Frequently Asked Questions

Please read our FAQ before sending us a message.

We offer free shipping on orders over $70 for Canada and USA. Under $70, the following fees apply:
Standard Shipping with Canada Post is $10.00.
Expedited shipping with a Courier Service is $15.00.
For shipping to the USA we charge $15.00, only possible with Canada Post/USPS.
For international shipping, we charge $20, only possible with Canada Post.
Yes, for Canadian and USA orders we always use tracked shipments. The tracking information will be shared with you by email, once the shipment has been processed.
For international shipping we try to use tracking where possible, but in some cases this is not possible (South Africa eg).
Yes, that is possible. At our discretion we use our Amazon stock to fulfill orders from our website as well. This means the order that you placed here may get shipped by Amazon.
Within Canada:
Standard Shipping (Canada Post): 2-10 business days, depending on your location within Canada.
Expedited Shipping (Courier Service): 1-5 business days, depending on your location within Canada.
USA shipments: 3-10 business days, depending on your location within the US.
For international orders: 5-28 business days. We use tracked small packet shipments from Canada Post,
which will hand over your shipment to the local Postal Service of your country.
Currently we accept PayPal and credit card (MasterCard, Visa). We also accept Apple Pay and Chrome Pay.
All Canadian orders are subject to GST/HST. All Quebec orders are subject to GST and QST. International orders are tax free.
Yes. The payment page is secured with the industry's standard SSL encryption, which protects your sensitive data. Furthermore, your payment information is not stored on our servers. This information is only transmitted to our processor Stripe to process your payment.
When your payment has cleared we will process your order, meaning we will pack and send the order. You can check the status of your order by logging into your account with the details you have used to sign up. You will also receive an email (receipt) after placing your order and another email once it has been completed (with invoice). If you ordered as a guest, you cannot follow the status of your order on our webshop, but you will still receive the emails.
Yes. The invoice will be emailed to you after you order has been processed. If you have registered for an account, you will also have access to your invoice in your account at the orders overview page.
Yes! Please, read our FREE Return Policy page for all the details.
We offer a 90 day warranty on all our sunglasses. The warranty applies to manufacturing defects. Examples: popped lenses, broken hinges, broken frames or damaged during transport. Not covered under warranty are abused, heavily used sunglasses or scratched lenses. To return your sunglasses for warranty, please read more on our warranty page.
Yes, this is possible. Some countries charge an import fee and/or tax. This is not covered in the shipping price. We have no control over this. If you want to be sure beforehand, we recommend checking your country's import regulations for consumers before placing your order.

The sunglasses have been shipped with a microfiber pouch. Because it is made of microfibers, it is ultra soft and doubles as a lens cleaner. If the pouch is dirty, simply wash it in the washing machine. Please, note that you should not use a laundry softener, because this will destroy the microfibers.

No, wood cannot bend, it breaks.

Wood sunglasses are more sensitive than plastic or metal alternatives, simply because thin carved wood is more fragile. Wood cannot bend, so excessive force (such as body weight) will most certainly break the sunglasses. We recommend against sitting on them, putting them in your pocket, bringing them along in your backpack or purse without using the hard case to protect them.

The sunglasses are supplied with either a bamboo hard case, or a textile hard case to protect them. With proper care and storage inside the hard case, your sunglasses should last for many years to come.

Yes, wood is a natural product, so it is possible that it changes color over time or by influence of the elements. Sometimes wood tends to become more yellow-ish, in other cases it can fade a bit.

The sunglasses are varnished to protect them against humidity and rain. The varnish also protects against UV rays and therefore possible change of color. Regular wear will not really have a tremendous effect on the color of your sunglasses, but we do recommend to not leave your sunglasses underneath the windshield of your car for example. The direct sunlight and heat can damage the materials and make the colors fade quicker than with regular wear.

UVA and UVB radiation are two types of ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun. Each has their own wavelength and their own damaging effects on the skin and eyes. The UV400 label effectively means that all wavelengths of up to 400 nanometer are blocked by the filter in the lens. Up to 400 nanometer includes UVA and UVB radiation, so this means your eyes are safe from damage when wearing GOWOOD sunglasses.

The sun also emits UVC radiation, but this is already blocked by the ozone layer. As a result sunglasses do not protect against UVC radiation. UVC radiation is commonly used for disinfecting purposes, such as a UVC lights to kill bacteria.

