Refund policy

last updated: 30 september 2026

before returning anything

uncivil clothing (pty) ltd, trading as “uncivil”, sells apparel using the standard designs, colours, sizes and fits displayed on our website.

our products are printed or prepared after an order is placed. this helps us avoid producing piles of unwanted clothing and pretending that waste is fashionable.

being printed on demand does not remove any return, cancellation, refund or warranty right available to you under applicable law. it does mean that, outside those rights, we do not ordinarily accept discretionary returns simply because you changed your mind after the applicable return period.

this policy explains when a product may be returned, how to start a return, who pays the courier costs and what happens after we receive it.

nothing in this policy excludes, restricts or replaces any right available under applicable south african consumer law. if this policy and the law disagree, the law wins. once again, the responsible adult has entered the room.

seven-day online cancellation period

subject to any lawful exception, a customer who purchases goods through our website may cancel the transaction without giving a reason and without penalty within seven days after receiving the goods, as provided for under the electronic communications and transactions act.

you may start the return within the seven-day period by:

signing in to your customer account on our website, selecting the relevant order and following the return steps provided; or
emailing sales@uncivil.co.za with your full name, order number, the product or products you want to return and confirmation that you wish to cancel the purchase.

you do not need to invent a dramatic reason. “i changed my mind” is legally sufficient, although emotionally disappointing.

condition of correctly supplied returns

a correctly supplied product returned under the seven-day cancellation right should be:

unworn, other than being tried on as reasonably necessary to inspect the fit;
unwashed;
unaltered;
free from stains, marks, makeup, deodorant, perfume, smoke, pet hair or other signs of use;
returned with its original tags attached, where applicable; and
returned in its original packaging where reasonably possible.

you may inspect and try on the product in the same reasonable manner that would ordinarily be allowed before purchasing apparel in a physical store.

wearing it to an event, washing it, altering it or using it for content before deciding you suddenly hate it goes beyond reasonable inspection.

where a product has been handled or used beyond what was reasonably necessary to inspect it, we may refuse a voluntary return or make a lawful deduction for any loss in value, where permitted by applicable law.

the absence of original packaging will not automatically remove a statutory return right, provided the product can be securely returned and is otherwise in an appropriate condition.

these requirements will not be used to deny a valid statutory return unfairly.

return courier costs for correctly supplied products

where the correct product was supplied and you are returning it under the seven-day cancellation right, you are responsible for the direct cost of returning it.

once your return has been reviewed, we will email you:

the applicable return instructions;
a courier shipping label;
instructions for printing and attaching the label; and
any packaging, collection or drop-off requirements.

the direct return courier cost will either:

be paid by you before the label is issued; or
be deducted from the refund where this has been communicated to you and is permitted by law.

the applicable return cost will be disclosed before the return is arranged.

please do not send a parcel independently or deliver it to our business address unless we have expressly instructed you to do so.

unannounced parcels create administrative character development that nobody requested.

preparing the return

you must:

package the product securely;
remove or completely cover any previous courier labels;
print the return shipping label supplied by us;
attach the label clearly to the outside of the parcel; and
follow the collection or drop-off instructions included in our email.

if you cannot print the label, tell us before the collection is arranged and we will advise whether another option is available.

please hand the parcel to the designated courier as soon as reasonably possible after receiving the return instructions.

keep any collection confirmation, tracking number or drop-off receipt until the return has been completed.

size or colour exchanges

a correctly supplied product may be exchanged for another available size or colour if:

you start the exchange request within seven days after receiving it;
the returned product meets the condition requirements in this policy; and
the requested replacement is available.

you may start an exchange through your customer account on our website or by emailing sales@uncivil.co.za.

for a correctly supplied product, you are responsible for:

the direct cost of returning the original product; and
the delivery cost of sending the replacement product to you.

we will advise you of these costs before arranging the exchange.

replacement products are subject to availability. because products may be printed after ordering, we cannot guarantee that a requested size, colour or fit will be immediately available.

if the requested replacement is unavailable, you may choose another available option or receive the refund required by applicable law.

