We want you to be satisfied with everything you purchase from us. If, for some reason you’re not, simply return it within 14 days of receiving your order and we will refund your money minus shipping costs (unless faulty). You must return the item with all labels and in the condition it was sent to you in. Unless it is faulty, in which case, please contact us and we will issue you a full refund or replacement. Please note that in some cases we may ask you to show the fault either in a photo, or video. If the fault is not clear to us, a visual inspection may be required once the item is returned to us.

If you are returning a product from outside the United Kingdom, please mark the reason for return as “return” on the customs form. Failure to do so may result in your return being delayed, or being returned to you. We are not liable for customs forms being incorrectly filled out and customs due on our end. We will deduct any customs charges we are incur from your return if you fail to mark “return” on the customs form and as a result we have to pay a customs charge.

Returns can be sent to:

Hawkesmill
9 Beeches Mead,
Hollow Lane,
East Grinstead,
West Sussex
RH19 3PU

We offer our new customers a discount when they sign up for our newsletter. This discount cannot be used on items that are already on sale. Nor can the discount code be used on our seconds (items that have had their price reduced because of some cosmetic defect).

If you didn’t receive an email order confirmation, or shipping confirmation please check your junk, or spam folder before contacting us. And please ensure you mark us as a safe sender, so future emails about your current order, and future orders reach you.

You will find a tracking number in your order shipped confirmation email.

All of our products have been handcrafted to be of superior quality. It is our intention that everything we make lasts for as long as possible. We offer a warranty against manufacturing defects for the “life of the product.” Should one of our products fail because of workmanship, or material defects, we will repair, or replace the item for free.

Of course, each case is looked at thoroughly and if a manufacturing defect is visible we will make it right. This does not include wear and tear, or using our products in a manner that is deemed inappropriate, or against our guidelines. It also doesn’t include damage caused by improper care of your product. Please see our care guide for more information.

If you have a warranty claim, please email us info@hawkesmill.com and we’ll handle it.

*Warranty is non-transferable and only the original purchaser is covered. If you received one of our products as a gift and wish to make a claim, please note, the original purchaser must contact us. We may ask for the original receipt, or some other form of proof, such as looking at the email used when purchasing versus the one used to email us. If you purchased one of our products secondhand, you will not be covered. No exceptions will be made.

Within the UK delivery is between 3-4 working days. EU orders can take between 4-7 business days (however, depending on customs, this could be longer) and all other International orders take between 10-21 working days. Express shipping is generally 2-4 days. We try to ship all orders that day, or the following business day. * The above are simply estimates given to us by our chosen couriers. However, these timeframes cannot be guaranteed and issues do arise in customs, etc. If you absolutely have to have your product by a particular time, please choose express shipping at checkout as you will have the best chance of getting your product in time.

Please note: the UK left the EU on December 31st 2020. All orders to the EU will now incur customs and duties charges. Please check with your local authority for amounts due before placing your order. Customs and duties are the sole responsibility of the customer and we will not be held responsible for customs owed.

Our products are multi-purpose. We design each of them to be used by various types of photographers. For instance, our large camera messenger bags were designed to be used by both serious amateurs and pros alike. We designed that bag to hold a 15″ MacBook Pro, so it is just as comfortable being used as a work bag as it is by wedding photographers looking for a bag that can hold a 70-200 f2.8 lens as well as the rest of their kit.

Our camera neck straps are designed to look beautiful and feel great. However, we made sure they could still be used by the most active photographers. We currently have a press photographer using two of our Borough straps, shooting 11 hours a day with heavy professional cameras, like the Canon 1Dx and the straps are holding up great. We recommend our straps be used with cameras and lenses weighing up to 7 lbs, tough we have weight tested them all to hold 30 lbs easily and without strain.

We provide you with 2 sets of split rings, in 2 different sizes. Our stock rings that come attached to the strap will fit most camera’s lugs. However, some camera manufacturers, namely: Sony and Fujifilm have very small lug mounts. You can use the stock split rings on any camera, however, some people like to have the split ring float freely through the lug. And although we’re not a fan of this, we understand that some of you want that. So, you will find 2 sizes of split rings in each order. Here is a little blurb about our stock split rings and why we would choose the larger of the 2 rings. However, you’re free to use whichever you wish.

There are literally hundreds of different camera models on the market. It would be impossible to make a leather camera strap that fits all camera makes and models in the same, exact way. We have chosen to use a thicker, 304 stainless steel split ring, instead of a thinner, less quality split ring.

Depending on the size of your camera’s lug mounts, you may find that the split ring glides through the lug and moves around, such as on most modern Nikon cameras. You may find, on smaller lug mount systems, such as Fuji and Sony, that the split ring attaches to the lug and rests in the middle of the single ring, instead of moving around in the lug. This can be alarming at first glance. However, all split rings that move and glide through the lug will end up on the single ring at some point, or another.

Our products are almost exclusively sold online. However, we have several stockists in England and abroad that showcase and sell our products:

Leica, Harrods. We proudly stock a range of camera straps in the Leica store in Harrods.

Leica, Mayfair. Leica is our favourite camera brand. And we are absolutely thrilled to be stocked in Leica Mayfair.

Grays of Westminster, in London. Grays has a legendary reputation for being one of the best independent camera stores in the world. Contact Grays of Westminster to view our products. 

Artisan Obscura, in Colorado. AO makes some of the world’s leading camera accessories. Most notably: hot shoe covers and soft release buttons. AO stocks a small selection of our goods on their website. And we’re proud to say that we have partnered with them in creating our own soft release buttons and hot shoe covers.