In simple terms you could compare polarization with vertical or horizontal window blinds. Inside the lens there are these blinds effectively blocking a part of the light transmission. The effect is that highly reflecting objects become less reflective and therefore less blinding. Think of windows, water or snow that normally reflects sunlight directly into your eyes, which will now look less glaring / blinding, making it calmer for the eyes and most importantly safer in traffic for example, or on the water, or while skiing or boarding. Because the blinds are really narrow it doesn't block the view, but it's enough for the glare to be minimized.

Polarization is for many a minimum requirement for sunglasses as they believe this is what protects your eyes. The reality is that the real protection (from damage that is) comes from the UV400 filter. Because polarization is especially important in traffic, GOWOOD sunglasses all come polarized.

The side effect of having polarized lenses is that it can darken your phone's screen sometimes. This the result of the phone's screen emitting its light in a certain horizontal or vertical manner. As a result, if you rotate the sunglasses, you will notice that the screen of your phone will turn black, at which point no light transmission is able to come through.

The same trick applies to verify whether or not your sunglasses are in fact polarized: if you hold two polarized pairs in front of each other and rotate one of them, the lenses will turn black at the point where no light can be transmitted through both lenses. If this happens, you know that both sunglasses are in fact polarized.

GOWOOD sunglasses are produced specifically for sunglasses lenses without any prescription in them. This means that the groove inside the frame is allowing only for one thickness: the thickness of the sunglasses lens. (This varies between 1 and 2 mm.)

Normally RX glasses allow for various lens thickness. However, if you would like to add prescription (RX) lenses into a GOWOOD frame, your optometrist can carve the lenses so that they will have a single width outer edge. Not every optometrist can do it, but if you shop around a little, you will find one that can. Existing GOWOOD customers have done it before!

In some cases yes! If you have accidentally broken your sunglasses, please contact us and we will be happy to see if we can repair them for you.

Wearing the sunglasses and folding the legs in and out, can cause the legs to become somewhat looser over time. Proper maintenance is required to prevent the legs from becoming too loose, to the point that they become uncomfortable or that they will break.

Use a mini philips screwdriver to tighten the screw on the top side of the hinge. Because our sunglasses are fitted with spring loaded hinges, it is not recommended to tighten the screw all the way. It will block the spring from being able to move freely. Therefore, tighten the screw till the end, but then turn back a half turn for the optimal position. Repeat this process every couple of months, or as needed.

In most cases we do, but we are not always in stock for all styles. It is best to contact us directly to inquire.

To remove the lenses out of the frame you must push the lens into a forward direction. So if you would be wearing the sunglasses, the lens needs to be pushed out of the frame away from your face. To do so, put your two thumbs on the inside of the lens near the nose area/bridge and increase pressure until the lens pops out in the corner. Then you can gently remove the lens entirely.

To install the new lens you must go into the same direction, so pushing the lens forward again. You first push/slide the lens into the groove at the nose and hold it in place there, while you push the lens into the groove around the rest of the frame. The last part can be a bit tricky, but it’s ok to put quite some pressure. The lens will not get damaged from it.

The lenses are cut so they fit tightly into the front frame's groove (slightly bigger than the space inside the frame). In some cases it can happen that a lens gets accidentally popped out of the frame. If the groove is still in good shape and the lens is not damaged, it's easy to pop the lens back in.

It is best to remove the lens fully first by pushing out all the way. You do this by pushing it forward, so if you would be wearing the sunglasses, you'd be pushing the lens forward. To reinstall the lens you must go into the same direction, so pushing the lens forward again. You first push/slide the lens into the groove at the nose (bridge end) and hold it in place there, while you push the lens into the groove around the rest of the frame. The last part can be a bit tricky, but it’s ok to put quite some pressure. The lens will not get damaged from the pressure.

