FAQ
This page includes a brief overview, an FAQ covering the most frequently received messages that we no longer respond to, and everything you need to know about quotes, slots, or how our commission process works.
If you're looking for more information, we suggest reading our General Price Guide, Costume Care Guide, or TOS for more details!
Due to the volume of messages we receive, we are no longer able to answer those pertaining to what is already covered in our FAQ. We apologize for the inconvenience! If this section is too long for you, try using Ctrl+F or the in-site search bar to find the topic you want to know about.
Check our "Openings, Events, and Queue" page (under the Commission Info & FAQ dropdown) to see our next opening date!
WHY SHOULD YOU COMMISSION US?
We have fantastic customer service!
Everyone we've worked with has been astounded by our quick response times during the commissioning process, willingness to work with our customers, and ability to go above and beyond to make sure they love what they've ordered. We have a 24-hour response time expectation with a three-day response time guarantee, although you will generally hear back from us within a few hours. We are happy to help you and appreciate your interest in our business!
CFStudios was founded by a professionally trained costume artist with relevant experience in the field. Our lead fabricator was formally trained with a degree in Entertainment Design and had the privilege of working for places such as the Jim Henson Company, Sesame Workshop, Legendary, Scarehouse, Riot Games, Sony, E3, and more! With over twelve years of costume making experience, we guarantee your project is in good hands.
We're a small family business run by two best friends with a dream. We love what we do, and our favorite part is being able to help people believe in something fun and outrageous, even just for a moment. So let yourself believe! We've learned so much and can't wait to see what's next for us. Help support our endeavors and we'll continue to provide the one-of-a-kind costumes you know and love!
FAQ
Who or what is Tahoe Banshees? Where did all your armor and traditional costumes go?
Tahoe Banshees is the rebranding of CFStudios' traditional costuming, props, armor, fantasy costumes, creature suits, and event performance offerings, and is a second business name that the owners of CFStudios are licensed to operate under with CFStudios acting as the parent company. This business name distinction is intended to better cater to specific audiences, and both business names are still owned by the same people; likewise, orders for both business names are worked on by the same core team.
Over time CFStudios has become so heavily associated with mascot costumes and the furry community that we have found conflicting interests among fans of our mascot work and fans of our film industry / event performance work; as such, we have made the decision to move the galleries, purchasing / booking information, and pricing for our traditional costumes, fantasy costumes, props, armor, creature suits, and event performance / professional cosplay over to the online presence Tahoe Banshees. We have not stopped making these items and they are indeed still made by the same people, so if you're interested in costumes and props that aren't directly fursuit or mascot related, check out Tahoe Banshees and we'd be happy to discuss an order with you! https://www.tahoebanshees.com/
Since both business names operate under the same parent company, CFStudios is still able to help you with orders containing items now associated with the Tahoe Banshees brand; these items will just be found on Tahoe Banshees' online presences rather than CFStudios' online presences.
TLDR; CFStudios' online presence has been refined to cater specifically to fursuits and mascot costumes, with a focus on custom designs for the furry community. The Tahoe Banshees online presence has been created to cater to fantasy costumes, armor, and props as can be found in the ren faire, LARP, mermaid, cosplay, or general fantasy enthusiast communities with a focus on corporate events or custom designs for private clients. Tahoe Banshees and CFStudios are still owned and operated by the same people.
I don't see a price for faun legs on your website! Will you take a commission for faun legs? Will you make me custom legs or a halfsuit?
We don't have faun legs listed in our price guide because we have not decided on an opening price for them yet. We do not currently have plans to accept orders for custom fit or custom patterned faun legs; we instead plan to occasionally make faun legs on one of our two available patterns, making them available for auction or flat sale in one of several sizes. We may eventually open for a few slots of semi-custom faun legs where you choose a size, a base fur color, and whether or not you want spots, or we may only offer ready to wear legs for sale. We aren't sure yet!
We do not make halfsuits; if you want a fursuit, you will need to order a fullsuit or a partial. We do not make custom legs separately due to sculpting difficulties.
Are any of the costumes in your galleries for sale? How much was x item in your gallery?
No; most of the costumes in our galleries were custom orders for private clients, but all of the items posted have owners. For more information on obtaining one of our items for sale, see "How do I get a CFStudios ready to wear costume?" under the "Commissions and Openings" section.
