Terms of Service

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you ("Customer," "you," or "your") and Molan Studio ("Molan," "we," "us," or "our"), governing your access to and use of the Molan website (the "Site") and all products and services offered therein.

Molan is a craft studio specializing in traditional Chinese intangible cultural heritage techniques, including Urushi lacquerware (Dàqī) and mother-of-pearl inlay (Luódiàn). All products are created in exclusive partnership with the Donghai Shell Carving Art Museum, People's Republic of China.

By accessing the Site, creating an account, or submitting an order, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms in their entirety, as well as our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated herein by reference. If you do not agree with any provision of these Terms, you must immediately cease use of the Site and refrain from placing any order.

These Terms apply to all visitors, users, and customers of the Site, regardless of geographic location. Molan operates as a cross-border e-commerce vendor, and these Terms are intended to comply with applicable international commercial law standards.

You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age and possess the legal capacity to enter into binding contracts under the laws of your jurisdiction in order to use the Site or purchase products. By placing an order, you represent and warrant that you meet these eligibility requirements.

If you create an account on the Site, you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials and for all activities that occur under your account. You agree to notify Molan immediately at [email protected] upon becoming aware of any unauthorized use of your account. Molan shall not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to safeguard your account credentials.

Molan reserves the right to refuse service, terminate accounts, or cancel orders at its sole discretion, including but not limited to cases involving fraudulent activity, violation of these Terms, or conduct deemed harmful to other customers or to Molan's business interests.

Molan endeavors to present accurate, complete, and current product information on the Site. Each product listing includes descriptions of materials, dimensions, techniques, and care instructions to the best of our ability. However, given the inherently handcrafted nature of our products, the following important qualifications apply:

Natural materials used in our products, including Urushi lacquer derived from the lacquer tree (Toxicodendron vernicifluum) and shells of marine origin, may exhibit natural imperfections, color gradients, and organic variations. These characteristics are considered integral to the authenticity and value of the work.

Molan reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions in product descriptions, pricing, or availability at any time without prior notice, including after an order has been submitted. In the event of a material error affecting your order, Molan will contact you before processing payment or shipment.

Product dimensions provided are approximate and may vary by a reasonable margin consistent with handcraft production standards. Pricing is listed in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise stated and is subject to change without notice.

Submission of an order through the Site constitutes an offer to purchase the specified product(s) at the stated price. An order is not confirmed until Molan sends a written order confirmation to the email address provided at checkout. Molan reserves the right to decline or cancel any order at its discretion, including where products are unavailable, where pricing errors have occurred, or where fraud is suspected.

Order Cancellation by Customer. Due to the bespoke and handcrafted nature of our products, orders may be cancelled without penalty within twenty-four (24) hours of placement, provided that production has not commenced. After this window, cancellation requests are subject to Molan's review and may be denied or subject to a restocking and materials fee of up to thirty percent (30%) of the order value.

Payment. Full payment is required at the time of order placement. Molan accepts major credit cards, debit cards, and other payment methods as displayed at checkout. All transactions are processed through secure, PCI-DSS-compliant payment gateways. Molan does not store your complete payment card information on its servers.

Taxes & Duties. Prices displayed on the Site do not include import duties, customs fees, value-added tax (VAT), goods and services tax (GST), or other taxes and levies imposed by the destination country. You are solely responsible for all such charges. Molan recommends consulting your local customs authority for applicable rates prior to placing an order. Molan shall not be liable for delays caused by customs clearance procedures.

Currency & Exchange Rates. All charges are processed in USD. If your payment method is denominated in a different currency, the applicable exchange rate will be determined by your card issuer or payment provider, and Molan bears no responsibility for any currency conversion fees or rate differences.

Molan ships internationally from the People's Republic of China. Estimated production and dispatch timelines are provided on individual product pages and in your order confirmation. These timelines are estimates only and do not constitute guarantees. Actual delivery times may vary due to production complexity, carrier delays, customs processing, or force majeure events.

Risk of loss and title for products pass to you upon delivery to the shipping carrier. Molan is not responsible for loss, theft, or damage occurring after handover to the carrier. Molan will provide tracking information where available upon dispatch.

Incorrect Addresses. You are responsible for providing a complete and accurate shipping address. Molan shall not be liable for non-delivery or delay resulting from an incorrect or incomplete address provided by you. Additional shipping charges may apply for re-delivery or address correction.

Refused Shipments. If a shipment is refused at delivery or returned to Molan due to your failure to accept delivery or to pay applicable duties and taxes, Molan may deduct the cost of outbound and return shipping, as well as any duties incurred, from any refund issued.

Molan takes pride in the quality of every piece it produces. If you receive a product that is materially defective due to a manufacturing fault, or if the product delivered differs materially from its description, you may request a return or replacement within fourteen (14) days of confirmed delivery.

To initiate a return, you must contact Molan at [email protected] with your order number, a detailed description of the issue, and photographic evidence. Molan will review your request and respond within five (5) business days.

Approved returns must be shipped in their original packaging using a trackable shipping method. Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer unless the return is due to a confirmed error by Molan. Refunds will be issued to the original payment method within ten (10) business days of Molan's receipt and inspection of the returned item.

Molan does not offer exchanges for change-of-mind purchases. All sales of non-defective handcrafted goods are final once the fourteen (14) day return window has elapsed.