Yes, we do. Your sunglasses are covered with a warranty of 90 days. Regular wear and tear is not covered. Examples of coverage: sunglasses that arrive with a scratched lens, a chipped temple, got damaged during transport, broken hinges or frames without reason or impact. Your warranty can be extended to 180 days if you register your purchase with us. If you experience a problem with your purchase, always contact us with your order ID and we will be more than happy to resolve any problem you may experience. Your satisfaction is really our priority. More information regarding warranty can be found here.
Yes, they are. All sunglasses are either varnished or stained to protect it against rain and humidity. Any sweat or rain drops will not damage the wood.
Swimming with wood sunglasses is generally not recommended, but it can be done if some care is taken. The wood is protected with a varnish or stain, so it is not immediately damaged in contact with water. Extended exposure to (salt) water can still damage the wood in the long term, however. As a result, if you do swim with your GOWOODs, we generally recommend not to go under water for extended periods of time. The occasional dive will not damage the frame.
TAC stands for Tri Acetate Cellulose. With modern technology, these lenses are very thin with 0.7 - 1 mm final width and are ultralight as a result, while still being able to contain several layers. For example, it contains the polarization, the UV400, possible anti-reflective layers and possibly a mirror coating. Sunglasses in the price range of GOWOOD commonly are fitted with TAC lenses, because of the attractive price/value proposition. Polarization for example is an expensive extra layer, which in TAC can be done cost effectively. The downside of TAC is that for the mirror type of lenses, the quality is somewhat instable. GOWOOD has gone through several TAC lens suppliers and we learned the hard way that there is always a small % where the mirror effect fades over time without any real reason. If this is the case for your sunglasses, you can make use of your warranty by contacting us.

CR39 stands for Columbia Resin #39, which is the 39th formula of a thermosetting plastic. The material is actually called Allyl Diglycol Carbonate. You can read more details about this material on the wikipedia page.

CR39 is a higher quality material used for sunglasses lenses. It is significantly more expensive, especially if the lens needs to be polarized as well. Because of the intermittent instable quality for TAC mirrored lenses, we have swapped out our mirrored lenses for CR39. As a result the mirror effect lenses that GOWOOD offers now have a more stable quality. Because of the price tag, most sunglasses manufacturers offer CR39 lenses which are not polarized. Not us, our CR39 lenses are still polarized, just as you'd expect.
Traditionally GOWOOD sunglasses that have wooden temples only are made with a polycarbonate front frame. We are in process of swapping out the polycarbonate front frames for acetate front frames instead.

Acetate is a plastic type which is derived from raw plant material and needs little chemicals to become the end product. As a result, it is hypo-allergenic and can (eventually) decompose.

Polycarbonate instead is made from pallets which require a fair amount of chemicals to become a plastic. If disposed of incorrectly, it will not decompose in nature. As a result, acetate is a small, but valuable step towards a more greener approach of producing our sunglasses.

Another reason for us to switch to acetate is the fact that it is much less likely to break. Acetate is softer than polycarbonate, so if your sunglasses drop there will be a less likely chance that the frame will break. Instead, your frame may get a small dent, but it will stay in tact. If you'd like to read more on the subject of our approach towards using reneweable sources for our production, as well as some more information about acetate, you can do so on our blog article about natural resources.
Yes, you sure can. In fact, we recommend it. A transparent film-type screen protector will protect your phone from scratches and finger prints. Your phone case will not be in the way of applying a screen protector.
Polycarbonate is a polymer plastic type, which is known to be very light and strong. It is, in many cases, used to create the base of your phone case. It has a snug fit around your phone and it will protect your phone from impact. We have recently swapped our phone cases to not only be made from PC, but with an added bumper of TPU. This combination is the going standard for phone cases, for optimal protection.
TPU stands for Thermoplastic Polyurethane, which is a soft rubber type of plastic. It is commonly used on phone cases to create a bumper which absorbs any possible impact.

Yes, wood is a natural product, so it is possible that it changes color over time or by influence of the elements. Sometimes wood tends to become more yellow-ish, in other cases it can fade a bit.

The phone cases are varnished to protect them against humidity and rain. The same varnish protects against UV radiation, therefore possible change of color. Regular wear will not really have a tremendous effect on the color of your case, but we do recommend to not leave your case in direct sunlight for extended periods of time. Your phone will not be happy with it, but it will also affect the case.