an exchange does not reserve stock until the exchange has been approved and any applicable costs have been paid.

apparently choosing a size remains a group project between you, the size guide and reality.

returns outside the seven-day period

after the applicable statutory cancellation period has expired, we do not ordinarily accept returns or exchanges for a correctly supplied product merely because:

you changed your mind;
you selected the wrong size, colour, fit or design;
the product no longer suits your plans;
someone else did not like it; or
you expected it to fix something it was never qualified to fix.

this position helps reduce unnecessary waste and losses associated with products printed or prepared after an order is placed.

this limitation does not apply where:

the product is defective, unsafe or not of acceptable quality;
the wrong product was supplied;
the order arrived damaged, incomplete or materially different from its description;
another statutory return or cancellation right applies; or
we agree otherwise in writing.

sale and discounted products

sale, promotional and discounted products are not eligible for any additional voluntary return or exchange merely because they were purchased at a reduced price.

they remain covered by all return, cancellation, quality and warranty rights required by applicable law.

a discount reduces the price. it does not reduce the law.

incorrect products

a product is incorrectly supplied where it does not match the design, product type, colour, size or fit confirmed in your order.

if you receive an incorrect product, start a return through your customer account or contact sales@uncivil.co.za as soon as reasonably possible.

please provide:

your order number;
a description of the problem;
clear photographs of the product received;
a photograph of its size or product label, where relevant; and
photographs of the packaging, where reasonably available.

once the issue has been verified, uncivil will arrange and pay for the reasonable return courier cost and provide an appropriate replacement, refund or other remedy in accordance with applicable law.

damaged deliveries

please inspect your parcel and products after delivery.

if a parcel or product arrives damaged, start a return through your customer account or contact sales@uncivil.co.za as soon as reasonably possible.

notifying us within 48 hours may help us investigate courier damage more effectively, but failing to do so within 48 hours will not automatically remove a right provided by law.

please include:

your order number;
a description of the damage;
photographs of the external parcel;
photographs of the courier label;
photographs of the internal packaging; and
clear photographs of the damaged product.

please retain the product and all packaging while the matter is being investigated.

where the damage occurred before delivery or was caused by uncivil, a production partner or a courier acting on our behalf, uncivil will arrange and pay the reasonable return courier cost.

depending on the circumstances and your applicable rights, we will provide a repair, replacement, refund or another appropriate remedy.

defective products and the statutory warranty

products supplied by uncivil must comply with the quality standards and implied warranty requirements imposed by applicable consumer law.

a product may be defective or fail to meet those standards if, among other things, it:

is materially flawed or unsafe;
is not reasonably suitable for the ordinary purpose for which apparel of that type is generally used;
is not of the quality reasonably expected from its description; or
fails prematurely during normal use despite being cared for appropriately.

where the consumer protection act applies, qualifying defective goods may generally be returned within six months after delivery without penalty and at the supplier’s risk and expense.

subject to the act and the circumstances of the claim, the customer may be entitled to a repair, replacement or refund.

where a repaired product fails again within the statutory period applicable after repair, further rights may apply.

nothing in this policy limits those rights.

what is not ordinarily considered a defect

subject to applicable law, a defect does not ordinarily include:

normal wear and tear;
damage caused by misuse, neglect or an accident after delivery;
damage caused by washing, drying, ironing or treating the product contrary to its care instructions;
deliberate alterations or unauthorised repairs;
ordinary fading or deterioration caused by repeated wear and washing;
damage caused by incorrect storage;
selecting the wrong size, colour, design or fit;
minor colour differences caused by screens, lighting, photography or display settings; or
personal dissatisfaction unrelated to the product’s quality, safety, description or performance.

we will assess every reported defect reasonably and in accordance with applicable law.

calling something “a manufacturing defect” does not automatically make it one, but we will still look.

return costs where uncivil is responsible

uncivil will cover the reasonable return courier cost where a return is required because:

the wrong product was supplied;
the product was damaged before or during delivery;
the order was incomplete;
the product is defective or does not meet applicable statutory quality standards; or
the return is necessary because of an error by uncivil, a production partner or a courier acting on our behalf.

