Colonial Saddlery

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This collection of frequently asked questions (FAQ) provides brief answers to many common questions about our company and its manufacturing services. If the question you have is not answered here, please click here to send us an email.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Great! You have come to the right place. The most efficient way to communicate your specifications and your quality expectations to us is by sending your original sample(s), if available to our factory in India. This helps us review your product thoroughly and understand your brand’s individual needs. We will produce a counter sample and make any improvements and/or modifications needed per your instructions and send them for your review. We will also quote you at that time with the MOQs and turnaround time. If you do not have original samples to send, we ask that you send us detailed drawings and/or images that will help us understand your product better. We will review this information and hopefully would be able to quote you based on that information. Please send us an email and we will contact you to learn more about your need. While we guarantee our best efforts in producing the prototypes to your specs, due to the unpredictable nature of the custom leather goods manufacturing, we are unable to guarantee the outcome at the end of the process. Of course, once we have produced a product per your specifications and to your satisfaction, we guarantee the conformation to those specifications later during the production of your order.
Absolutely! We take the confidentiality of your proprietary information very seriously and therefore do everything in our capacity to keep that information confidential. We are happy to sign a Non-Disclosure and/or Non-Compete Agreement before you reveal any confidential information to us. Even if there isn’t a formal Non-Disclosure Agreement in place, we make every effort to keep your information safe and confidential.
We would be happy to send you sample(s) for your review before you place an order. The cost of the samples is typically the cost of the product and shipping charges. If you prefer, shipping can also be charged directly to your FedEx/UPS/DHL/TNT account. You can pay for the samples via PayPal or US business checks. We fully understand a customer’s need to evaluate a sample before placing an order and will work with you to give you that peace of mind before you place an order. However, please understand that prototyping is a very resource and time-consuming process and therefore requires your patience and cooperation in terms of turnaround time and any additional costs that we may incur during this process. In some instances, not all desired components and color/finishes may be available for prototyping purposes.
Order turnaround time largely depends on the size of the order and the items being ordered but typically we ship orders within 6-8 weeks of order confirmation and receipt of the deposit on your order. Sometimes, orders can be delayed due to the unavailability of the desired leather in desired colors. Extensive customizing of hardware or other components may also delay the production and delivery of the goods. In such cases we will notify you and let you know the additional time required.
For best results and consistency in quality, we strongly recommend that you order in tune with our Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ). If you are ordering the products made from Sedgwick, Wickett &Craig, or similar imported brands of leathers, the MOQ is 100 pieces per order w/ 50 pieces per product per size. For Indian Tanned Leather (ITL) or Indian Drum Dyed (IDD) Leathers, the MOQ is 300 pieces per order w/ 100 pieces per product per size. In any case, we try to be very accommodating on our MOQ requirements and depending on what is being ordered, would be happy to discuss your individual situation before finalizing your order.
Our payment terms require a 50% deposit at the time of order confirmation and the remaining balance at the ship date. We will let you know when the goods are ready to be shipped and expect the invoice balance be paid in full before shipment of the goods. The only accepted method of payment is Wire for customers paying from outside of the United States and Wire and/or Business Checks for the customers within the United States.
For ultimate endurance and aesthetics, we recommend genuine English Leather from dressers and curriers like J&E Sedgwick & Co. for the strap goods (e.g. bridles and reins) and American Wickett & Craig for flat goods (e.g. horse boots). For our budget conscious customers, we also offer finest Indian Tanned Leather (ITL) and Indian Drum Dyed (IDD) Leathers. English J&E Sedgwick Leather: English leather enjoys a reputation of being the finest in the world offering not only unparalleled endurance and resilience but is also stunningly appealing to the eye. This is our leather-of-choice for strap goods like bridles and reins. Beware of manufacturers who quote you for Sedgwick leather and then use either locally produced “English” leather or outright counterfeit Sedgwick leather. Insist on the proof of authentic Sedgwick leather. The authenticity of Sedgwick leather can be verified by code stamped on each sheet/side. To learn more about Sedgwick Leather click here to go to their website. American Wickett & Craig Leather: This leather is our leather-of-choice for flat goods such as Horse Boots. Wickett & Craig leather is made from carefully selected top-grade North American steer hides and finished using a unique hot-stuffing method that drives an all-natural combination of oils, waxes, and tallow deep into the hide fibers making leathers to retain their natural beauty and quality for years. To learn more about Wickett & Craig Leather click here to go to their website. Indian Tanned Leather (ITL): Not to be confused with Buckskin, which is also sometimes referred to as Indian Tanned Leather in the Americas. The hide/crust for this leather is imported but the tanning is done in India. This is done to lower the overall costs while maintaining the top quality of the hide. This is a little cheaper alternative for someone who doesn’t care much about the brand name but still wants the finest quality European or American hide leather. Indian Drum Dyed Leather (IDD): This Vegetable Tanned leather is truly an Indian leather as the hides used are sourced and tanned locally. This is the least of the expensive leather options. This leather could be as good as any when produced with care and in proper lot sizes. We source this leather from the only finest tanners in India to ensure that low cost doesn’t translate into inferior quality. This is a good option for our budget conscious customers.
