Returns & Refund Policy

Last updated: September 15, 2026

At a glance

• Return window: request your return within 30 days of delivery. Every return needs our written approval first; returns sent without approval can't be refunded.
• Return shipping: at your own cost, to our returns center in the United Kingdom — an international shipment. We don't provide return labels, free returns or exchanges.
• Condition: unworn outdoors — tried on indoors only — with clean soles, in the original shoe box with all tags. Every return is inspected before a refund is issued.
• Refunds: to the original payment method within 7 business days of approval. Shipping Protection fees aren't refunded.
• Cancellations: orders are processed automatically, so a cancellation is only possible within 5 minutes of ordering.
• When the mistake is ours: report a damaged, defective, mismatched or wrong pair within 3 business days of delivery, with photos, and we'll send you a replacement pair free of charge. Glue traces, minor creasing, break-in stiffness, sizing and personal taste aren't defects (section 6).

1. Returns: window and condition

You can request a return within 30 days of the delivery date recorded by the carrier, for any reason; we're unable to accept requests after 30 days. Your order number is your proof of purchase, and sale pairs and pairs bought with a discount code can be returned on the same terms as full-price pairs.

Try shoes on indoors, on carpet or a rug, and walk around the house; that's expected. Beyond that, the pair needs to come back in the condition in which you received it:

• Unworn outdoors, with clean soles — no scuffs, dirt or wear on the outsole, no creased uppers, no wear on the insole or heel, and no odors.
• Unaltered and undamaged, with any tissue, inserts, protective films and tags still in place.
• In the undamaged original shoe box, packed inside an outer carton or mailer (please don't tape the label to the shoe box itself or use it as the shipping carton).

Every return is inspected on arrival. If a pair doesn't meet these conditions we'll let you know: depending on its condition we either refund a reduced amount that reflects the loss in value, or decline the return. Declined pairs can be sent back to you at your cost if you ask within 14 days.

2. How to return

1. Email support@orthovelfootwear.com within 30 days of delivery with your order number, the pair(s) you're returning and the reason.
2. We reply within one business day. If your return is eligible you'll receive our written approval, the return instructions and the address of our returns center in the United Kingdom. This address is only shared through this process — it isn't our business address and may differ from the address the order shipped from. Packages sent anywhere else can't be traced or refunded.
3. Pack the shoe box inside an outer carton, write your order number on the outside of the package and put a note with your order number inside. Only include the pairs we've approved.
4. Ship the package within 14 days of receiving our approval, using a tracked service, and email us the tracking number.
5. We inspect the return within 3 business days of arrival and email you the outcome.

Returns that arrive without prior approval, at any other address, or more than 30 days after our approval can't be matched to an order and can't be refunded.

3. Cost

• Our returns center is in the United Kingdom and we don't operate a returns address in the United States, so every return is an international shipment: you arrange it with a carrier of your choice and pay the international tracked shipping cost, which isn't reimbursed. Shoe boxes are bulky, so please check the cost before requesting a return.
• This applies to every return — a change of mind, the wrong size or a pair that turns out not to suit you. We don't offer free returns or prepaid return labels and we don't refund shipping costs. The only exception is a confirmed manufacturing defect or an error on our side (section 5) where we ask you to send the pair back.
• Complete the customs form as "Returned goods – no commercial value". Packages that arrive with import duties, taxes or handling fees due are refused by the returns center and sent back to you, and can't be refunded.
• Use a tracked service and keep the receipt. The package remains your responsibility until it reaches our returns center; returns that are lost, damaged in transit or can't be traced can't be refunded.

4. Refunds

• Once your return has been received and approved we issue the refund within 7 business days — and in any case within 14 days of receiving your return — to the payment method used at checkout. Your bank usually needs a further 5–10 business days to show the credit. We can't refund to a different card, account or person, and refunds are only issued after the shoes have been received and inspected.
• The refund covers the price you paid for the returned pair(s); pairs bought with a discount code are refunded at the price you actually paid, with discounts applied proportionally across the items in an order. Return shipping costs aren't refunded, except where we've asked you to return a confirmed defective pair (section 5).
• If you added Shipping Protection at checkout, that fee is a charge for the shipment itself and isn't refunded when an order, or part of it, is returned.
• Pairs that aren't in their original condition are refunded at a reduced amount reflecting the loss in value, or declined (section 1).
• Refunds aren't issued as store credit unless you ask for it.

5. When the mistake is ours

Check the pair when it arrives. Every pair is checked before it ships, but if something is wrong we'll make it right. Let us know within 3 business days of the delivery date recorded by the carrier, before wearing the shoes outdoors, and send us:

• your order number;
• clear photos: a close-up of the problem, both shoes, the size label inside the shoe and on the box, and — for transit damage — the packaging with the shipping label. For zippers, buckles and fastenings, a short video helps.