On that note, we are unable to directly reproduce most of the costumes in our galleries because they were custom orders for private clients. It's fine to be inspired by or interested in specific aspects of pre-existing costumes, but in most cases you will be asked to approach us with your own design or let us create one for you as part of the commission process.
We are not at liberty to disclose the commission value or redistribute the final auction value of custom or one of a kind items; to do so would be a breach of privacy on the client's part.
If you're curious about the cost of a particular piece, you can view its relevant price guide HERE to see our starting prices.
Do you accept payment plans?
No; we only accept payment in full, no exceptions. When most people ask for payment plans they're asking for an interest-free loan managed by the artist; we are a costume fabrication company that is not associated with or represented by a bank, so it would be irresponsible for us to assume that financial position. If you can't afford a CFStudios costume without a monthly installment plan but still want to get one, we recommend using a credit card, saving up, or taking out a loan.
Can you make me something from this show / video game / etc? Other people do it all the time!
Since learning more about IP laws, we have come to the conclusion that we can no longer accept commissions for licensed characters or props unless we are being asked by the license holder, an entity of the license holder (such as an employee representing a company), or unless you have explicit permission from the license holder.
We know many fans want to commission us for cosplay purposes after seeing our work for the League of Legends franchise and we are very sad to have to implement this decision - recreating items from video games is one of our favorite things to do! But we have learned that it is simply not legal to profit off of someone else's IP without their explicit consent. We sometimes work for film and video game companies and are not willing to damage our professional relationship, regardless of how many others may disregard the legalities. We appreciate your understanding!
Do you do artistic liberty commissions?
We are open to creating an artist-designed costume if we are given enough freedom over the project. It will be priced as any other custom suit, starting at a baseline and going up based on details or add-ons in the final design. Please note we only take artistic liberty for partials and fullsuits, with a preference for fullsuits. We are always willing to take someone's design and alter it to make it a more appealing costume, however.
Wait, you have a toucan? I thought those were "exotics" - doesn't that mean they're illegal?
Yes, we do, and no, they're not! Our fabricator has a curl-crested aracari toucan named Poe (his full name is Poe Dameron.) He never comes in direct contact with costume pieces unless clients request something be "Poe Approved," meaning we put him on or near the costume piece and see how he likes it. Toucans are very curious and outgoing, so he usually does! Toucans are hypoallergenic, but we still don't let him in our workspace.
We don't know where this idea came from, but it is completely legal to own a toucan in the state of California. Toucans are considered exotics, as are cockatiels, conures, and other common pet birds; an "exotic" just means an animal that requires specialist vets and can't be seen at most general practice or emergency vets. You don't need a permit to own one.
We have more info about him here! MasterPoest
Do you accept trades?
While we value the work of others very highly, we are unable to accept any kind of payment other than US currency. We will not work or exchange items for art, tangible items, promotions, or other services. Please do not send messages about trades; they will be ignored.
Will you make a tutorial? How did you make X?
We do not have any plans to make tutorials, and are under NDA for some of our processes. We appreciate your understanding! Messages regarding tutorials will most likely go unanswered due to the volume we receive.
In most cases we will only answer construction questions if asked by a commissioner in a scenario where they need to know. We never answer process questions. If you want to see us work, subscribe to our Patreon for WIP pictures!
Do you make bases / pieces for DIY (head bases, ready-to-use parts like eyes and beaks, etc)?
No; the only pieces we make are completed costume pieces that are not made with the intent for others to work off of, modify, or "complete." We do not sell DIY materials or pieces and do not provide blanks, etc to be worked off of.
Where do you buy your fur? Is the fur / leather / etc used real?
We source our faux fur from a variety of local and online sources, including HowlFabric, BigZ, FabricEmpire, Mendels, ImStuffedFur, etc.
All of the fur we use is acrylic and never comes from real animals. We usually use vinyl or pleather in place of real leather, but will sometimes use real leather lacings.
Do you make realistic or semirealistic costumes?
No; we are currently uninterested in pursuing realistic or semirealistic mascot / fursuit costumes for private clients. We will only consider less cartoony projects (such as Death Blossom Kha'Zix or our WoW costumes and props) for commercial clients or event, expo, or convention partnerships; more info on this line of work can be found through our alternate page, Tahoe Banshees.
