FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions!

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1) When is your next sale? Join our mailing list and be the first to know! 

2) Which size jar should I buy? 

• SMALL JARS: If you have access to loose/bulk spices at a natural food store, we recommend using the small jars and refilling them often.  Then, your spices will always be fresh and will improve the quality of your cooking. If you do not have a bulk spice section at your grocery store, you can buy small size appropriate refills from us! Small jars hold a shy 1/4 cup volume of spice.
• LARGE JARS: If you cook a lot, then go with our larger jars! (A lot means you'll use over 1/2 cup of spice within a year).  Large jars are similar to a typical grocery store container, and are a good option if you'll be transferring from standard spice containers. We also sell large spice refills here.
• Many people use a combination of small and large jars. 

3) What size jar should I buy if I'm transferring grocery store spices? Our large jars will work well for transfer of traditional grocery bottles. However, promise me you'll give your spices a sniff, and make sure they are worthy of transferring! If you don't smell much, it's time for fresh spices.

4) How do I get a jar out of the middle of the honeycomb pattern? It's easy to wiggle your fingers around the jar and take it out of the middle (Watch our video!). Depending on how you arrange the jars, the majority of jars can be grabbed the edge of the design (for example, in set of 24 jars, the most you'll ever have is 10 jars in the "middle" of the honeycomb). We get this question all the time, and so far no one has ever come back to complain about this being an inconvenience.

5) Can't I just DIY a similar system? Sure! That's how we made our first spice rack in 2009. However, here are the additional benefits you'll get from purchasing our system.  

• The Look! We custom manufacture our jars to give you a crystal clear view of your spices. Commercially available jars have mold #s on the jar bottom—interrupting your view of the spices and getting in the way of applying labels. 
• Food Safe! Certified food-safe stainless steel magnet covers separate spices and magnets, prolonging the life of your magnets and protecting your spices. 
• Personalized! Custom hand-stamping make Gneiss Spice jars unique. If you purchase our filled jars or personalized empty jars, we hand-emboss the lids with your choice of names.
• Time Saving! For your DIY project, you'll need to figure out the correct magnet size and strength to work with your jars. (Not to mention the time to put it together). Save even more time buy purchasing one of our pre-filled, super fresh organic spice kits! 
• Support Women-Owned / Operated Small Business! Three women make Gneiss Spice work! We pay fair wages, invest in our community and donate at least 5% of profits to charities focusing on food sustainability and equality issues.
• Customer Service! And most importantly, when you have an issue with your spice jars, you have someone (me!) to turn to for help. 

6) Do you have shaker lids available? TBA! We are currently working on a shaker top insert to be used with the large spice jars. When available, this will be offered as an add-on item.

7) What is the best way to refill my new empty jars? Watch our FAQ video! We use a piece of paper as a funnel to refill jars easily and with no clean up!

8) When should I replace my spices? Ground spices should be used in about 1 year. Whole spices will last about 2 years.  To tell if your spices are fresh enough to use—give them a sniff! If they still smell delicious, use them. If not, it's time to compost them and refill your jars.  Cooking is an act of love, don't ruin it with stale spices!

9) Are your spice really certified organic? Yes! Not only that, they are ethically and sustainably harvested. And, most important, they are super fresh and the absolute best quality you can buy. Click here to read about where we source our spices and herbs. A few of our options we cannot find organically, and this information will be listed on the individual listing.

10) What about gluten-freee? Yes! No additives are used in any spices.

11) And Kosher? Most spices are kosher and are listed on the individual listing details here. 

12) Do I need to wash my jars before filling with spices? We work in a certified food-safe kitchen, and practice the highest sanitation standards. Your jars and lids are handled carefully, and are sent to you ready to use! Happy Cooking!

13) How many jars can I fit on a wall plate?

• 6x8-inch plate: 13 small jars
• 10x12-inch plate: 28 small jars or 18 large jars
• 12x15-inch plate: 50 small jars or 30 large jars
• 14x14-inch plate: 50 small jars or 30 large jars
• 12x15-inch plate: 50 small jars or 30 large jars
• 20x10-inch plate: 60 small jars or 32 large jars

14) Do you ship internationally? Yes! For most locations, we use DHL International Express. For all orders over $99, our international shipping prices are discounted at least 40%, since all of our domestic customers enjoy free shipping! 

International packages are shipped DDU (Delivered Duties Unpaid). Depending on your country, you may have to pay customs fees to receive your parcel.  Our international shipping prices are discounted well below our actual costs, and we hope this will help compensate for any fees you may have to pay for delivery. Read shop policies here.

15) Holiday Shipping Deadlines 2019: Obviously, the sooner the better! It will give us time to deal with any delivery issues that may occur. In general:

• Ready to Ship Items: December 19th 
• Custom Spice Kits: December 16th 
• International Orders: December 12th

16) What is your return policy? Read our shop policies here. We want you to be 100% in love with your new spice jars, so please contact us regarding any issues, and we will happily make it right!

17) My jars are sliding, what can I do?  Please contact us directly at beth@gneissspice.com, and we will work with you to figure out a solution.