We will process and despatch all orders within 2-5 working days. 

For the UK we use Royal Mail tracked 48 delivery, with estimated delivery times of 2 – 3 days.  

International orders via Royal Mail typically arrive within 15 working days and are shipped with tracking.

Please note that delivery times may take longer during busy periods.

See our delivery policy for more.

We provide standard UK domestic delivery for £4.95, with free standard delivery on orders of £50 and above within the UK. Our deliveries are fully tracked from dispatch to arrival. For urgent orders, email us at hello@paperstarlights.com, and we'll do our best to help. We also offer international shipping through Royal Mail tracked services, typically taking 3-5 working days, though delays may occur during peak times.

CUSTOMER SPEND

BAND 1 - Orders Under £50

Shipping costs - Royal Mail Tracked

Australia / Canada / USA- £25.00

France / Germany / Denmark / Republic of Ireland - £15.00

Norway / Greece - £18.00

Northern Ireland - £7.95

CUSTOMER SPEND

BAND 2 - Orders Between £50 - £79

Shipping costs - Royal Mail Tracked

Australia / Canada / USA - £30.00

France / Germany / Denmark / Norway / Greece / Republic of Ireland - £20.00

Northern Ireland - £7.95

CUSTOMER SPEND

BAND 3 - Orders £80 +

Australia / Canada / USA - £40.00

France / Germany / Denmark / Norway / Greece / Republic of Ireland - £25.00

Northern Ireland - £7.95

Paper Starlights ships worldwide via Royal Mail or alternative couriers. Choose shipping options for your destination at checkout.

Royal Mail typically delivers within 15 working days, and we use tracked services for all international orders.

Import Taxes & Duties

The buyer is responsible for paying additional costs such as duties, taxes, and customs clearance fees. These charges can vary widely and are often based on the price and type of item, package weight and dimensions, origin country, and the taxes, duties, and fees of the destination country.

Please note that we have no control over these charges and cannot predict their amount.

Damaged or faulty items require contact within 14 days by emailing hello@paperstarlights.com with your order number and a photo of the item’s condition.The return will be at your expense until we agree that the star is damaged and we will then fully reimburse you the cost of the goods and their return.

If you wish to cancel your order before despatch, we will arrange for a full refund of any payment taken. Please note  – in order to provide good customer service, we despatch our products quickly (sometimes within an hour). If cancellation happens after despatch then you will be responsible for the cost of returning the products and refunds will be subject to our Refund Policy below.

Please ensure before purchase that the item is a suitable size for your use – all measurements are given for each product. For colour, please note that variations of colour can be caused by your device screen. Because our stars are entirely made by hand, including the screen printing process, slight variations of colour may also apply.
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have and make a separate purchase for the new item. 

You will be refunded via the method of payment used to place the order as soon as the returned goods have arrived with us. Please note we are unable to refund shipping costs unless there is an error or fault with your item.

Your star will arrive flat packed.  You simply open the star up one point at a time and tie the two cords together to form a perfect star.

Instructions are provided with each lantern and you can watch a video which shows you how to open and hang it.

The stars are designed to tie over a light source of your choice. The light source can be battery operated, USB or mains power (maximum 40W), and can be purchased separately if required. Our stars are also available as a complete light-up star kit with USB-powered LED light. 

Here are some ideas and recommendations below (you might already have some fairy lights!).

1.  As our stars are British Standard tested as lampshades, you can use them as you would a lampshade with electric lightbulbs and LEDs over a standard pendant light fitting (as shown in the video). And you could also use an electric plugset with flex, light fitting and plug for hanging in the window. The maximum wattage for the stars is 40W – and they are recommended for use with LED bulbs up to 7 watts, or low energy lightbulbs up to 16 watts.

2. You could insert battery operated fairy lights. These look really nice and the light will twinkle through the perforations in the star. Make sure the fairy lights are battery operated - electric wouldn't be recommended due to the heat output and contact with the star. 

3. You could use other types of battery operated LED lights, such as a portable ‘bulb-on-a-rope’ camping/ closet light.

4. Our stars also come as a complete light-up star kit, which offers a complete ‘plug and play’ solution. It comes with USB-powered 1.5W warm white LED light, 4-meter USB cable – and a paper star of your choice. Simply tie the star over the LED light. Then plug the kit into a portable power bank, USB wall socket, USB port on your computer or laptop, an existing USB plug, or cigarette lighter with a USB socket.

Use as a lampshade over any pendant light fitting. 

Or as a lantern with a set of battery operated LED fairy lights inside – either hang the star, or invert over a lamp stand for stability. Make sure the fairy lights are battery operated - electric wouldn't be recommended due to the heat output and contact with the star. Many of our customers have been in touch to say they’ve used stands available from JYSK.

You may want to hang your star in a place that doesn’t have mains power, such as a porch, marquee or summerhouse. Or in a window that’s a long way from a plug socket. For all those tricky spaces we recommend our light-up star kits, which offer a complete ‘plug and play’ solution. They come complete with USB-powered warm white LED light, 4-meter USB cable – and a paper star of your choice. Simply tie the star over the LED light. Then plug the kit into a portable power bank, USB wall socket, USB port on your computer or laptop, an existing USB plug, or cigarette lighter with a USB socket.

Our stars also look fantastic unlit as 3D decorations.

To preserve materials, we encourage using our stars over a light source you may already have – but we do supply cable kits and fairy lights just in case you need them!

