Frequently Asked Questions
GENERAL
IS THIS THE ORIGINAL ALVIN DRAFTING? DIDN'T ALVIN CLOSE?
In September of 2020 the Shoham family decided to retire from the art materials distribution business. The Alvin brand of drafting equipment was purchased by Ascendant and relocated its home offices to Utah. Same brand, new ownership.
DOES ALVIN CARRY ALL THE SAME PRODUCTS?
Alvin has brought back a very focused collection of all its best products. The focus is on all the hand tools and supplies in the categories of drawing, drafting and design. We think of this as "Alvin, The Greatest Hits".
WHAT HAPPENED TO HERITAGE ARTS AND PRESTIGE PORTFOLIOS?
Both the Heritage Arts and Prestige Portfolios brands have been retired.
WILL ALVIN STILL DISTRIBUTE OTHER BRANDS?
No, Alvin will no longer be a wholesale distributor of other brands. Our focus is on our own brand of products.
DOES ALVIN STILL MAKE KITS?
We are happy to put together a collection of Alvin supplies for your students or school at a volume discount price. We are unable to provide pricing on non-Alvin products.
DO YOU HAVE A PHYSICAL STORE I CAN VISIT?
No, we are 100% online, but we do sell to brick and mortar wholesale distributors. Contact sales@ascendantbrands.com to find a store near you that might carry our products.
WHY SHOULD I BUY AN ALVIN PRODUCT?
Because we still care about our products and the people who use them. We have sold many of these same products since 1950. We understand what makes them great. They perform consistently and get their reliability track record from our great manufacturing partners. Our company was founded in a time when people wanted to invest in something and have it for many years, if not a lifetime. We still believe in that.
WHERE IS ALVIN LOCATED?
We are now located in beautiful Utah at the base of the Wasatch mountains. Look them up online.
WHERE CAN I PURCHASE ALVIN PRODUCTS?
Our online store has our entire line of Alvin products. We also have an Alvin store at Amazon.com. Our partner is Blick.com who has many of our products as well.
WHAT IS ALVIN'S WARRANTY?
All Alvin products have a 90-day warranty. All Alvin products are warranted to be free from defects in workmanship and materials under normal use and conditions for a period of 90 days from the date of original purchase. Warranty is valid only if product is used for the purpose for which it was designed / intended. We do not cover products that have been damaged by negligence, misuse, accident, or modified in any way. Coverage is at Alvins discretion and subject to verification. Should service be required by reason of defect of malfunction during the warranty period, Alvin will repair, or at its discretion, replace the product without charge subject to verification of defect or malfunction. This warranty does not apply to damage caused by carrier during transportation.
ORDERS & SHIPPING
DO YOU HAVE CUSTOMER SERVICE AVAILABLE BY PHONE OR EMAIL?
Feel free to call us at 877-228-3310 and leave a message. The quicker way to contact us is by email : info@alvindrafting.com
HOW LONG DOES SHIPPING USUALLY TAKE?
We offer shipping through USPS and FedEx. Rates are based on weight, size, and destination. We ship to locations within the United States and U.S. territories, including Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. When shipping to a PO Box, only USPS is available. For international orders, please contact sales@ascendantbrands.com for a shipping quote and ETA.
WHAT FORMS OF PAYMENT DO YOU ACCEPT?
We accept all major credit cards as well as PayPal and Apple Pay.
CAN I MAKE CHANGES TO AN ORDER I ALREADY PLACED?
You can certainly reach out to us and let us know you wanted to make a change. Usually, we process to fast. Orders are processed multiple times a day. We know this can be frustrating when you want to make a change, but you can't blame us for wanting to get you the order as quickly as possible.
CAN YOU SHIP INTERNATIONALLY?
For international orders, please contact sales@ascendantbrands.com for a shipping quote and ETA.
DO YOU OFFER BULK DISCOUNTS FOR LARGE ORDERS?
Yes, contact our wholesale team for more information: sales@ascendantbrands.com
DO YOU HAVE A SECTION OF CLEARANCE ITEMS?