A manufacturing defect or error on our side means: a sole or heel that is separating or broken, an upper that is split or torn on arrival, stitching that has come apart so far that the shoe can't be worn, a broken zipper, buckle or fastening, a mismatched pair, a size on the box that isn't the size inside, a missing shoe, a pair that differs from your order confirmation (wrong style, size, width or color), or damage caused in transit. Small finishing issues — including light glue traces or a few loose stitches — aren't defects (section 6).

We assess every claim within 2 business days against these criteria and the list in section 6. When a defect or error is confirmed, we send you a replacement pair free of charge. We resolve these cases with a replacement rather than a refund. If the exact pair is no longer available, we'll send the same style in another color or a comparable pair of equal value, in consultation with you. You don't need to return the defective pair unless we ask you to.

Without photos we're unable to verify a claim. Issues reported after 3 business days, or after the shoes have been worn outdoors, can't be accepted as a defect claim; unworn pairs can then be returned as a standard return under sections 1 to 3, at your cost.

6. What isn't a defect

Our shoes are produced in batches, with finishing partly done by hand. The characteristics below are a normal part of the product rather than defects. Pairs with these characteristics can be returned as a standard return (unworn, at your cost, sections 1 to 3), but they don't qualify for a free return or a replacement as a defective pair:

• Light glue traces or residue along the sole edge, which can be wiped off, and loose thread ends that can be trimmed with scissors.
• A few loose stitches or minor stitching irregularities within normal production tolerance, and slight asymmetry between the left and right shoe.
• Minor creasing, marks or scuffs on the upper from packaging and handling, and small dents or marks on the shoe box when the shoes themselves are undamaged.
• Natural variation in leather grain, texture or shade, and color differences caused by screen settings, photo lighting or normal dye-lot variation; minor differences in trim or hardware compared with the product photo.
• Stiffness or firmness when new — most shoes need a break-in period, and a pair that feels unfamiliar on day one isn't defective.
• Insole length that differs by up to 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) from the size chart, or between two pairs of the same size, due to last and material.
• Material, cushioning or finish that feels different from what you expected — weight, softness, sheen or arch support. The composition and features are described on the product page.
• A "new shoe" smell of leather, rubber or glue that disappears after airing.
• The shoes don't fit or aren't comfortable (section 7), you no longer need them, you ordered the wrong size, width or color, or you found them cheaper elsewhere.
• Damage that occurred after delivery: wear, water damage, heat, cleaning with unsuitable products, alterations, repairs, pets or accidents.
• Pairs with tags or labels removed or cut off.

If anything is unclear, please read the product description, materials and size chart before ordering, or ask us — we're happy to help you find the right size, width and fit before you buy.

7. Sizing, width and fit

Every product page has a size chart with insole lengths in inches and centimeters, US/EU size conversions and available widths. Sizes follow the manufacturer's measurements and can differ from the size you normally wear in other brands. Measure your foot length and width and compare them with the chart; if you're between sizes, choose the larger size or ask us before ordering — we're happy to suggest a size or width. Shoes of the same size can vary by up to 1/4 inch (0.5 cm) because of the last and material, and most pairs need a few days of wear to soften. Because this information is available before purchase, a wrong size, width or an unexpected fit isn't a defect: unworn pairs can be returned at your cost under sections 1 to 3, and you can order the right size separately.

8. Exchanges

We don't process exchanges. For a different size, width, color or style, return the original pair under sections 1 to 3 for a refund and order the pair you want — the new pair ships immediately instead of waiting on your return.

9. Canceling an order

Every confirmed order is transmitted automatically to our fulfillment center and enters processing within minutes. For that reason an order can only be canceled or changed within 5 minutes of being placed: email support@orthovelfootwear.com right away with your order number and "CANCEL" in the subject line. The time your email reaches us is what counts, and we confirm every cancellation in writing.

After 5 minutes we're no longer able to stop, change or cancel the order — this also applies if you've changed your mind, found the shoes elsewhere or are worried about the delivery time. We'll send you our return instructions instead: you can return the pair after delivery under this policy, at your own cost, to our returns center in the United Kingdom. Refusing the package at the door doesn't count as a cancellation or a return (see our Shipping Policy, section 6).

10. What can't be returned

• Shoes that have been worn outdoors, or show scuffs, dirt or wear on the outsole.
• Socks, insoles and other hygiene-sealed items once the seal is broken or the packaging opened.
• Pairs made to your specification or personalized.
• Gift cards.
• Pairs marked "final sale" or "non-returnable" on the product page.
• Pairs altered or damaged after delivery (section 1).

11. Fair use

To keep our returns process fair for everyone, we monitor return activity. Where we see repeated returns of worn shoes, claims that aren't supported by evidence, or returned pairs that differ from those purchased, we may decline the return and refuse future orders.

12. Customer service

Customer service hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (local time). Closed on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. We reply within one business day.
Email: support@orthovelfootwear.com