1. Our Sacred Promise
Urbanstance (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “the Studio”) believes that your personal data deserves the same reverence as the handmade objects we craft. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website aetherkiln.com, make a purchase, subscribe to our newsletter, or engage with our slow commerce community.
We will never sell your personal data to third parties. Our commitment is transparency, minimal data collection, and giving you meaningful control over your information. By using our services, you agree to the practices described in this policy.
2. What Information We Collect
We collect only the information necessary to provide a seamless, secure shopping experience and to improve our offerings.
Identity Data
Name, email address, shipping/billing address, phone number (for delivery updates).Payment Data
Processed via PCI-compliant gateways (Stripe/PayPal). We never store full card details.Usage Data
Pages visited, referral source, timestamp — aggregated to understand craft preferences.When you create an account, we save your preferences and order history. If you choose to sign up for our “Kiln Letters” newsletter, we collect only your email address. We do not collect sensitive personal data (e.g., health or biometric info).
3. How We Use Your Information
Your data helps us:
- Process and fulfill your orders, including shipping and returns.
- Communicate with you about order status, restocks of favorite items, and studio news (only with your consent).
- Improve our website, product selection, and artisan stories.
- Detect and prevent fraud, security incidents, or misuse.
We do not use automated decision-making or profiling that significantly affects you. For any promotional emails, you can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link.
6. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your location (including GDPR in Europe, CCPA in California), you may have the right to:
- Access – request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Rectification – correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Erasure – request deletion of your data (“right to be forgotten”).
- Restrict processing – limit how we use your data.
- Data portability – receive a machine-readable copy.
- Object to marketing – opt out of promotional emails.
To exercise these rights, email privacy@aetherkiln.com. We will respond within 30 days. We never discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
7. Data Security & Retention
We implement SSL encryption, firewalls, regular vulnerability scans, and strict internal access controls. Payment data is tokenized. We retain your personal data only as long as necessary: order data for 7 years (tax/legal obligations), newsletter data until you unsubscribe, and analytics data anonymized after 14 months.
In the unlikely event of a data breach, we will notify affected users and authorities according to applicable laws.
8. Children’s Privacy
Urbanstance does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16 years of age. Our products are intended for adults. If you believe a child has provided us with data, please contact us, and we will delete it promptly.
9. International Data Transfers
We are based in the United States, but we ship worldwide. If you are located outside the US, your data may be transferred to and processed in the US. For EU customers, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and ensure adequate protection. By using our site, you consent to this transfer.
10. Updates to This Privacy Policy
We may update this policy occasionally to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. The “Effective Date” at the top will be revised. If we make significant changes, we will notify you via email or a banner on our site. Continued use of our services after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.