Do you do refurbs / alterations? Can you modify a secondhand piece to fit a new owner?
We do not take refurbish commissions and will usually recommend purchasing a replacement piece. With the exception of clients needing repairs done on something purchased directly from us, we rarely accept alterations on second-hand CFS costumes because most of our time goes toward commissions; it doesn't hurt to ask but we will usually recommend outsourcing these requests. Some alteration requests - such as making a finished head bigger on the inside or replacing a bodysuit's feet to fit a bigger shoe size - are not something we're able to do without making a new head or bodysuit. We do not do refurbs, alterations, repairs, or modifications on costumes we didn't make.
What is a DTD and how do I make one? Which measurements are required?
DTD stands for duct-tape dummy. DTDs are required with most of the commissions we receive, and may be required for yours. We need your DTD and / or measurements before your batch date starts! Fullsuits, bodysuits, creature suits, and multi-piece armor sets all require DTDs. We will not accept measurements in place of DTDs if we ask for a DTD.
This is our personal favorite DTD tutorial out there, and we have loved every dummy made with it that's come through our studio. They're sturdy, easy to use, and contain all the information we need! The only extra request we have that the tutorial does not cover, is we would like you to please write the character or project name on the front of your DTD to help us identify whose it is. It is also unnecessary to mark your tail location, since the digitigrade sculpting will ultimately decide where it goes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RonWr75R28Q&t=2s
Other measurements we usually need are head circumference, US shoe size (please specify men's or women's), and at least one hand tracing, but we may require more (or less) depending on the commission type. We will let you know which measurements we need for your slot, and explain how to take them when the time comes!
QUOTES AND CONTACT
What are quotes?
A quote is us giving you an official price on your proposed project, including any concerns or changes that may be necessary for the project to be brought to life. Quotes are always open and are non committal; they are not indicative of our willingness to accept a project, they are ONLY you asking how much a proposed project would cost.
How do I get a quote?
The best way to get a quote is to fill out a quote form with reference images of the project you have in mind. Include any special requests or questions you may have - it's safer to ask than assume! Our quote form includes which add-ons we have available for orders, but we recommend checking through our general price guide before filling out the form to familiarize yourself with our costumes, what comes standard with orders, and what our jargon means!
Please remember that reference images are REQUIRED in order to get a quote for custom orders so we can make sure we're on the same page. We require a neat, clear, and concise digital reference in color that visually conveys almost everything we would need to know. It must have at least a fullbody front and side view, but we recommend including the back view as well. We recommend digital over traditional art to help with color accuracy.
We only accept quotes via email or the form on our website. That means if you send us a message on social media asking for a quote it won't be received. Please remember that we cannot respond to quote requests or quote forms that show our FAQ hasn't been read, ask for things we state we do not do, or ask us what our base prices are. Remember that filling out a quote form means you have read and agreed to our TOS!
I sent you a message on facebook, twitter, etc and you never answered me!
As mentioned above, we only accept quotes via email or our quote form; both for organizational purposes and to maintain a professional customer service experience. Even our close friends have to email us about quotes, so please don't take it personally!
If your message was not quote related, there is a possibility it was lost or just inappropriate for us to answer. We like to keep up good customer service and a friendly relationship with our fans, but please remember that we are a business and it's unlikely we'll be able to answer personal questions or small talk!
Additionally, we do not answer construction or process questions unless being asked by a commissioner in a scenario where it is necessary for them to know. Messages covered by our FAQ will usually go unanswered as well, due to the volume we receive.
Why is everything so expensive?!?
This is our full time job, and it takes a mixture of experience, skill, and professionalism to bring these costumes to life. We work with high-quality (and thus high-cost) materials and combine a unique style with unique features to bring you a professionally-made product, and have been professionally trained in the entertainment and film industry. We are charging for our time, experience, livelihood, and materials to support ourselves, our studio, and what we love to do. All prices are in USD and are non-negotiable.
I got a quote. What now?
If you have been given a quote and are interested in pursuing the project with us, you can choose to apply for a slot or (if commissions are closed) you can watch our social media for our next batch opening. If you receive a quote but wait before applying (due to your own choice or to our slots being closed,) please let us know so we can make sure your quote hasn't changed. You will always be told during the quoting process if we would, for some reason, be unable to take on your theoretical commission, so if you're given a quote you can always feel free to apply for a slot when we reopen!