Dale Photographic in Leeds. Dale has longed served the North of England and like Grays, has a stellar reputation for customer service and stocking quality goods. Contact Dale Photographic to view our products.

All of our products are proudly made by hand in England. We work with the finest manufacturers in the country. Some of them have hundreds of years of experience. This shows in the final product.

When we designed our bags we asked as many photographers as we could find what they would want in a camera bag. And they told us, “enough room to fit what we needed, but not so much room that we felt we needed to pack extra gear, just to pack it and use the space.”

So we did just that. We made a bag that could fit everything a working photographer could want inside the main insert, but didn’t bulk the bag out with lots of pockets. Instead, our slimline pockets are cut deep for just enough kit, but not so much that the bag ended up looking overstuffed and overly heavy.

Some photographers like a lot of pockets. And for those photographers there are a number of bags out there to choose from. We think that less is more and if you’re given less pockets, you’ll carry less stuff, freeing you up to concentrate on making images and not on lugging your gear around.

The canvas we use is triple layered with a waterproof membrane in the middle. It is quite simply the best, highest grade canvas we have come across.

We didn’t want to pigeon hole our customers. We wanted them to be able to use our camera bags for photography, but also for weekends away, as carry-on bags, work bags, etc. Our bags are actually many different bags rolled into one, though they were designed with photography as the primary use. The founder uses his as a messenger/work bag during the week and as a camera bag/carry-on bag on the weekends.

We have several products and they all use a different leather. But generally, we use English, or Belgian veg tanned leather. We also use veg tanned Italian leather and Horween Chromexcel leather.

Horween is one of the oldest, and most respected leather companies in the world. We worked for two years and went through dozens of samples to find a better leather and there simply is nothing that comes close. Horween Chromexcel is strong and durable, yet is soft on the underside. It also has little, to no, color transference. Meaning, your white shirt stays white. Chromexcel ages extremely well. You’ll find that when you get one of our straps they are a bit stiff, but after a couple of weeks, they break-in and become extremely soft and supple.

Our intention from the beginning was to make a camera bag that would last a lifetime, using only the world’s finest materials. This combination adds more weight than cheaper, thin waxed canvas, or synthetic material. It simply is not possible to create a bag using the quality of materials that we’re using, and ensuring it lasts a lifetime, while also making it lightweight. We could have cut corners and used a thinner leather, removed the steel strip running through the top of the bag, stitched the shoulder strap to the bag, used lighter fittings and compromised on the thickness of the interior padding, but if we did, we’d be like all the other camera bag companies out there.

The weight of our bags is measured with the shoulder strap and pad, rear sleeve, interior insert and all dividers in place. We have had lots of feedback from photographers telling us that they actually like the weight of the bags and that it encourages them to take less equipment with them. But if you want to lighten your load you can always remove some of the dividers and take the rear sleeve out.

The same way you would clean your fine English shoes, that is, with a bit of shoe cream, or polish. Our straps develop a beautiful patina over time and if you treat them the same way you treat your fine shoes, you’ll find that your strap will take on your personality and tell a story. A story of where you’ve been and how old the strap is.

Please see our detailed care guide for more information.

When cleaning the canvas, spot treatment works best! Using a damp soft cloth with mild detergent, gently rub “with the grain” of the fabric to get rid of those stubborn spots. This bag is not to be submerged in water or put in a washing machine. The use of anything abrasive is not recommended as it will deteriorate the pile of the fabric.

When needed, a natural leather care cream can be used on the leather trim and bits. The bridle leather and Italian leather used is quite durable and naturally supple with wax. From time to time, you may use a soft cloth to buff the leather to a natural luster.

Keeping with tradition, the Harris Tweed used on our bags is naturally resistant to stains. But as with all fabrics will occasionally need to be freshened up. As with the canvas, a soft cloth with a mild detergent and warm water solution will quickly clean any residue on the tweed. Once the areas of concern are cleaned allow to naturally air dry.

We’ve done our best to source stainless steel fittings, which will not rust, or degrade. However, some of our fittings are nickel and could tarnish, or dull if not cared for properly, i.e. if they are left in damp conditions. A little care should keep them looking new for a long time.

The turn lock is meant to be used to access the bag when using it. It isn’t meant to be used in conjunction with the handle and isn’t load-bearing.

Generally, you can expect a product to be as good as it costs. We have found this to be true whether it’s a wine, shoes, a car or a camera bag. All of our products are handmade in England by true craftsmen with many years of experience. Our materials are the best in the world and meant to last a lifetime.

Our motto is “spend a little more now and save yourself a lot later.” This is contrary to the “throw-away” society we currently live in. When you buy a Hawkesmill product you can expect it to last a lifetime and only get better with age. Compare that to other products that need to be replaced every 5 to 10 years, or sooner. When you look at it that way, our products are excellent value. It’s the same as buying a pair of quality shoes, you can re-sole those shoes over and over again, whereas, with the cheap shoes you need to replace them constantly.

Yes. We are required to put the full value of the products purchased on all items being shipped outside the UK. It is your responsibility to pay all customs and duty charges for your country.

If you choose not to pay customs/duties and the product is returned to us, we will refund you minus any shipping costs, including any charges the courier may impose on us in order to get the product back into the UK.

Tweed, which comes from sheep’s wool, has natural lanolin that is water resistant. We include a waterproof membrane under the tweed to ensure it is fully waterproof. Tweed is also great at repelling stains and odors.