resolution.
Digital Gift Cards
A digital gift card may be offered only when appropriate and only as an optional solution.
We will not require you to accept a digital gift card instead of a refund when a refund is required.
Items Not Eligible for Return or Resolution
We are unable to accept returns, refunds, or replacements for:
- Items that have been worn, washed, damaged, or altered after delivery
- Items with pet hair, stains, odors, or signs of use
- Items damaged by chewing, scratching, pulling, rough play, or improper handling
- Items damaged by improper washing or drying
- Final sale items
- Gift cards
- Gifted collaboration samples or promotional items
- Complimentary accessories, unless they arrive damaged in a way that affects their intended use
- Items purchased from third-party retailers, resellers, marketplaces, unauthorized sellers, or secondhand sources
Return Authorization
Please do not send any item back without contacting us first and receiving return authorization.
Unauthorized returns may not be accepted, and dearthomas is not responsible for items that are lost, damaged, delayed, returned to the wrong address, or returned without following our approved return process.
If a return is approved and return authorization is issued, the return must be shipped within 14 calendar days from the authorization date.
If the item is not shipped within this period, the return request may be closed and a new review may be required.
Returned Item Condition
If a return is approved, the item must be returned in brand-new, unused, unwashed condition with original tags and packaging.
Items with pet hair, stains, odors, signs of wear, damage after delivery, missing tags, or missing original packaging may not be accepted.
Please package the item carefully. We recommend using a trackable shipping service when sending back any approved return.
Return Shipping
Because pet apparel often cannot be resold after try-on or use, we generally do not require customers to send items back once they have been tried on or used.
If a return is required and approved, we will provide instructions before the item is sent back. Please do not send any item back without contacting us first.
If the issue was caused by our error, such as a wrong item, missing item, or serious quality issue, and a return is required, we will provide return instructions and may provide a prepaid return label.
For approved returns that are not caused by our error, return shipping costs are the customer’s responsibility.
If you choose to arrange the return shipment yourself, a tracking number may be required before the return can be completed.
Unauthorized returns may not be accepted.
Refunds
If a refund is approved, it will be issued to the original payment method.
Please allow 5–10 business days for the refund to appear, depending on your bank or payment provider.
Original shipping fees are non-refundable unless the issue was caused by our error.
Final Note
Our goal is to resolve order issues fairly and thoughtfully. Each case is reviewed based on the item condition, photos, order details, sizing information, product and size availability, and the nature of the issue.