What is the delivery time for your mala beads and what are your shipping policies?

Please allow 7 days for your item to be handmade (3 days during the Christmas  season – December 1-23).

Orders may take up to 10 days to be handmade depending on the production schedule. If you are in rush, please notify us so that we can advise you on expected delivery times, which may be design specific.  All of our orders are now shipped with tracking. Regularly, we offer various shipping options to our customers:

  • Standard shipping is provided by USPS or Canada Post and takes 7-14 days to arrive within the USA and Canada, and does have a tracking number.
  • Expedited shipping costs takes 4-10 days to arrive within the USA and Canada, and has a tracking number.
  • Express shipping takes 3-5 days to arrive within the USA and Canada, and has a tracking number.

If you do not receive within the expected time frame, please e-mail us.

For all other international destinations orders are shipped with standard air mail and usually take 15 days to arrive after shipping. International orders do not have a tracking number and can take up to 4 weeks to arrive depending on the customs processing time of your destination.

Customs fees or taxes are separate from the shipping charges, and are not the responsibility of Salt Spring Malas and Yoga Jewelry. Customs fees and taxes will vary. Contact your local Customs office if you have any questions or concerns about these fees. All packages shipped will include a declaration indicating the contents, with full value for the order listed. A package returned to us due to refusal of these customs charges will result in Salt Spring Malas and Yoga Jewelry being charged for the shipping, return shipping and Customs fees, and future orders will not be accepted until these fees are reimbursed.

Customers are responsible for ensuring that they enter the correct shipping address. Any returned packages arriving back to our studio due to unclaimed status or wrong address status will be shipped to a correct address or can be refunded at the request of the customer however, any fees incurred to receive a returned shipment that was rejected by the postal service due to an incorrect address entry are the responsibility of the customer and will be deducted from the return.

Missed Your Order Deadline?

If you have missed a deadline, we also offer gift certificates which are issued electronically at purchase and can be ordered at any time.

How realistic are the mala bead images on your website?

We have done our utmost to take accurate pictures of our products. However, the accessories displayed are different than their actual size. The colors and beads have more depth than shown on the web. Generally, customers have told us that our malas look better in real life than online.

What is your return and exchange policy?

If you would like to make a return we are happy to accommodate your request for unworn and unused merchandise in its original condition. You can send your item back for a return. Returned items are subject to a 35% restocking fee, as pieces are made by hand to order. This fee accounts for the time to process your return, which includes customer correspondence, the shippers time, and bookkeeping time, lost shipping fees, loss of packaging materials. The customer is responsible for purchasing insurance on returns. If the item is stolen or lost during transit the onus is on the customer. we do not accept exchanges.

All On Sale items are Final Sale. All orders made with a coupon are Final Sale.

Please contact us within 7 days of receipt if you would like to make a return. Please note, shipping fees are not refundable. Customers who would like a refund or exchange, are responsible for the fees incurred to send back the package to Salt Spring Malas. Any package marked return to sender for which Salt Spring Malas incurs a C.O.D. fee to pick up will be deducted from the value of the return. Please contact us before shipping your return to ensure you mark your package correctly.

If you’ve purchased a custom mala, these orders cannot be returned, all custom designs are final sale.

How durable are your mala beads?

Our mala beads are guaranteed to last. Our malas are intended to last a long time. They are strung on the strongest, most flexible, light weight beading wire. The beads are high quality gemstones and will stay smooth, bright, and even for a very long time. If you ever have a problem with your mala please contact us and we would be happy to help you, we offer free repair service up to 60 days after purchase.
If you require a repair please contact us. One complementary repair service is offered with each purchase and additional repairs can be made for a nominal fee. The buyer is responsible for the fees incurred in sending back the item for repair.
Salt Spring Malas and Yoga Jewelry is not responsible for items damaged or lost in transit.

How is a mala length measured?

Length is measured from the top of the mala until the end of the tassel lying on a flat surface without any curves in the piece. Lengths are approximate.

How should I store my mala when it is not in use?

