Cleft Buyer FAQs

We supply cricket bat willow clefts — and only clefts. Because we don't manufacture bats ourselves, we never reserve premium grades for our own production. The best of every season's stock goes to our customers.

Grades 1–4, plus Butterflies and Vellums. We keep the grading structure simple — you're the professionals, and you know what works in your workshop. Pricing is sent on request; email sales@englishwillow.co.uk and we'll share our current price list.

28″ length × 5″ width × 2″ edges × 3″ spine — slightly larger than the market standard. The extra material gives bat-makers greater flexibility and yield, particularly when shaping player-grade clefts.

Dry clefts ship at 8–12% moisture content and weigh approximately 2.0–2.4 kg each. As with any natural material, some variation between pieces is normal. Because our clefts are larger than the market standard, expect them to weigh a little more than smaller clefts of equivalent dryness.

Our drying and grading processes are consistent and well-documented — something our customers consistently flag as a point of difference.

Yes — drop us a line and we'll send recent stock photos. We also run a WhatsApp Business group with regular images and updates as new stock comes through; you're welcome to join.

Yes. We supply at every scale — from trial orders to full container shipments. Minimum order quantities for each grade are listed in our current price list, sent on request.

Absolutely — and we'd encourage it. Most new customers start with a smaller order and scale up once they've seen the clefts in their own workshop. We'd far rather build a long relationship than push a big first order.

Stock is allocated first-come-first-served once a quantity and price have been agreed. We issue a proforma invoice ahead of dispatch.

Payment terms are 70% in advance and the remaining 30% before delivery. Stock doesn't leave our yard until the balance is settled.

UK customers are charged VAT at the prevailing rate. Exports outside the UK are zero-rated.

Lead times are typically two to nine weeks from order to ready-to-ship, depending on current stock levels and drying times. We'll give you a precise estimate when you enquire.

We ship from the United Kingdom by air or sea freight, depending on your order size and destination city. Transit time and cost vary accordingly. We load containers ourselves and pack tightly to maximise capacity, or alternatively box-and-strap orders onto pallets for smaller consignments.

Either route works for us. You can arrange your own freight and collect at our yard (EXW), or we'll quote CIF (cost, insurance, and freight) door-to-port for you.

For container shipments we load tightly to maximise space. For smaller orders we box and strap onto pallets:

• 20 clefts per box
• 6 boxes per pallet
• Approximate weight per box: 50 kg
• Approximate pallet footprint: 1m × 1.3m × 1.1m

Yes — we supply the export documentation required by customers around the world. We post the paperwork as soon as the shipment leaves our yard so there are no hold-ups at your port. Exact requirements vary by destination; let us know where you're importing to and we'll confirm the specifics.

Yes — and we encourage it. Visits are by appointment only, arranged through your Account Manager at sales@englishwillow.co.uk. Please don't drop in unannounced; for health-and-safety reasons we may have to turn you away if no one is available to host you.

Every customer is assigned a dedicated Account Manager who handles you from first enquiry through long-term supply. We also operate a WhatsApp Business channel for fast, informal communication and quick access to stock photos and order updates.