Generally speaking, a quote is good for the next 72 hours or the duration of a current batch opening, whichever is longer. Our prices may change without warning, especially if we come up with a new technique or new product / service to offer, so it never hurts to get requoted!
Please keep in mind that shipping is covered by the buyer and our quotes do NOT include shipping fees; shipping fees are on the rise and vary a lot by costume type and client location, but it's normal for fullsuit shipping to cost around $$100-200 within the continental US and upwards of $$300-400 overseas.
If you have more questions about queues, wait times, and batch slot openings, please see our next section.
COMMISSIONS AND OPENINGS
What is a queue?
The queue is the line of people who are waiting for us to start their projects. These are all people who have committed to their slots and have standing contracts with CFStudios, and are not to be confused with people who are interested in working with us or want to place an order in the future. The queue is worked on in batches demarcated by calendar quarters and not in order by costume title. Our queue can only be entered if we are open for new slots; we do not have a waiting list for interested parties.
What are slots?
A slot is our way of referring to a specific person, their project, and their place in our queue all in one word (similar to "order.")
What is an opening? What do you mean by "batch / batch opening?"
An opening is an announcement that we are ready to take on more project slots. We routinely close our queue to new orders - this is the same as commissions or slots being closed. We open for a limited number of new slots a few times a year.
A batch is a group of costumes that we're working on at a given time. CFStudios currently operates off of a quarterly batch-based business model; we will be working on multiple costumes nebulously over a three month (quarterly) period, with estimated completion at the end of that quarter. This means that each costume within a given batch will not have an estimated completion time that is different or more specific from any other costumes in that batch unless a rush order was paid and negotiated.
When will you open for more slots?
If our queue is closed, you can find out when our next batch opening will be by checking this website or most of our social media websites. On this website, if a date has been set it can be found on the "Openings, Events, & Queue" page on our website which can be accessed from the "Commission Info & FAQ" dropdown. We try to announce ahead of time the general month / year we will reopen for more slots, and will make lots of social media posts when the time actually comes around.
If we do not yet know when we will be reopening we will remain closed with no prediction dates / opening announcements. If no specific date is listed on our website, it means we haven't yet decided on one!
What are "premade" / ready to wear auctions? Are they different from artistic liberty costumes?
Ready to wear costumes (or "premades") are costumes or costume pieces we fabricate without a client and sell to the public at a convention table or online auction. These costumes are designed by us or another (credited) artist, and are usually a surprise that we "drop" in a big convention reveal!
These costumes are considered finished at the time someone buys them, so unless additional pieces are ordered, the costume will not be custom-made to fit you. In this way they differ from artistic liberty slots because artistic liberty slots are commissions that we custom create to fit you, where as a ready to wear costume has already been finished when a prospective client may choose to purchase it.
How do I get a "premade" / ready to wear costume piece from CFStudios?
CFStudios ready to wear costume pieces can be purchased at our convention tables or, if advertised on social media, available costumes may be purchased at online auction or through emailing an offer.
If we are selling a ready to wear costume at a convention, it will always be a head or "partial" costume (head, hands, a tail, and sometimes feet or accessories, intended to be worn with clothes.) Ready to wear costumes sold at conventions will be available for purchase from the table or booth CFStudios is selling from at that particular convention. These costumes or costume pieces are always available for flat sale, so they are first come first served.
The other way to get one of our ready to wear costumes is at auction or online offer. We will occasionally make partials or fullbody costumes alongside our regularly commissioned orders to supplement our income. These costumes are then put up for auction on a reputable auction site (usually DealersDen) or advertised on our social media .
Please keep in mind that we do not allow offering or bidding "for fun" and will only accept serious bidders. We do not accept returns or refunds on finished pieces, and if you place a bid or offer (or win an auction) and then tell us you cannot pay or want the bid removed, it may result in a permanent ban from all future CFStudios auctions and sales.
All methods of ready to wear costume sales will be highly advertised across our social media, so keep an eye out! The announcements will be hard to miss and you'll always be given at least a bit of a heads up - we don't like to drop an auction or sale notice right when it goes live, especially since they need to be paid off relatively quickly. If you want to be the first to see our available premades, subscribe to our Patreon for early access!
What is an adoptable slot?