Always remember that wood is a natural product. It is more sensitive than for example plastic or metal. Take this into consideration when you use your wood phone case and always treat them gently. It is for instance not recommended to put your phone with case in the same pocket as your keys, as keys can scratch the backside of your case.
It is common that the engraving differs from one case to the next. This is no reason for concern. This is a direct result of the wood itself being slightly different; some parts of the wood take engraving very well, other parts less. There is simply no way we can influence this, it is mother nature who decides. Plus, the engraving will darken over time. So, if there is any difference in lightness or darkness, it will simply equalize once the phone case is in use.
Yes, we do. Your phone case is covered with a warranty of 90 days. Regular wear and tear is not covered. Examples of coverage: broken corners of the polycarbonate, the wood backside coming loose from the case, or pieces of wood coming loose. Your warranty can be extended to 180 days if you register your purchase with us. If you experience a problem with your purchase, always contact us with your order ID and we will be more than happy to resolve any problem you may experience. Your satisfaction is really our priority. More information regarding warranty can be found here.
No, at this point in time, we will stick to iPhone and Samsung only.
No, the watch is not waterproof and you cannot swim with it. It is only protected against regular day to day splashes, so for example doing the dishes or walking in rain. Getting it a bit wet will not harm your watch. The wood is protected with a varnish so it will not get damaged for a few drops of water.
Between 25 and 34 months. Generally replacement is required approximately every 2 years.
The backside of the dial (the cover) is attached with four small screws. Remove the screws with a philips screwdriver. It will show the mechanism in which the battery is placed. With a mini flat screwdriver now remove the battery out of the mechanism. Make sure to purchase the same battery to replace it. Battery type is: SR626SW or SR616SW. The battery type is written on the battery itself.
Battery type depends on which batch of watches you have purchased from. Presently, there are two battery types in use: SR626SW and SR616SW. To know which battery applies to your watch, check the battery itself. It is always written on it. We usually have a few batteries spare in stock, so you can always ask us. Alternatively, they are also for sale on Amazon. Go here for the SR626SW and here for the SR616SW.
The first thing to check is if your battery is empty. Read above how to replace it. If your watch is still not working, please contact us. You have warranty on your watch and we will either repair or replace it.
Yes, we do. Your watch is covered with a limited warranty of 1 year. It means that only factory defects are covered. Not covered is regular wear and tear. Examples of coverage: the watch stopped working while the battery is still good. Example of something that is not covered: getting stuck with your wristband somewhere and as a result it damaged the dial.

Your warranty can be extended to 1.5 years if you register your purchase with us. In all cases, if you experience a problem with your purchase, always contact us with your order ID and we will be more than happy to resolve any problem you may have. Your satisfaction is our priority. More information regarding warranty can be found here.
Always remember that wood is a natural product. It is much softer than metal, hence more sensitive to damage. Take this into consideration when you use your wood watch and always treat them gently.
No, you don't. The varnish will stay in place to protect it, so unless you would like to change color, we generally recommend against it.
Our latest generation chargers can go up to 15W. However, the actual delivered output is dependant on which device is being charged. If a device does not allow for more than 7.5W for example, it will only charge at 7.5W.

In reality, there are very little devices that can charge at the full 15W. iPhones charge at 7.5W and Samsung phones commonly (fast) charge at 10W.
For fast charge to be activated, it is important that a 2.0 or 3.0 Quick Charge (QC) adapter is connected to the USB cable, and then plugged in an electricity socket. Connecting the charger via USB into your computer for example does not provide sufficient power to activate quick charge mode.

Please, note that most iPhones do not come with a powerful enough adapter. (Some exceptions apply). This means that in most cases a separate QC adapter will need to be purchased to be able to charge at the maximum possible power output.
Magsafe is a system for iPhone 12 and up where magnets will push the phone into the perfect position to charge wirelessly. For that to work correctly, magnets will need to be assembled inside the charger as well, so that the magnets will attach to each other.

Our chargers are not equipped with magnets, so you will have to place the iPhone centrally on the charger manually and verify on your screen or with the charger's LED light if in fact your phone is charging.

In other words, yes, your iPhone is still compatible with our chargers. The phone will still be charged, despite our chargers not being fitted with magnets.
Our latest generation charger has only one color LED light: green. The following different indications are possible:
GREEN constant: charging
GREEN flashing: obstruction
GREEN off: completed the charge

The LED light will also go on for one second after the charger is plugged. Verify if it does and it will tell you that it is ready to charge your device.
Drip charge mode will automatically be activated if the phone or device is left on the charger while fully charged. It will drip charge the device to keep the battery fully charged.
Metal and magnets that are in between the charging coil and the device will obstruct the charge. (Do not worry about magsafe magnets). Think of metal cases, metal rings or magnets on the outside of the case to attach the phone to a car mount, as well as wallet type of cases holding a bank card. If the charge is obstructed, the green LED light will start flashing. Make sure to remove all metal and magnets and the charge should work correctly.
GOWOOD phone cases are compatible with the charger and can stay fitted around the phone while charging. If you own another brand's phone case, it is a general rule of thumb that the case cannot be thicker than 5mm for the charge to work. If the phone case is thicker, the charge will have trouble to get through. Remove the case for the charge to work correctly.

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