Frequently Asked Questions
Answered plainly
Sizing and Fit
Two inches larger than your pant waist. A 34 waist takes a 36 belt. That puts you on the middle hole with room in both directions.
Lay a belt you already wear flat. Measure from the fold at the buckle to the hole you actually use, not to the end of the strap. That number in inches is your belt size. Ignore whatever is stamped on the back, which is often the strap length rather than the fit.
Go up, and look at the woven and braided styles. Those have no fixed holes, so the prong sets anywhere along the strap and the fit is exact.
Yes. Extended sizes are a collection of their own, in the same leathers and construction as the rest of the line.
Ask before you buy rather than after. Call or email with your waist size, or tell us about a belt you already like, and we will tell you what to order.
Ordering and Payment
All major credit and debit cards, plus Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Shop Pay.
No. Check out as a guest if you want. An account just saves your details and lets you look up past orders.
Get in touch as fast as you can. Orders go out within 1 to 2 business days, so if we catch it before it ships we will sort it. Once it is with the carrier it becomes a return.
Yes. They are delivered by email and work on anything we sell. If you know he wants something from here but not which one, this is the safe answer.
No. Gift cards are non-returnable, which is standard. The balance stays on the card until it is used.
No. Orders arrive in Kest packaging, which is presentable enough to hand over as it is.
Yes, and they go through us directly rather than the website. Wedding parties, groomsmen, teams, corporate gifts. Call (332) 273-7377 or email made@kestleather.com and tell us what you need.
Shipping
Free on US orders over $100. Below that it is calculated at checkout, and you see the cost before you pay.
We pack and hand orders to the carrier within 1 to 2 business days. Most US orders arrive 2 to 5 business days after that, depending on distance.
UPS and USPS.
Yes. Your tracking number is emailed the moment your order goes out.
Yes, by USPS. UPS cannot deliver to a PO box.
Yes, with one exception below. Rates are calculated at checkout. Duties, taxes and customs charges are set by your country, are not included in what you pay us, and are usually billed by the carrier on delivery.
Genuine exotic skins ship within the US only. Alligator, caiman, crocodile, ostrich, lizard, pirarucu and elephant are protected under CITES, and crossing a border with them takes export permits and often an import permit at the other end. Without the paperwork they can be seized at customs. Embossed calfskin is unaffected and ships anywhere we ship, so if you want the pattern rather than the skin, that is the answer.
No. UPS and USPS no longer guarantee delivery times on expedited services, and if a shipment is delayed by the carrier the expedited charge cannot be refunded. Paying for faster shipping buys a faster service level, not a promised date.
Returns and Exchanges
30 days from delivery to request a return, and we need the item back within 14 days of approving it. It has to be unworn, unaltered, and in its original packaging.
Email made@kestleather.com or call (332) 273-7377 with your order number. We will confirm the item is eligible and send instructions. Do not ship anything back before contacting us.
You do, unless the return is down to our mistake. If an item arrives damaged or is not what you ordered, we cover shipping both ways and send a label.
Yes. Same item, different size. You cover sending the original back and we ship the replacement out free. For a different product, colour, or style, return the first one and place a new order.
For store credit rather than a refund. The same 30 day window and condition rules apply. Store credit does not expire.
For belts, the strap has not been cut or shortened and no extra holes have been punched. Once a belt is sized to you we cannot resell it.
Allow about 7 days from when your return reaches us for inspection. Approved refunds go back to your original payment method within 10 business days of approval.
Products and Materials
Yes. It is full grain Italian calfskin with an exotic pattern pressed into the hide under heat and pressure. The leather is real and only the pattern is borrowed. We never call it an exotic.
Wipe with a dry cloth. Condition smooth leather about twice a year and use very little, because too much conditioner darkens leather permanently. Brush suede rather than oiling it. Store belts rolled or hanging flat, and rotate what you wear.
The maker and the country are listed on every product page.
For anything about a specific leather, alligator against caiman, what a surcingle is, which leathers develop a patina, the collection pages go into detail.