There are a variety of color options available for both Sedgwick and Wickett & Craig leathers. The best selling colors in Sedgwick are – Black, Choco, Australian Nut, Dark Havana, and Conker. The most requested color for Wickett & Craig are Black, Dark Brown, Medium Brown, Chestnut, Burgundy, and Tan. As for ITL and IDD Leathers, we can pretty much match any of these colors, subject to minimum lot size requirements.
Yes, we blind deboss products per customer instructions. The cost of debossing is one-time logo setup charge of $50 per logo/text (3″ x 3″ max). There is no additional cost.
We proudly stand behind the products we manufacture for you and guarantee them free from defects in material and workmanship. If you are not happy with the workmanship and overall quality of the product(s) you have received from us, we will rectify the problem(s), if any and replace them at our cost. Please check the goods thoroughly within 10 days of receiving them and let us know of any defects or if the products are not made to your specifications that were clearly communicated to us. The replacement product(s) will be shipped with your next order. At our discretion, we may also choose to give you a invoice credit instead of shipping replacement of such items.
This is one of most commonly encountered problems faced by a buyer while working with overseas manufacturers – the second order turns out to be nothing like the first one. This might happen despite the best of the intentions on part of a manufacturer. The culprit most of the times is the inconsistency in leather color or finish itself. This usually happens when the order quantity is not enough to produce a specific finish or color leather in a required dying lot size. Leather being a natural material doesn’t always respond to the “adjustments” when leather is dyed in a smaller lot size and thereby causing inconsistency in the finished leather. For consistency, leather has to be tanned and dyed in a certain lot size (usually about 2500 sqft) using the full drum and pre determined formulae for the ingredients e.g. fats and tannins etc. Some crafty manufacturers try to tackle this challenge by cutting corners and simply surface dye the leather to match the finish and color requested by a customer. This “solution” while quick and inexpensive, always causes a lot of heartache later for the buyer. This is a perfect recipe to lose a customer and something we refuse to do. We avoid such situations by primarily using the finest off-the-shelf leather from the best tanners and curriers around the world. If your need requires us to produce a custom color and finish leather, we will discuss the available options with you and go the route that will not compromise the overall quality of the finished product. We know that you’re counting on us for the wellbeing of your brand and don’t take that trust for granted. We know that our success depends on yours.
All our quotes, unless otherwise mentioned, are FOB India. That means the freight and insurance charges are not included in the quote. Upon your request, we would be happy to quote you CIF (via Ocean Freight or Commercial Air Cargo) price to your nearest air/sea port or To-Door (via Air Express) price. To be able quote you a CIF quote, we will need the information such as the total order quantity and your preferred shipping method i.e. Air Express, Air Cargo, or Ocean Freight. You also have an option to have your orders shipped directly to your FedEx/UPS/DHL/TNT account – this option is the costliest of all but also the most convenient.
We are fiercely competitive and are very comfortable in extending this guarantee to you – We will beat any price from any manufacturer from anywhere in the world for comparable product in the comparable quality of leather, components, and workmanship.
We work with a few selected local vendors in India who produce a variety of non-leather equestrian products that understand our passion for anything equestrian and our commitment to quality. Upon your request, we would be happy to source these equestrian product for you.