An adoptable slot is essentially a pre-determined character / costume design provided by CFStudios that you are commissioning us to turn into a custom costume. The concepts are usually drawn by other artists and purchased by CFStudios with the artists' consent that they will be used for this purpose; we do occasionally draw our own adoptable designs though!
Do I get to see what the adoptable costume will look like before I buy it? Can I make any changes to the design or art provided?
We provide art to show you what an adoptable costume will look like, and from that art the costume will be translated to our style as it makes its way into the real world. Adoptable costumes don't already exist, so you won't be buying a ready to wear costume; you'll be ordering something custom and see pictures as construction progresses. The art attached to an adoptable slot acts the same way as a reference for a custom slot might.
We're fine with some minor changes to adoptable designs, especially if the client is willing to provide art for them, but we ask that adoptable slots stay as true to the provided design as possible. Otherwise it would begin to veer into a custom order! Most of our adoptable art comes from other artists who have sold us a design with the understanding that we will turn it into a costume for sale. For this reason, it may be difficult (and expensive for the client!) or even impossible get an artist who still has the file information, is willing to make edits to the art, and is open for that type of work while getting it to match up with the timeframe we need the final design by.
What are custom orders?
A custom order is what most people think of when they think of a commissioned piece - the client provides us with their own design and references, which we then custom-fabricate to fit them and their wishes.
How do I apply for a custom slot?
If commissions are open, a potential customer will fill out the commission application form on our website (found next to "Quote Form" in the dropdown menu when slots are open). The form will be absent when commissions are closed. A quote is not the same as an application form, and we require application forms from all interested applicants.
How do I apply for an adoptable slot?
When we open for commissions, we may have an adoptable slot available! If this is the case, any available adoptable slots can be found in our Adoptable Application form, and any interested applicants will choose which adoptable they want out of the ones available, fill out the rest of the form, and submit it. The form will be absent if commissions are closed or no adoptable slots are available.
Please keep in mind that if an adoptable slot is dropped, all design rights will return to CFStudios and we will have the right to resell or use the design as we see fit.
What happens after I submit an application?
Once applications close, we will take a few days to review everyone's forms and decide which projects we'd like to pursue (along with which clients we'd like to work with!) You will be notified when your form is received and be given a date when our decision should be made by. Please remember that receiving a quote and submitting an application does not guarantee acceptance!
If you apply for a slot but change your mind or find yourself unable to pursue it and inform us of this, you will not be subject to any kind of cancellation fee or necessarily be barred from future applications due to backing out. Applying for a slot means you want and are prepared to place an order with CFStudios, but holds no immediate legal commitment for the applicant. We do, however, ask that you only apply if you are fully prepared to pay for and commit to holding a slot with CFStudios as a courtesy to both ourselves and other applicants. Repeated offenses of applying and dropping or not responding when informed of application acceptance will result in an indefinite ban from CFStudios slot applications.
What does it mean to have a slot be accepted? How does CFStudios choose who gets accepted?
If your slot has been accepted, it means we have chosen your order as one that will be worked on during our next batch. Being accepted means your submission was chosen over everyone else's, and that we are prepared to begin the Commission Setup process with you! While a slot may be accepted, it will not be considered finalized until we have received payment, your ID, and a contract signature.
Custom applications are not first come first served. CFStudios weighs our interest in the project, how much we think we could do it justice, perceived client character and reliability, project price range, and length of interest in or support of CFStudios when deciding which applicants to accept, but project price range is usually the biggest deciding factor. Our slots are generally quite competitive since we only take two or three at a time, so slots that are worth more or prospective clients willing to offer more than their quoted price always have a better chance of acceptance.
Being a Patron does not guarantee your acceptance when submitting a custom application, but we greatly appreciate the support of our Patrons and long-term Patrons get a definitive bonus to their consideration. Likewise, applicants who have been trying to get a slot for a while are more likely to be accepted.
Because they are designs we really want to work on, adoptable slot applications are always accepted! Adoptable applications will be considered like all other commission types, but acceptance is guaranteed for one of the applicants. If only one person applies for the adoptable then they will automatically get the slot, but there will be no way of knowing this until the date when applications are closed and reviewed by CFStudios.
What happens if I don't get accepted? Why wasn't I accepted?