we will provide the shipping label and return instructions.

if you use another courier or arrange a return without our prior approval, we may not reimburse costs exceeding the reasonable cost of the return method we would have arranged, unless the alternative expense was reasonably necessary.

assessment of returned products

once a returned product is received, we may inspect it to confirm:

its identity;
its condition;
whether it matches the product originally supplied;
whether it has been worn, washed, altered or damaged after delivery;
the nature and cause of any reported defect or damage; and
the remedy required under applicable law.

an assessment will not remove or unreasonably delay a statutory right.

if further information is required, we may contact you using the email address or telephone number associated with the order.

refunds

approved refunds will generally be initiated within 7–10 business days after the returned product has been received and inspected.

where a statutory deadline applies, the refund will be processed within that deadline. this includes the requirement under the electronic communications and transactions act to make an applicable refund within 30 days after a valid cancellation.

a change-of-mind refund will include all amounts required by law. where the entire qualifying transaction is cancelled, this may include the original standard delivery charge.

the direct cost of returning a correctly supplied product remains the customer’s responsibility.

additional delivery charges resulting from an upgraded or specially requested delivery method may not be refundable beyond the amount legally required.

refunds are ordinarily made to the original payment method.

once initiated, the time taken for the funds to appear may depend on your bank, card issuer or payment provider.

we cannot refund a different card, a cousin’s account or whatever arrangement seemed convenient that afternoon.

partial returns

if an order contains more than one product, you may return only the qualifying product or products concerned.

the amount refunded will be calculated according to the products returned, any discount allocation and the amounts required by law.

the original delivery charge may not be refundable for a partial return unless applicable law requires otherwise.

gifts

refunds are ordinarily issued to the original payment method used by the purchaser.

if you received the product as a gift, we may offer an exchange or store credit where appropriate and legally permitted, but we cannot redirect a monetary refund without appropriate verification and authorisation.

cancelling an order before dispatch

if you want to change or cancel an order before it has been dispatched, contact sales@uncivil.co.za immediately.

we will try to stop the order where reasonably possible.

because printing or preparation may begin shortly after payment is confirmed, we cannot guarantee that a requested change can be made before dispatch.

if production or dispatch cannot be stopped, your statutory cancellation and return rights remain available where applicable.

urgency is helpful. telepathy remains unsupported.

refused or uncollected deliveries

refusing a parcel or failing to collect it does not automatically complete a cancellation or return request.

you should start a return through your customer account or contact sales@uncivil.co.za if you intend to cancel or return an order.

where a correctly supplied parcel is returned because delivery was refused, missed repeatedly, left uncollected or could not be completed due to incorrect information supplied by you, reasonable return, redelivery or address-correction costs may be charged or deducted where permitted by law.

no such cost will be charged where the failed delivery resulted from an error by uncivil or a courier acting on our behalf.

refunds obtained through payment disputes

please contact us before initiating a payment dispute or chargeback so that we have a reasonable opportunity to investigate and resolve the issue.

this does not prevent you from exercising any right available through your bank, payment provider or applicable law.

submitting a payment dispute containing false or misleading information may constitute fraud.

being annoyed is allowed. inventing facts is not.

how to request a return

you may start a return in either of the following ways:

through your customer account

you may be asked to select the product concerned, choose the type of request and provide supporting information or photographs where relevant.

by email

email sales@uncivil.co.za and include:

your full name;
your order number;
the product concerned;
whether you want a return, exchange, replacement or another remedy;
the reason for the request, unless you are exercising a right that does not require one; and
photographs or supporting information where the product is damaged, defective, incomplete or incorrect.

once the request has been reviewed, we will email you the applicable return instructions and courier shipping label.

starting a return request does not mean that every requested remedy is automatically approved, but it does not limit any right or remedy available to you under applicable law.

do not send or deliver a product before receiving the return instructions.

following the steps is considerably easier than sending us a parcel and hoping we understand the plot.