Editorial Review Policy
Last updated: March 2026
This page explains how Clutched produces, reviews, and maintains its editorial content. It exists to give our readers – and anyone evaluating our site – complete transparency about how we work, what we publish, and what standards we hold ourselves to.
We take our editorial independence seriously. This policy applies to every article, guide, roundup, and review published on clutched.co.uk.
1. Who Writes for Clutched
All content on Clutched is written or edited by named contributors with genuine expertise in luxury fashion, handbags, and accessories. Our writers have backgrounds in fashion journalism, personal styling, luxury retail, or a combination of all three.
We do not publish anonymous content. Every article carries a named author byline linked to an author profile page, which includes the writer’s credentials and areas of expertise.
We do not use AI to generate article copy without significant human editorial input, fact-checking, and rewriting. Any use of AI-assisted tools in the research or drafting process is subject to full editorial review before publication.
2. How We Select Products to Feature
Products featured on Clutched are selected on editorial merit alone. Our selection criteria include:
- Design quality, craftsmanship, and materials
- Value relative to price point and market positioning
- Brand reputation, heritage, and ethical practices where relevant
- Relevance to our readers’ needs and the article’s specific focus
- Availability to UK readers, with clear pricing at the time of publication
A product being available through an affiliate programme does not make it more or less likely to be featured. We do not accept payment to include products in editorial roundups or rankings. If a product is not good enough to recommend on its own merits, it does not appear on Clutched.
3. How We Test and Research Products
FIRST-HAND OWNERSHIP AND TESTING
Where possible, our writers base recommendations on products they personally own, have purchased, or have used over an extended period. This is always noted in the article where relevant.
IN-DEPTH RESEARCH
For products we have not personally owned, we conduct thorough research using brand archive material, verified resale market data, professional reviews from trusted industry sources, and hands-on inspection where accessible (e.g. at brand boutiques or press events).
PR SAMPLES AND GIFTED PRODUCTS
On occasion, brands may provide products for review purposes at no charge. When this is the case, it is disclosed clearly at the top of the relevant article. Receiving a product as a gift or loan does not guarantee coverage, and it never influences the tone or outcome of a review.
| Our test criteria for handbag reviews typically include: – Construction quality: stitching, lining, hardware finish – Functionality: capacity, organisation, ease of use – Comfort: weight when worn, strap length and adjustability – Durability: how materials age with regular use – Value: price relative to quality and comparable alternatives |
4. Affiliate Links and Commercial Relationships
Some articles on Clutched contain affiliate links. When you click one of these links and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This income helps fund the editorial work we do.
Our affiliate relationships do not influence which products we recommend, how we rank them, or what we write about them. The commission rate – or whether a commission exists at all – has no bearing on our editorial decisions.
| Disclosed at | The top of every article containing affiliate links, before the first link appears |
| Disclosure text | “This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.” |
| Regulatory standard | ASA UK and CAP Code guidelines on advertising disclosure |
| Paid placements | We do not accept payment for product placement in editorial content |
5. Sponsored Content and Brand Partnerships
From time to time, Clutched may publish sponsored content or enter into paid partnerships with brands. Any content that has been produced in partnership with, or funded by, a commercial partner is clearly labelled at the top of the page as ‘Sponsored’ or ‘In partnership with’.
Sponsored content is always produced to the same editorial standards as our independent content. Partners do not have the right to dictate editorial conclusions, ratings, or recommendations. If we cannot maintain editorial integrity within a partnership, we do not enter into it.
6. Accuracy, Corrections, and Content Updates
We aim to ensure that all information published on Clutched is accurate at the time of publication. This includes product prices, availability, brand information, and any factual claims made in our editorial copy.
Because the luxury fashion market moves quickly – prices change, products sell out, brands evolve – we review and update our content on a regular cycle:
| Trend articles | Reviewed and updated seasonally, or when significant market shifts occur |
| Buying guides | Reviewed every 6–12 months; prices and availability checked before each update |
| Brand spotlights | Reviewed annually or when significant brand news warrants an update |
| Gifting edits | Refreshed ahead of each major gifting season |
All updated articles display a visible ‘Last updated’ date alongside the original publication date. If a material factual error is identified, we correct it promptly and note the correction at the bottom of the article.
If you believe something on Clutched is factually incorrect, please contact us at hello@clutched.co.uk and we will investigate promptly.
7. External Links and Sources
When we cite external sources – whether industry publications, brand websites, or research data – we link to the original source directly. We do not misrepresent the content of external sources, and we check that linked pages are live and accurate at the time of publication.
We do not accept payment to link to external websites in editorial content. Links are included because they add value for the reader.
8. Our Commitment to Reader Trust
Everything we publish on Clutched is intended to serve one person: the reader. Our editorial team operates independently of our commercial interests, and we will never compromise the quality or integrity of our content in exchange for revenue.
| In summary, our commitments to you are: – Named, credentialled authors on every article – Honest, first-hand product expertise wherever possible – Affiliate and gifting disclosures before the first link, every time – No paid-for editorial placements or rankings – Regular content reviews with visible update dates – Prompt corrections when errors are identified – Clear labelling of all sponsored content |
9. Contact and Complaints
If you have a question about this policy, wish to report a factual error, or want to raise a concern about any content on Clutched, please contact our editorial team:
| Editorial queries | editorial@clutched.co.uk |
| PR & partnerships | press@clutched.co.uk |
| General enquiries | hello@clutched.co.uk |
We aim to respond to all editorial queries within 5 working days.
clutched.co.uk | Editorial Review Policy | Last updated March 2026