If your slot isn't accepted, don't worry! Most prospective clients who apply to an opening will have their applications rejected due to the volume of applications we receive, so receiving an application rejection the first time you apply is fairly normal. If your application is not accepted, you can feel free to try again next time. Applicants who have been trying longer always wind up with a higher chance of being accepted the next time we open!
Most cases of a slot being declined come down to us getting more applicants than we can take, which results in us being forced to turn some down. Some reasons for automatic rejection are listed below:
CFStudios will not work with anyone who demonstrates they have not read our TOS, has consistently negative reviews, reflects poor character or extreme / illegal behavior across their online presences, harasses us or others, expresses intent to harm others, is passing off stolen art / IP as their own, will not or cannot provide their email, legal name, and / or ID, or is under the age of 18. We are always respectful, lenient, and understanding when selecting applicants, and only extreme instances of the above issues will dissuade us from working with you, with the exception of needing your ID, legal name, and requiring applicants be over 18.
How do I claim my slot once accepted? What happens when I get accepted?
When approaching us for a commission, if you have gotten a quote, have had your application accepted, and choose to go ahead with the project, you will then submit your payment and an image of your ID, fill out a contract with us, and will at that point have a secured slot with a batch and start date. Responding affirmatively and submitting your payment and ID within 24 hours of slot acceptance notification, followed by filling out your contract, are all steps to claiming your slot - this process combined with secondary decision making (when we discuss materials, preferences, and batch details with you) is called Commission Setup. A slot is not secured, or guaranteed, until Commission Setup is complete.
Once you have completed Commission Setup your slot is "secured." You will then become a member of a batch and be added to our website queue.
How do I read your website queue? How frequently do you update it?
All projects accepted will have a project description, project name, and batch associated with their queue listing. These batches are referred to by the quarter and year they will be started in; Q1 is January - March, Q2 is April - June, Q3 is July - September, and Q4 is October - December. For example, if your slot is accepted and expected to be worked on in January to March of 20XX, you will be part of the "Q1 20XX" batch. From there you will be notified of when your measurements are due and given reminders of when your slot will be started as the start date gets closer. Remember that we will need your measurements and DTD (if applicable) before your slot date starts!
Slots are listed publicly on our website queue. Slots read as a project description, chosen slot name, slot progress status, and batch ID.
For example, if you purchased a slot for a Toucan fullsuit named Poe to be started on January 20XX and have finalized your payment and contract, your slot will read:
Toucan fullsuit for Poe - Q1 20XX
During a slot acceptance period we will update our queue daily. Clients will get direct emails detailing their slot progress once started, and will not have to check our website queue to view progress.
How frequently do I need to check my email? Can I contact you through an instant messenger once I've commissioned you?
We are a very fast paced working environment and it helps us out tremendously if you can check your email as much as possible! We recommend installing an email app on your phone so you can easily check and respond to our messages.
We always have and always will require commissioners to get a quote and secure a slot with us exclusively through email. Email allows us to keep a record of the conversation and its attachments that is easily searchable, accessible to all CFS members, and stores all attachments sent. We are able to move the construction conversation to Telegram after a slot has been accepted based on the client's preference.
Ideally we ask that clients be able to check their email at least once a day; this is especially helpful at the beginning and end of a commission, so that payments, shipping preferences, etc can be sorted. We know that life, work, and even decision making can get in the way though, so if you let us know when you need more time or suspect communication interruption we try to be as lenient as possible! If we haven't heard from you we'll send a followup email after three days unless it's urgent or time sensitive, and once the initial commission setup and sculpting phase are over we can usually accommodate a bit more downtime before requiring an answer.
In general, the only time we have response time requirements is during commission setup (when your slot is being accepted, paid for, and signed for) and during the body sculpting phase; we hang our DTDs from the ceiling to sculpt and pattern on, and they get VERY heavy from tape, padding, and attached feet! They have been known to fall down despite additional supports if left for periods longer than a day or two, or even overnight for big sculpts. If a taped up DTD falls down, the pattern is ruined and you have to start over with new padding! To solve this we ask that clients answer our emails about body sculpt and markings as quickly as possible, so we can get their DTDs down without risking their padding or wasting tape.
How do I know my commission has started? How frequently will I get updates?
