Privacy Policy
2025-08-11 Published / 2025-10-11 Updated / Author: 金子真之
The Makers Guild (“we”, “our site”) operates at https://themakersguild.jp. This policy presents our privacy practices in the order of Conclusion, Legal Basis, Operations, Cautions, and Summary so that users can understand and make informed choices.
This policy applies to browsing, membership, purchases/payments, inquiries, events, and community integrations. For external services (e.g., payments, shipping, analytics, embeds) their policies apply.
Principles and Scope
We process only what is necessary and do not repurpose data beyond stated aims. We provide plain explanations and choices such as consent withdrawal and unsubscribe. This policy covers browsing, membership, orders/payments, inquiries, events, and community links. External providers have their own policies.
Controller & Contact
Controller: The Makers Guild / Contact: info@themakersguild.jp / Official site: https://themakersguild.jp. Use this channel for rights requests (access, rectification, deletion, restriction, portability). We may ask for identity verification.
Data We Collect
Name, nickname, email, contact details, shipping address, order/payment information (card numbers are stored only by the payment processor), inquiry content, community identifiers, access logs, cookies and other online identifiers, device info, IP addresses. We do not collect sensitive data by default unless legally required or with explicit consent.
How We Collect
Direct input (forms, sign-up, purchases), automatic collection (logs, cookies, device/browser identifiers), and data from service providers (payments, shipping, authentication, analytics). For comments, we record IP and user agent for anti-spam. A hash of your email may be sent to Gravatar (see Automattic Privacy).
Purposes of Use
Account management, content delivery, purchase/payment/shipping, inquiry handling, event operations, fraud prevention, service quality improvement, legal compliance and rights protection, and optional marketing communications (with unsubscribe). Data no longer needed is deleted or anonymized.
Legal Bases
Contract performance, legitimate interests (e.g., fraud prevention, service improvement), legal obligations (e.g., accounting, tax), and consent (e.g., analytics, advertising, newsletters). Consent can be withdrawn at any time without affecting prior processing.
Cookies and Choices
We use necessary cookies (e.g., login state), functional cookies (display settings), and consent-based analytics/ads cookies. Typical durations: login 2 days; display preferences 1 year; “remember me” 2 weeks; editor-related 1 day; temporary test cookies deleted at session end.
Retention
Comments and related metadata may be retained for anti-spam. Member data is retained while the account is active; after deactivation we delete or anonymize per legal requirements. Shipping data is deleted after fulfillment and the period needed for returns; invoices are retained per law.
Sharing, Vendors, Joint Use
We do not share personal data with third parties except where required by law or to protect life/property. For processors we contract purpose limitation, subprocessor control, security, confidentiality, and deletion at end of term. We will disclose scope and controller when joint use applies.
International Transfers
Where data is transferred abroad, we apply contractual safeguards, encryption, and access controls consistent with applicable laws. Additional measures may be implemented depending on destination jurisdiction.
Security Measures
TLS in transit, encryption at rest, least privilege, 2FA, patching, audit logs, periodic access reviews, vendor management, training, backups and recovery procedures. We will notify affected users of material incidents. Password reset emails may include IP information.
Your Rights & Requests
Contact info@themakersguild.jp for access, rectification, deletion, restriction, or portability. After verifying identity, we follow intake → verification → review → response. We may decline excessive/repetitive requests or those conflicting with legal retention.
Minors, Sensitive Data, UGC
Minors require guardian consent/supervision. We do not collect sensitive data unless legally required or with explicit consent. For UGC, use materials that do not infringe third-party rights and remove EXIF location. We may remove content if infringement is suspected.
Changes to this Policy
We may update this policy to reflect operational or legal changes. Material changes will be communicated on our site. The updated policy applies from publication.
Summary
We practice necessity-based processing, clear purposes, user choice, robust security, and appropriate retention, with safeguards for external integrations. For questions or rights requests, contact info@themakersguild.jp.
The Makers Guild — Launch Notification
Leather craftsman Masayuki Kaneko is launching The Makers Guild, a community for makers and fans.
Making is often a succession of solitary hours, stitch by stitch. That is why we want to share techniques, sourcing, and industry trends in a reliable way—not just by word of mouth—and build a supportive cycle between artisans and fans. With The Makers Guild, we aim to carry tradition forward while creating value for today, support individual creations, and connect fans with makers.
Would you like to join the beginning of this new cycle? For those passionate about leathercraft, it can be a place to discover new possibilities; for fans, a place to hear real voices and the latest updates from makers.
If you’re interested, please register for launch notifications (a free plan is available). Details of benefits and pricing for free/paid plans will be announced once the launch date (planned around year-end) is set.
Press & Sponsorship Information
“The Makers Guild” is an international community site that shares craft and shoe culture. Our blog is published in seven languages, bringing the charm of shoe culture to readers worldwide. We are currently welcoming press interview requests and sponsorships from partners who support our mission. For details or inquiries, please feel free to contact us.