What is Boxwalla?
We think of Boxwalla as a discovery platform for curious people, where we showcase the best art and artisans from around the world. You can experience the best in Beauty, Makeup, Book, Film, Artisanal Food, and Ethical Fashion.
So what’s with the name Boxwalla?
In India, the word boxwalla means ‘Box-seller’, ‘box person’ or ‘traveling merchant’. ‘Walla Walla’ is a First Nations name for a ‘place of many waters’. So we think of ourselves as traveling merchants, getting drunk on things of ‘many waters’ and sharing those things with you. As we travel, physically, or through the stories told by the things we love, we find that the figurative corners of the world begin to dissolve and what we are left with are universal human experiences.
That sounds a bit too cryptic, can you elaborate?
Yes! Sure. Let’s try again with examples. We currently offer three categories of bi-monthly subscription boxes that you can choose from: Beauty, Book & Film.
BEAUTY SUBSCRIPTION BOX: We set out to find beauty products that were the most effective and indulgent while being gentle, nourishing and crafted by ingredient-conscious companies. We also wanted them to be safely preserved. The beauty box contains the results of this search. Each month we will focus on an aspect of the beauty ritual and over the course of a year, you can expect to have experienced and acquired products that together will provide you with a comprehensive arsenal for your beauty needs.
BOOK SUBSCRIPTION BOX: Every year, when somebody wins the Nobel Prize, most people go ‘Whooo?’ Every time we read these writers, after they win the Nobel, we wonder where they have been all ours lives. The answer to that isn’t that complicated. They’ve been right here! Our mission is to scour the vast expanses of Literature and bring to you the best.
FILM SUBSCRIPTION BOX: “But Art cinema is boring!” We hear that a lot. Some of it is, we agree. Some of it is even pretentious. But there is so much that is wonderful and moving and entertaining. Yes entertaining! In this box, we’d like to present to you, what we consider are some of the best films and filmmakers. We place them in cinematic and cultural context so you can appreciate and enjoy them. You will not love all the films but we are sure you will find atleast one filmmaker among them to love.
What are your standards when it comes to beauty products?
We try to do our research before we decide which products to include. The products we include are not only made from nutrient-rich, nourishing ingredients but we like to ensure that they are properly preserved with safe yet effective preservatives. If there is a certain ingredient you are trying to avoid please contact us and we can confirm whether or not the products in the current box contain that ingredient. We also reveal the contents of each of the boxes few weeks inadvance so the users can see for themselves the products included in the box and make informed decisions.
How do you select products for your boxes?
We only include products that we personally love and that have been used or tested by our team.
Boxwalla is an expression of our shared love of artisanal products and the best that our sensory world has to offer. To that end, this is a labor of love: a small family owned business that we have funded ourselves, with no investor backing or external funding. This serves to maintain our high, non compromisable standards and allows us complete creative control.
If you are a brand interested in being featured in our box, please email us at contact@theboxwalla.com to discuss product submission for tasting or testing as the case may be!
And what about the boxes that these things come in?
Each box containing Boxwalla goodies is carefully crafted from tree-free handmade paper. A small company in India makes the paper for us, from cotton scraps, using the traditional art of paper-making that involves 9 steps and takes several weeks. The handmade paper is then meticulously fashioned into the boxes that you see in the pictures. The whole process is completely child labor free and employs 63 local villagers and 20 skilled artisans whose families have been making paper for generations. We love supporting socially and environmentally conscious businesses such as these : They craft beautiful products while preserving traditional crafts and skills that would otherwise be completely lost.
Could you please tell me when to subscribe and how the billing works?
Before you subscribe you will need to create an account. You can subscribe to one box per order. If you want to subscribe to more than one box, add each of them in a separate order. When you purchase a subscription you will be billed immediately. Automatic renewal occurs every two months until you cancel. Rebilling happens on 15th of the preceding month. So going with the above eg existing subscribers will be billed on 15th Nov for the Dec box.
The subscriptions are open till 26th of the month and the boxes are shipped out in the first week of the subscription month. The last day to cancel or switch the subscription is 14th of the preceding month.
Let’s try this with an example of the December box. You can purchase the Dec box until 26th Dec and if you already have existing subscription the last day to cancel your subscription for the Dec box will be 14th Nov. Any cancelations after 14th will be effective from the next box onwards, which is Feb box in this scenario. The Dec boxes will start to ship out in the first week of December.
To avoid confusion, we ask that you wait to cancel the next box till after you receive your current box. There will be plenty of time, between when you receive a box and the next cut off date, to cancel.
When do the subscription boxes ship?
The subscription boxes start shipping in the first week of the month. So for example, the June Boxes will start shipping around June 5. The boxes are usually shipped in the following order : Beauty, Book, Food and Film.
What is the difference between subscription and one-time boxes?
Think of subscription boxes as series in a book. Each box in the subscription is related to another, so reading the whole series gives you the whole picture. When you buy a subscription box, you are billed every two months, automatically, till you cancel. One-time boxes are like stand alone novels. When you buy one, you just buy that one box. These boxes are more comprehensive since that one box tells the whole story. With the subscription boxes, the story is built over multiple boxes.
So our recommendation when you get a subscription box is to stick with it a few months, to watch the story unfold. This is especially true for the Film Box. Having said that, you can cancel or switch to another box at any given time. Each box can be enjoyed alone, even while being part of a series.
Our subscription boxes also has the highest value with average retail value of over 200$ and are priced at 49.95$. One-time boxes are usually priced at much higher price so our subscribers always get the best value possible.
Are the beauty products you showcase in the Green Beauty and Clean beauty categories?
While the products we showcase would come under the umbrella of Green and Clean Beauty, we prefer not to be defined by these labels, because labels often go from being umbrella terms that help navigate a space, to short-hands that lose nuance, to ultimately being non-informative. That said, we have exacting standards that go beyond ingredient lists and showcase the best luxury plant-based skincare from around the world.
What If I Have Allergies to ingredients?
We reveal the products in each Beauty Box in advance, so you can also look up the ingredients to make sure that you aren’t allergic to any of them. If you have any questions or concerns, please let us know via email at orders@theboxwalla.com.
And shipping?
Shipping within the U.S is free! No minimum!
Do you ship to other countries?
Subscription Boxes – Yes we ship world wide! Shipping for EU is 21.95$ DDP and rest of the world is 18.95$ flat.
Retail order – We offer free international shipping for all retail orders (subscription boxes excluded) over 150$. For below 150$ shipping for EU is 21.95$ and rest of the world is 18.95$ flat.