Don't worry, you will definitely know! One of the things we pride ourselves most on is communication, and we will email you when we are close to starting your slot. You will be told at the time of slot acceptance when we will begin work on your costume, and we will continue to give you updates as your project moves along in completion. The number of updates you receive and how quickly you receive them varies greatly project by project, but generally you will not go longer than two weeks without a significant work update once your slot has started. Less than one week is much more common.
Please keep in mind, however, that any WIP photos shared with you are intended for your eyes (and approval) only. We post WIP photos to our Patreon and they are not intended, nor allowed to be, shared with the public.
How long will it take to finish my commission? How long does it take to make a costume?
Some projects can take a day or less, with others taking two months or more on that item alone. If completion time is a concern, make sure to bring it up to us during the quoting process and we can estimate a working time for you.
Clients should generally expect to wait six to nine months from the point of placing an order to receive their costume. The average fullsuit takes about a month to finish on its own (mostly due to downtime waiting on approval) but will be worked on with two or more other costumes in a three month period called a "batch," and all costumes in a given batch are generally completed at the same time. This means that a costume started during a Q1 batch for example (January-March) should be expected to be completed at the end of March.
We will do our best to set an estimated completion date once we initiate your contract, but the precise work time varies greatly from project to project. We no longer guarantee hard due dates to ensure quality and allow for unforeseen circumstances, but we will not allow a costume to be more than six months "late" based on estimated completion date without compensating the client, unless this delay is caused by changes / additions to the order.
Do you take rush orders? Can my project be finished for ___ convention?
We are generally unwilling to let people skip the queue because we feel it's unfair to other customers who have been waiting. However, if we are in a good place in terms of deadlines or have an opening in the queue, we are willing to entertain rush orders for companies or short-term contract work on a case-by-case basis. Independent clients can submit a rush order request for an additional 50% of their total project fee, but are less likely to be accepted.
In a similar fashion, we can't guarantee your costume can be completed by a certain convention unless that convention happens to fall within or after your estimated completion zone. Make sure to ask us if this is a concern, and we will check to see if it's possible.
You put someone in front of me in the queue / you're working on stuff that isn't in the queue! What gives?!?
The queue is organized by an item's estimated completion date, not by who placed an order first! We regularly work on small orders, side projects, and convention / sales inventory in between and alongside commissions. Us working on projects that aren't in the queue does not mean queued projects are being bumped to make room for them - we schedule side projects into work time and completion estimates to help ensure a steadier source of income. If an order is added to our queue that is not part of an outstanding batch, it in no way means that the outstanding batch will be delayed to make time for the new item; it just means we have time for both!
What happens if I want to drop my slot? Can I get a refund?
Please see our TOS for our full refund and cancellation policy. Terms of Service
INFO
We are always looking for ways to improve! Clients are encouraged to give us feedback or review any commission or purchase experience with CFStudios. If you have a positive experience with us, we greatly appreciate positive ratings and recommendations to trusted artist lists. We also love seeing photos from customers, and they are encouraged to post them in our client groupchat at any time.
We now have a Comments / Reviews section on our website that we encourage past customers to use!
Measurements are extremely important. We ask for measurements or a duct tape dummy of the commissioner, make the costume to fit, and take great care to ensure we follow these measurements. We are always willing to repair something if it doesn’t fit, but unless you can prove that a fitting error is CFStudios' fault we will most likely charge extra for the repairs.
On that note, our foam armor CANNOT BE ALTERED once coated and painted. PLEASE make sure any written measurements provided are accurate if commissioning armor!
Please never be afraid to contact us. If you want updates or have questions, it is your right to contact us about these things as a customer, and we will never be bothered or irritated with you. We do ask you to be patient - asking for an update every day is far from reasonable - but we believe in communication and will never be upset with you if you have questions or concerns. Please be honest with us!
We have a pet cat and bird. They do not come in direct contact with anything we work on unless directly requested by a customer, but it is impossible to completely prevent a small amount of allergens from coming in contact with a costume at some point in time. Please take note if you have severe allergies; however it may be noteworthy that the bird is hypoallergenic.
All items are fabricated in a smoke-free environment. However we do use air fresheners and aerosols (like candles, wallflowers, and Febreeze) in our workspace, and cannot guarantee that your costume will never come in contact with any artificial scents. We normally wash suits with delicate detergent and spray them with Febreeze before sending them out; please let us know if you want us to send your project out without being washed or sprayed.
