frequently asked questions
our urns and customizations
current production time?
these urns currently take approximately 2 - 7 days to make, a little more time if the item is not one we have on our shelves or if you are ordering on the of the larger urns with a stamp. We keep hundreds of urns partially made on our production shelves, waiting for your order to be placed so we can finish the order with your customizations. this allows us to sometimes be able to ship out the urns very quickly after the order is placed, sometimes only requiring a single firing in the kiln. feel free to send us a message to see if the urn you are interested in (size, color, stamp) is one that we have ready to just add the final customization to. If we do have to make the urn, generally it will only take us 1 week. shipping transit time is in addition to the production time.
how do I place my custom order?
visit the "how to order page". basically, once you have chosen the appropriate urn size and shape you can begin customizing by selecting 'personalize your custom urn here' button within the listing.
if you are not interested in a custom urn, go to our 'ready-made' page for a rotating collection of ready to order urns. (this section will be empty if they are sold out)
if you are hoping for a design that is not offered on this modernpotteryurn.com website, we can suggest visiting the vitrifiedstudio etsy shop to view our wheel thrown / hand stamped urns. the design tool for those urns allows for a different level of customization than can be achieved with this site. the design elements / glazes/ fonts / custom stamp options are not interchangeable between the two shops.
how do I choose the right urn size?
ash volume is measured in cubic inches (length x width x height) - if you are unable to measure volume, we recommend asking the crematorium or funeral home for a size recommendation. ash volume can vary so we are unable to predict and urn size based on weight of the ashes or pre-cremation weight. 
what if my custom text isn't formatted correctly on my mock up, will it print exactly as shown?
some custom combinations are shown with the lines too close together in our personalization tool. we review every order before printing and creating your vessel. if your text lines are too close together, we will reformat to a legible distance. feel free to write in a note with your order, if you had a simple special request for the text. We cannot take custom requests for the stamps or glazes.
where do I find example of other custom urns?
for urn design examples please visit the gallery page. infant urn gallery and pet urn gallery
our instagram @vitrifiedstudio, there is a mix of my etsy shop listings and modern pottery urn shop listings. the designs are specific to each site, and the fonts and design details cannot be mixed on the two shop platforms
how do I seal the urn? what is a locking lid?
the urns found in this website shop are designed with a locking lid. this locking lid can also be permanently sealed shut with the tube of clear silicone sealant provided, or left unsealed. some customers choose to place the ashes into a small bag within the urn. we include a tube of clear silicone sealant. it is a clear silicone sealant that is thick to apply, dries clear, and is easy to clean up and wipe excess of the urn. you do not need to use the sealant, but it can be used to permanently seal the lid shut. we can ship the urn directly to the funeral home or crematorium if you would like, and often they can provide a service to add the ashes and seal the urn.
ordering and shipping
I need my order quickly, what can I do?
- standard production lead time is currently 2-7 days (plus shipping transit time). This will be longer for the larger urns with the stamps. It will also be longer with weekends or holidays.
- ready-made urns ship within 1-3 days (plus shipping transit time) (these are found in the ready made shop section)
shipping speed is selected at checkout.
urns are made in the order that the transactions are received.
we will notify you of any delays with your order. due to the unpredictable nature of handmade custom pottery, delays are possible.
how is the urn packaged?
we typically ship the urns tightly packed in a box with starch packing peanuts. These biodegradable peanuts can mostly dissolve in water. foam wrap is used for the lids and also for larger quantity orders to keep the urns safe from bumping into each other. we use recyclable boxes and paper.
what are the custom charges?
for international customers, your own country's post office may charge a duty fee/ customs tax/ import fee. we cannot predict how much this will be, but it can be significant. some countries require you pay this during check out, and you will see a line item for it, and other countries will charge you for it when you pick it up at the post office. please keep an eye on the tracking, for a notification that your item is ready to pick up at the post office. if you do not pick up the item, the post office may return the item to us. often the tracking number can be used at your own country’s post office website, and that might have more detailed tracking information when the package crosses the border into your country.
*do you accept returns or exchanges?
custom made urns cannot be returned unless we have made an error on the urn (small blemishes and small imperfections are not considered an error, but are an expected part of the handmade process)
contact me within: 3 days of delivery
ship items back within: 14 days of delivery
request a cancellation within: 2 days of purchase
we don't accept exchanges. but please contact us if you have any problems with your order.
conditions of return: buyers are responsible for return shipping costs. If the item is not returned in its original condition, the buyer is responsible for any loss in value.
custom items cannot be returned but we will remake the urns for any mistakes or breakage during shipping. for a remake, the design details cannot be altered, and the remake will match the original details of order. customers pay for the return shipping on any urns that they send back to me. blemishes can be a part of the handmade results, see the section on blemishes below. as the urns are fully handmade, sometimes mistakes are made. please contact us to discuss, we do want the customer to be fully satisfied.
what if my urn has imperfections?
handmade one of a kind pottery is very beautiful, but it is possible to have small imperfections and blemishes. The urns sold in this online shop are all slip cast by hand using molds made of wheel thrown pottery. The urns made using the slip cast process are in general more uniform than the wheel thrown pottery, but there is still a change for imperfections and small blemishes.
please email us if you have any concerns when you receive your urn. We will remake an urn for errors in the customizations, but not for the typical small blemishes from the handmade process.
do you offer local pick up?
at this time, we do not offer local pick up and do not have an in-person shop or show room. we are a small studio located in Portland Oregon, and we do not keep regular hours. It generally takes longer to arrange a local pick up time, than it would take to just ship the item locally.
disclaimer: photos of finished custom items
we photograph a small portion of the finished urns from each batch of orders. these images are used to record some of the outstanding finished urns and inspire customers as they are designing their own urns. the designs have all evolved over time, starting with the first urns we have made becoming the first listings, and we continued to share the urn photos as they changed over time. we usually share up to 3-5 urns from each batch of finished work, and many customers are proud to see their custom urn shared. if you do not want your urn to be photographed and shared, please let me know when you order. we am happy to not photograph it at all.