Frequently Asked Questions
We hope that somewhere within the Hartnack & Co website, any questions you might have would have been answered. If not then this page might be the best resource.
Scroll down the collapsible list below, and pick through the questions. If the answer can't be found, then use the contact us form below and send us an email.
Questions about delivery
What is you delivery lead time?
If the product you are ordering has no personalisation, delivery can normally be 1 - 2 weeks. If your order has personalisation then this can be between 3 - 4 weeks.
There are important caveats, the main one being the time of year, as this can sometimes bump the delivery by a week or two, or we might just be very busy.
If your delivery is time critical, please check with us directly what our current lead time is.
What are your delivery charges?
if you are in the the mainland of the United Kingdom then delivery is free if your order is over £50.
Any applicable delivery charges to outside of mainland U.K. (or under £50 if within the U.K) can be found on the Order Summary at the bottom of the Product Page. It will also be on the Check Out Page once you have entered in your delivery address.
How long does delivery take once dispatched?
For the U.K. we use a next day (courier) delivery.
For deliveries outside of the U.K, deliveries can take between 3 - 5 days depending on your location (United States 2- 3 days).
Unless your item is shipped by mail, our Courier company will send you the shipping number and also notifications once your package has been collected and then further notifications along it's journey.
Questions about products
Do you make custom sizes?
Can I use my own material?
I have a design I would like made.
Great! We would need to see it. If you have a computer graphic, then send it over (with dimensions included).
If in all likelihood you don't have a computer graphic, then do the following.
1. Sketch out your idea on a piece of paper remembering to include as much information as possible. If it can't be included in the sketch, then include it in the email.
2. Photograph your sketch and then send it in an email it to, info@hartnackandco.com. Please include as much information as possible. If there is a logo to be included we would need to see the logo.
How do your sizes work?
First and foremost we can make any size and format you require. The sizes used on our product pages refer the the size and format of the contents (what you are inside it) not the actual size of the product. If your contents might be slightly bigger than sizes mentioned, then let us know what the largest size of your contents are and well will build your order around that.
Questions about personalisation
What is the difference between Embossing and Debossing?
Embossing has become the catch-all word or phrase to make a personalised impression in something.
Embossing is created when a thin medium, normally paper or lightweight card is placed between a 'male' and 'female' metal stamp. One stamp has a raised impression and the other a corresponding engraved impression. The paper medium is placed between the two, squeezed hard together where upon you are left with a raised impression. Embossing is only really possibly done on a relatively thin material that will hold its shape.
Debossing is created when a engraved metal stamp is pushed into the surface of something. The material has to be relatively thick for this to work successfully. Essentially whatever is raised in the stamp is the bit that leaves the impression. On a graphic drawing whatever is in black is the bit that leaves the impression.
Strictly speaking we do not emboss anything and can't because our material is too thick, we deboss. However as 'embossing' is widely used as a word to describe personalising something, it is the the word we use (nobody likes a smart-arse).
What is Foiling and and what is Blind debossing/embossing?
Foiling is when a piece of foil is placed between the metal die plate with your name or logo on it, and the surface of the material. It uses heat and pressure to release the foil off the substrate onto the cover. The foil can be either a metallic foil or a pigment foil.
Because the material we are foiling onto is either a fabric or coated leather, it requires just the right pressure and temperature to get the right result. Too little and it under foils, too much and it over foils. The set-up time is longer for foil, hence the extra price.
Blind debossing also uses the same metal die plate, but there is no colour foil involved just a deep impression. As there is no colour involved to show off the impression, blind debossing relies on light to create a shadow with lines around the impression. For blind debossing the impression into the surface is far deeper than we would for foiling.
What is UV Printing?
It is done a large flat-bed and works in a similar way to an inkjet printer in that there are multiple ink nozzles with different CMYK+ inks that when combined produce 'photographic' quality colour images. The major difference other than the size of the printer is the Ink, which special as it immediately cures when it comes into contact with ultra violet (UV) light.
This means you can print for colour images on most surfaces (wood, metal, glass) as well as one of our book cloths, Buckram.
The information on page on colour digital UV printing can be found here.
Can I specify a particular colour foil?
It depend upon whether the colour foil you would like is available in 'grade' that works on cloth or textured and treated leather.
Foilco grades include HM, HMD, YED and LNL for pigment foils.
For Foilco metallic foils, grades include, EY, MN, SH, DR and DG
Kurz VB grade for pigment foils offer superior detail, but their minimum order quantity make their use expensive.
If you are trying to achieve an exact Pantone or specific colour, we recommend Digital colour UV printing.
Questions about materials
I would like a particular colour material, but I can't see it in your swatch.
Yes, it might be possible. Please email us with a colour reference, preferably Pantone or HEX or even a photograph.
We will then see what we can get and send you off samples in the post.
Just bear in mind that there might be an extra charge if it's a non stock material or we have to buy it and it has a minimum or delivery charge.
I'd like to see colour samples before I buy.
Perfectly natural and it is something that we recommend people do if they are a little unsure.
Drop us an email at either the 'contact us' form below or at info@hartnackandco.com telling us what you'd like to see and we will put cuttings in the post to you.
Do you sell Vegan Leather?
If you mean leather that looks like leather but isn't leather, then yes. We call it Faux Leather (faux is False in French)
How environmental are your materials?
The environment is important to us. As a family, the Hartnack's are quite environmentally conscious. They have had PV panels on their house for years and a biomass boiler and we recycle as much as we can (even the leather scraps are sold off to crafters)
The book board we use is made out of recycled board and paper. The glue is a water based PVA.
Outer covers can though be a mixed bag. Reyon Book Cloth is a semi synthetic material largely made from wood pulp, which tends to score highly, but it is coloured and doesn't have a protective covering.
Buckram is also Reyon but as well as being coloured has an acrylic (plastic) coating to give it its water resistance and generally quality of wear.
Faux Leather is essentially a plastic (which is an oil based chemical).
Genuine leather used for binding is a recycled product though it is chemically tanned, but our Veg tan leather is tanned using vegetation.
We get asked from time to time about producing a box or binder that is as environmentally neutral as possible, but as you see from the above, this is a difficult one to achieve as each has it's own earth impact, so like everything in life, where would you like to make your compromise.
In our opinion, until such time as there are people still nibbling real cheese, butter and eating meat, leather hides will be a waste by-product. Veg tanned leather is more natural than chrome tanned. If real leather is just too much to bear, than Reyon book cloth is our next best offer, but opting for vegan leather certainly isn't a 'green' option as it's made from plastic and certainly not recycled leather either which is leather and plastic.