Last updated: 7 Oct 2026
Who we are
This website is operated by Balete Blades ("we", "us"), the workshop of Sean Alonzo. For any question about your personal information, write to [PRIVACY EMAIL].
What we collect
We collect only what is needed to correspond with you, fulfil your order, and understand how our website is used:
- Enquiries. When you use our contact form we receive your name, email address, the subject you select, any piece reference and your message.
- Patron applications. When you apply for a Patron place we receive your name, country of residence, email address, the slot you applied for, and what you choose to tell us about yourself and what you hope for. We also record the time you accepted the two statements on the form.
- Newsletter. When you subscribe we receive your email address. You confirm your subscription by email before anything is sent.
- Purchases. Payment is handled entirely by PayPal. We never see or store your card or bank details. PayPal shares with us the information needed to complete your order: your name, email address and shipping address.
- Website analytics. We use PostHog to understand, in aggregate, how visitors move through the site. Our own server sends only the page visited, the website that referred you (its domain, not the full address), your country, and a general browser, operating system and device type. We never send your IP address. No analytics script runs in your browser and no analytics cookie is set. Visitors are counted using an anonymous identifier that changes every day, so no one can be followed from one day to the next.
- Spam protection. To limit abuse of our forms, we keep a scrambled, one-way code derived from your IP address for no more than 24 hours. It cannot be turned back into your address.
We do not ask for, and do not knowingly collect, any other personal information.
How we use it
- To reply to your enquiry.
- To understand you and assess your Patron application, so that anything made for you can be made for you alone.
- To process, ship and support your purchase, including contacting you to arrange shipping.
- To send the newsletter you asked for.
- To maintain, secure and improve the website.
We rely on your consent (newsletter, analytics), on the steps needed to perform a contract with you (purchases), and on our legitimate interest in answering correspondence and keeping the site secure.
Who we share it with
We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for their own purposes. It is processed on our behalf only by the service providers needed to run the workshop:
- PayPal — payment processing.
- Mailchimp (Intuit) — newsletter delivery.
- PostHog — website analytics.
- Cloudflare — website hosting, security and storage of enquiries.
- Couriers — your name, address and phone number, only when a piece is shipped to you.
We may disclose information if required by law, or to protect our rights in the event of fraud.
Cookies and local storage
We do not use cookies for analytics or advertising. Your basket is kept in your own browser's local storage and is only sent to us when you choose to check out. Fonts and images are served from our own site, so visiting does not contact third parties. PayPal and Cloudflare may set strictly necessary cookies of their own during checkout and for security.
How long we keep it
Enquiries are deleted automatically 24 months after we receive them. Patron applications are deleted automatically after 24 months unless you become a patron. Order records are kept for as long as tax and accounting law requires. Newsletter details are kept until you unsubscribe. Analytics data is retained according to PostHog's retention settings, currently 12 months. You can ask us to delete your enquiry or application sooner at any time.
Where your information is kept
Enquiries, Patron applications and order details are stored in a private database on our hosting providers. They are not sent by email.
International transfers
Our service providers may process information outside your country. Where they do, they use recognised safeguards such as standard contractual clauses.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or export your personal information, to object to or restrict its use, and to withdraw consent at any time. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter using the link in any email. For anything else, write to us and we will respond within 30 days. You may also complain to your local data protection authority.
Security
The site is served only over encrypted connections, access to enquiries is restricted to the founder, and we keep our systems up to date. No method of transmission is perfectly secure, but we take care proportionate to the little we hold.
Children
This site is not intended for anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect information from minors.
Changes
If we change this policy, we will update the date above. Material changes will be noted on this page.