Each mala comes with a complimentary elegant hand embroidered mala bag from India. When your mala is not in use, you can use this bag to store it. We also recommend wearing your mala whenever you can to keep your affirmations with you throughout the day.

What should I do if my tassel becomes untidy?

Daily use of your mala may make your tassel look unwound and frayed. This can be easily remedied by dipping your tassel in water, smoothing it out, and hanging it to dry overnight. If your tassel still looks frayed or has lost its lustre it can be replaced. Please contact us if you require assistance.

What should I do if I need a repair later on?

Our mala beads are guaranteed to last. Our malas are intended to last a long time. They are strung on the strongest, most flexible, light weight beading wire or cord. The beads are high quality gemstones and will stay smooth, bright, and even for many years. If you ever have a problem with your mala please contact us and we would be happy to help you, we offer repair service on our products. The labor on repairs is free for breakages that occur within the first 45 days of purchase. After this time, if you would like a repair, please contact us and we will direct you on how a repair can happen.
If you bought your mala somewhere else, please read our article on this subject.
If you require a repair please contact us. The buyer is responsible for the shipping fees both ways, in shipping back the item to Salt Spring Malas for repair, as well as the shipping fees for receiving the repaired mala back to their location. An order number or the first and last name that you purchased the mala under is required to determine if you qualify for a repair.  Repairs may take 6 weeks to complete.
We do not repair mala beads made by other studios or manufactures.
All repairs must be completed via mail. Studio drops offs and pick ups are not accepted for repairs, due to the time consuming nature of these requests.

How can malas be cleaned?

Please clean your mala gently. A simple glass cleaning cloth or micro-fibre cloth is perfect for cleaning and polishing your mala beads. You can dip your tassel in warm water with a mild detergent and hang it to dry. Do not use harsh substances or cleaning products on your mala.

How should I choose mala beads?

Selecting a mala is a very personal choice. Your 108 beaded mala or 27 beaded wrist mala or 21 mala beads bracelet will be with you as you patiently work through a mantra or affirmation for a week, month, several months, a year, or even longer. As the beads in will absorb the energy of your mantra and affirmation selecting a piece that appeals to you emotionally, intellectually and physically is important.

You may find that you wear your mala off the mat to carry your intention and affirmations with you. In selecting your mala we recommend that you pay attention to your intuition along with the intention, design, and color of the piece. If you are purchasing a mala for a loved one, and cannot decide on a piece, we also offer gift certificates.

Intuition is very important in choosing your mala. Choose a mala based on your attraction to it regardless if your attraction was based on color, shape or design, or the combination of all three. We recommend that if a mala has a particular draw to you, that you choose that mala.

All of our malas are designed with intention and are designed to improve affirmations. The beads in our malas are selected based on the intentions that they represent and the names of our pieces are determined by the properties of the beads that make up the piece. Various gemstone beads and metals have different meanings, promote different feelings, and have particular energies. We have designed each mala with these elements of intention in mind.

Find mala beads that match your Intention

Design is another important aspect of a mala. Beauty is important for uplifting spirits. Surrounding your soul with beautiful objects is a source of power and peace. If you find a mala beautiful it can help bring your focus onto positive energy.

Finally, specific colors are associated with each chakra and using color as a guide can help open a specific chakra if this is the goal of you meditation or yoga practice.

Red (Muladhara- root chakra)
Orange (swadhisthana- sacral chakra)
Yellow (manipura – solar plexus chakra)
Green (anahata-heart chakra)
Blue (vishuddha- throat chakra)
Indigo (ajna- brow chakra)
Purple (sahasrara- crown chakra)

Finally, we have three 108 malas designed for balancing each dosha.
Pitta pacifying: 108 Water Mala
Kapah pacifying: 108 Fire Mala
Vata pacifying: 108 Earth Mala

If you need help selecting a mala please contact us.

Do you offer Canadian and wholesale prices?

All of the prices on our website are in US Dollars. Although we are located in Canada, we work with fine gemstones and rare metal components that come from locations all over the world. Our supply chain is international, and our customer base is international. Yes, we offer a limited range of designs at wholesale prices.