All content on the Site, including but not limited to text, photographs, illustrations, design drawings, product imagery, brand marks, trade names, logos, and the overall visual presentation of the Site (collectively, "Molan Content"), is the exclusive property of Molan Studio and/or its licensors, including the Donghai Shell Carving Art Museum, and is protected under applicable copyright, trademark, design patent, and other intellectual property laws of the People's Republic of China, the United States, and international conventions.

The Molan brand name, logo, and all associated product design patterns and motifs developed in partnership with the Donghai Shell Carving Art Museum are proprietary marks. Unauthorized use, reproduction, or imitation of these marks is strictly prohibited and may constitute trademark infringement or unfair competition under applicable law.

Limited License. Molan grants you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use the Site solely for personal, non-commercial purposes consistent with these Terms. This license does not include the right to: (a) reproduce, distribute, publicly display, or create derivative works from Molan Content; (b) use any data mining, scraping, or automated data collection tools on the Site; (c) use Molan Content for any commercial purpose without prior written consent from Molan.

Purchase of Physical Goods. The purchase of a physical product from Molan transfers ownership of the tangible object only. No intellectual property rights in the design, pattern, or artistic work embodied in the product are transferred to the buyer. You may not reproduce, cast, scan, or otherwise replicate the design of any Molan product for commercial purposes.

If you believe that any content on the Site infringes upon your intellectual property rights, please contact us at [email protected] with a detailed written notice, and Molan will investigate in good faith.

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Molan Studio, its owners, directors, employees, agents, suppliers, partners, and licensors (including the Donghai Shell Carving Art Museum) shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, punitive, or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with your use of the Site, the purchase of products, or these Terms, even if Molan has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

This includes, without limitation, damages for loss of profits, loss of revenue, loss of data, loss of goodwill, business interruption, personal injury, or any other intangible losses.

Cap on Liability. In no event shall Molan's total aggregate liability to you for all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or any transaction conducted through the Site exceed the total amount actually paid by you to Molan for the specific product(s) giving rise to the claim in the twelve (12) months preceding the event giving rise to such liability.

Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages. If you reside in such a jurisdiction, some of the above limitations may not apply to you, and your rights may be subject to applicable mandatory consumer protection laws.

The Site and all content, products, and services provided through it are offered on an "as is" and "as available" basis, without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. To the fullest extent permissible under applicable law, Molan expressly disclaims all warranties, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.

Molan does not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, secure, or free of viruses or other harmful components. Molan does not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content on the Site, including product descriptions, pricing, and availability information.

Care & Handling. Urushi lacquerware and mother-of-pearl inlay products require specific care to maintain their integrity and appearance. Molan provides care instructions with each product. Damage resulting from failure to follow care guidelines, exposure to extreme conditions, improper storage, or misuse is not covered under any warranty or return policy.

Allergen Notice. Urushi lacquer is derived from the lacquer tree and may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, particularly during the curing process. Fully cured Urushi products are generally considered safe for handling; however, Molan makes no medical representations. Customers with known sensitivities to plant-based resins should consult a physician before purchasing or handling Urushi lacquerware.

Good Faith Negotiation. In the event of any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms, the Site, or any product purchased from Molan ("Dispute"), the parties agree to first attempt to resolve the matter through good faith negotiation. You must contact Molan in writing at [email protected] describing the nature of the Dispute and your proposed resolution. Molan will respond within fifteen (15) business days.

Mediation. If the Dispute cannot be resolved through direct negotiation within thirty (30) days of the initial written notice, either party may request non-binding mediation administered by a mutually agreed-upon neutral mediator. The costs of mediation shall be shared equally between the parties unless otherwise agreed.

Binding Arbitration. If mediation is unsuccessful or waived by mutual agreement, any unresolved Dispute shall be finally settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the arbitration rules of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) or, at Molan's election, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The seat of arbitration shall be Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The arbitration shall be conducted in the English language. The arbitral award shall be final and binding and may be enforced in any court of competent jurisdiction.

Class Action Waiver. You agree that any Dispute resolution proceedings shall be conducted on an individual basis only. You waive any right to bring or participate in any class action lawsuit, class-wide arbitration, or consolidated proceeding against Molan.

Exceptions. Notwithstanding the foregoing, either party may seek emergency injunctive or other equitable relief from a court of competent jurisdiction to prevent irreparable harm pending the completion of arbitration, including in cases of actual or threatened intellectual property infringement.

These Terms and any Dispute arising out of or related to them shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the People's Republic of China, without regard to its conflict of law principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) is expressly excluded from application to these Terms.

Where mandatory consumer protection laws of your country of residence provide you with rights that cannot be contractually excluded, those rights shall remain unaffected by these Terms. Nothing in this Section is intended to limit any rights you may have under applicable mandatory local law.

Amendments. Molan reserves the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Site or placement of an order following the posting of updated Terms constitutes your acceptance of those changes. We encourage you to review these Terms periodically.

Severability. If any provision of these Terms is found by a court or arbitrator of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, unlawful, or unenforceable, such provision shall be modified to the minimum extent necessary to make it enforceable, or if modification is not possible, severed from these Terms. The remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement. These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy and any other legal notices published by Molan on the Site, constitute the entire agreement between you and Molan with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior communications, representations, or agreements, whether oral or written.

Waiver. Molan's failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision unless acknowledged and agreed to by Molan in writing.

Contact Us. If you have any questions regarding these Terms of Service, please contact Molan Studio at: