Supplier Acceptance Policy

Version: 1.0
Last updated: 09 January 2026

1. Purpose

Cornwall Collective exists to curate and retail high-quality products with a genuine connection to Cornwall.
This policy defines the standards suppliers must meet to ensure authenticity, quality, and a consistent customer experience.

Cornwall Collective operates as the retailer of record. All suppliers listed on the platform are partners, not independent sellers.

2. Eligible Supplier Types

We work with the following supplier categories:

Accepted

  • Independent makers and artisans

  • Small studios and workshops

  • Independent brands and micro-brands

  • Small manufacturers producing original or regionally specific products

  • Design-led brands using ethical production or POD partners

Not accepted

  • Pure resellers or arbitrage sellers

  • Dropshippers using generic wholesale catalogues

  • Sellers of mass-produced goods with no creative input

  • Large national or multinational brands

  • Suppliers whose primary sales model is marketplace arbitrage (e.g. AliExpress/Temu sourcing)

3. Product Eligibility Criteria

All products must meet at least one of the following conditions:

A. Cornwall-based production

  • Designed, made, or substantially produced in Cornwall
    OR

B. Genuine Cornwall connection

  • Products that are:

    • Designed by a Cornwall-based individual or business, or

    • Authentically inspired by Cornwall (place, culture, landscape, heritage),
      and

    • Created with clear authorship and originality

Note:
Using Cornwall imagery or names alone is not sufficient without meaningful creative involvement.

4. Originality & Design Integrity

Suppliers must confirm that:

  • Products are original or legitimately licensed

  • They own or control the design rights

  • Any production partners are used to manufacture the supplier’s own designs

Permitted

  • Handmade products

  • Small-batch manufacturing

  • Design-led POD (prints, apparel, homeware)

  • Ethical outsourced production

Not permitted

  • Generic white-label products

  • Unmodified stock designs

  • Products widely available from multiple unrelated retailers

5. Quality & Production Standards

All products must:

  • Meet reasonable quality and durability expectations for their category

  • Be accurately described (materials, dimensions, finishes)

  • Be suitable for retail sale in the UK

  • Comply with relevant UK product safety and labelling requirements

Cornwall Collective reserves the right to:

  • Request samples

  • Remove products that fail quality checks

  • Suspend suppliers for repeated quality issues

6. Ethical & Responsible Practices (Preferred, Not Mandatory)

While not mandatory, preference is given to suppliers who demonstrate:

  • Ethical labour practices

  • Responsible sourcing

  • Sustainable or low-waste production

  • Local or UK-based manufacturing

These factors may influence curation priority but are not absolute requirements.

7. Fulfilment, Shipping & Returns

To ensure a consistent customer experience:

  • Cornwall Collective maintains centralised shipping and returns policies

  • Suppliers must:

    • Meet agreed dispatch timeframes

    • Use approved shipping methods

    • Provide tracking where applicable

  • Products may be fulfilled directly by suppliers under agreed terms (e.g. via Shopify Collective)

Suppliers must not include customer contact details, marketing inserts, or external links in shipments unless explicitly approved.

8. Branding & Presentation

Cornwall Collective controls:

  • Product titles

  • Descriptions

  • Photography standards

  • Collection structure

Supplier brand stories may be featured in:

  • Dedicated supplier collections

  • Editorial content

  • About or maker features

Supplier contact details are not displayed publicly.

9. Exclusivity & Conflicts

Suppliers may sell elsewhere unless otherwise agreed.
However, Cornwall Collective may decline products that:

  • Are widely available on mass marketplaces

  • Undermine the curated nature of the platform

10. Right of Refusal & Removal

Cornwall Collective reserves the right to:

  • Accept or reject suppliers at its discretion

  • Remove products or suppliers without obligation to provide detailed justification

  • Update this policy as the platform evolves

11. Guiding Principle (Plain English)

Cornwall Collective curates products made by independent makers and small brands with a real, meaningful connection to Cornwall.
We prioritise originality, quality, and integrity, and we do not stock generic or mass-market goods.