Our stars are perfect for use indoors, or in dry outdoor environments.

They have been tested to use with a maximum wattage bulb of 40 watts. 

However - LED lamps between 1.5 and 5.5 watts are the best – the higher the wattage and lumens ( e.g. 5.5 watts ), the brighter it will be. For a more ambient glow, use a set of battery operated LED fairy lights or a lower wattage lamp (e.g. 1.5 watts ).

The effects of the star will be different depending on which colour star and which type of light you use inside. 

For more info, please see our light bulb guide here.

Our stars conform to the British Standard for luminaires BS EN 60598

Every star is a one-off creation entirely handmade from natural materials - take care when you open it, carefully following the instructions enclosed.

Your star can be folded flat and safely stored in its protective wrapper. Treat it gently and it will shine for many years !

If it gets dusty, wipe with a clean, dry cloth. 

In this store you will find stars of different sizes and geometries, ranging from 42 cm diameter, to 60 cm, and up to 87 cm diameter.

We also supply larger stars for decorative installations. Contact us for more info. 

The structural design of the lanterns is very clever. Don't be put off by the fact they are made from paper. They are thick and sturdy, and the weighted paper is perfectly cut, pasted, and constructed, so that when assembled the lantern is very strong. 

That depends on the design. As a rule, the lighter the colour of the paper, the brighter the light, e.g. white and ivory would give out more light than, say red or violet. Then you need to consider whether you select a design with tissue inserts or punched-out perforations. The perforations create a bright twinkly effect, and would give out more light than the tissue inserts. So - on a scale, Starry White, Venus White, North Star White, Prosecco - (white paper, perforations) will give out the most light and Fantasia Montana will give out the least.

For many years if you don't treat them mean! We have customers who have had their lanterns in daily use for years. They may get a bit dusty over time, but can be cleaned using a dry cloth. Some colours may fade a bit in direct sunlight over many years due to the use of natural pigments. However, hung indoors and according to the instructions, they really will last for years.

Please note that your lantern isn't suitable for wet weather conditions or for bathrooms as the steam will spoil the paper. 

For over 25 years the people behind Paper Starlights have worked closely with a small family business in India to develop exclusive ranges of these wonderful and simple paper lanterns. The product of a long and happy working relationship, each piece is equitably traded and made by people who work in a happy, secure and supportive environment. Find out more here.

Originally produced to celebrate 'Diwali' the Hindu festival of light, star light lanterns lift the mood and bring a spirit of light and celebration to any occasion. 

Each star light is handmade with great pride using good quality weight paper, with a superior finish. The production process is traditional and non-mechanized; each section of the star is printed using traditional methods, the perforations in the design hand punched, the tissue paper cut and fixed in place by hand and the star assembled using geometric skill and accuracy. Each star is then carefully checked before being packaged. 

Due to this non-mechanized process, there may be tiny inconsistencies in shade and design, which should not be viewed as flaws, rather as evidence that they are hand-made by real people not machines! 

We Create in Small Batches: Producing in small batches typically means reduced waste and energy consumption compared to mass production. This approach can also allow for better quality control and less overproduction, which is more sustainable.

We Use Vegetable Dyes: Vegetable dyes are often considered eco-friendly because they are derived from natural sources and are biodegradable. They produce fewer harmful chemicals compared to synthetic dyes.

We Aim to Use Responsibly Sourced Paper: When creating our star lanterns, we aim to use responsibly sourced paper. This means the paper comes from well-managed forests or recycled sources, reducing the impact on ecosystems.

Our Packaging is Recyclable: Our outer packaging is recyclable. We encourage customers to keep the packaging for future use to store their star away until the next occasion or celebration.

Our stars are packed carefully, well, functionally, with full instructions and using minimal materials.  

Our Products are Long-Lasting: Our paper star lanterns are designed to last, they can contribute to sustainability by reducing the frequency of replacements. Our stars can be reused again and again. Bring them out year after year!

A Star Lantern doesn't just have to be for Christmas! They can be used all year round as a lampshade or for parties.

They also make cool camping lanterns and stunning wedding lights.

However, if you want to use your star light as one of those special Christmas decorations that come out every year, your star will fold perfectly flat for storage and can be used again and again, year after year. 

Many people have known and seen paper stars, or star lanterns or paper starlights for years. We think our stars are some of the loveliest anywhere, and made to an exceptionally high quality. 

There is a depth of colour, luminescence, and beauty to them that is unmatched in others.

“I ordered 2 of these paper lanterns and was very pleasantly surprised of the quality- even better than the ones I had before from a different supplier. These lanterns are strong and well made, and I know will last for years. I am super happy.”

“You can see these are superior quality. It shines through in every way“ 

The paper card and materials are robust, and the design and making process is done by hand with experience and care. 

The artistry and attention to detail behind each lantern cannot be beaten, and each star is rigorously checked and tested to the highest standards before despatch.

Paperstarlights are handmade by really nice people, and fairly traded, and have been for over 25 years.

 

Every star is a gift, whoever receives it, and we pack them accordingly.

For environmental reasons we do not offer the option of extra gift wrapping - please see our “Transparent about Packaging“ guide here.  This doesn’t mean our stars don’t arrive in an enticing way, and we have great reviews for our packaging from our customers. What it means it that we choose to conserve materials so do not offer extra ribbons and bows. We know that the best gift we can give each other is a more sustainable future.