We offer competitive prices on all our art supplies and occasionally run sales and promotions, including liquidation sales, to make our products even more affordable. We also offer return and sale of good condition items. Check back often for new deals!
DO YOU HAVE A RETURN OR EXCHANGE POLICY?
We accept returns for up to thirty days from the original date of purchase. If the product was purchased from an Alvin dealer, store, or online web store, the item must be returned to the original point of purchase. To return or exchange an item purchased directly from Alvin, please contact us for a return authorization number RA # and instructions on returning the item. No returns will be processed without a RA#.
PRODUCTS
WHERE ARE ALVIN PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED?
Alvin is proud to have manufacturing partnerships around the globe. Our diversity is our strength as we work with the best manufacturers from Germany, Poland, Japan, Italy, Taiwan, China, India, South Korea, Thailand and the United States.
HOW DO I KNOW WHICH PENCILS OR PENS ARE BEST FOR MY SPECIFIC PROJECT?
When choosing the size of lead to use when drawing or drafting, there are a few factors to consider: The type of project you are working on: Larger lead sizes are typically used for rough sketching and larger drawings, while smaller lead sizes are used for detailed work and fine lines. The type of surface you are working on: Harder surfaces, such as drafting vellum, require a harder lead to prevent smudging, while softer surfaces, such as sketch paper, can accommodate a softer lead. The desired line width: If you want a thin, fine line, you should use a smaller lead size, while if you want a thicker, bolder line, you should use a larger lead size. Personal preference: Some artists prefer to work with a specific lead size, while others will experiment with different sizes to achieve the desired effect. It is also worth noting that many pencils come with a lead size indicator, indicating the width of the lead, which can help you choose the right size for your project. Additionally, it's always good to have a variety of lead sizes on hand, so you can switch between them as needed depending on the project you are working on.
THE ITEM I WAS LOOKING FOR IS OUT OF STOCK. WHEN WILL IT BE AVAILABLE?
The longest anything is usually out of stock is 90 days or less. It may be back in tomorrow. You can sign up right on the product page to be alerted by email when it returns to stock. In the rare case that something will be taking longer, we can also reach out and let you know.
DOES ALVIN STILL CARRY FURNTIURE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS?
No, we no longer carry any furniture or parts for furniture sold previously. The furniture line is retired.
HOW DO I FLATTEN A WARPED CUTTING MAT?
Vinyl and heat aren't friends and that is usually what causes the warping. A cool, dark place along with some heavy books can usually reshape the mats.
MISC
ARE YOUR PRICES COMPETITIVE WITH OTHER ART SUPPLY RETAILERS?
In many cases our prices are very competitive with our competitors. In many cases, we don't have competitors as we are one of the only companies that still sells high quality drafting supplies. But we always strive to fulfill the promise of founder Alvin Shoham of ,"Quality at a fair price."
ARE YOUR PRODUCTS SUITABLE FOR PROFESSIONALS OR JUST FOR HOBBYISTS?
We are proud to create a line of products that offer professional grade quality through out the whole line. Our products are used by architects, engineers, designers (graphic, industrial, interior), students, hobbyists, and professionals in many different fields. Our tools have been appropriated by makers, bakers, fashion teachers, zoo designers, rocket makers, sculptors, landscape architects, game builders and many, many more. What do you do with Alvin tools?
DO YOU CARRY HARD-TO-FIND, SPECIALIZED ART SUPPLIES?
Yes, Alvin carries a wide range of hard-to-find, specialized art supplies. We have a wide variety of specialty papers, from tracing paper to vellum, as well as a variety of drafting supplies that have become the industry standard.
DO YOU OFFER A SCHOOL DISCOUNT?
We sure do. Just reach out to us and we will verify some info and get you an educators code.
DO YOU HAVE GIFT CARDS?
Yes! Visit this link.
DO YOU HAVE A REWARDS PROGRAM?
We are working on one right now. Sign up for emails to get details when they are available.