Privacy Policy
Last updated: July 2026
1. What we collect and why
Visitors
We collect anonymous usage data: pages visited, links clicked, referral sources, and a session identifier stored in your browser's session storage. This identifier is not linked to your identity and is cleared when you close your browser. We use this data to understand how the directory is used and to measure which brands receive traffic from the site.
Email subscribers
If you submit your email address to receive updates, we store that email address to send you communications. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send. We do not sell or share subscriber email addresses with any third party.
Brand accounts
If you create a brand account, we collect your email address and use it to send you a login link (we do not store passwords). We also store data associated with your brand listing and, if you subscribe, your billing history through Stripe. We store impression and click data associated with your listing to power the analytics dashboard.
Brand inquiry form
If you submit a brand inquiry, we collect the information you provide (brand name, website, contact name, email address, fiber types, and any notes). We use this to evaluate your brand for listing and to contact you. This data is stored in our database and is not shared with third parties.
2. Cookies
We use session storage (not cookies) for anonymous visitor tracking. If you have a brand account, we use a secure session cookie to keep you logged in. We do not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels.
3. Third-party services
We use the following third-party services that may process your data:
- Vercel — hosting. Vercel may log request metadata (IP address, user agent, request path) for infrastructure purposes.
- Stripe — payment processing for brand subscriptions. We do not store card details; payment information is handled entirely by Stripe. Stripe's privacy policy governs data collected during payment: stripe.com/privacy
4. Affiliate links
Some outbound links include affiliate tracking parameters that may identify clicks as originating from The Plain Thread. When you click an affiliate link, the destination site may set cookies for attribution purposes. Those cookies are governed by the destination site's privacy policy.
5. Data retention
Anonymous session identifiers are cleared when you close your browser. Email subscriber records are retained until you unsubscribe. Brand account data is retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after closure for billing record purposes. Impression and click event data is retained for 13 months on a rolling basis.
6. Your rights
You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal data we hold about you by emailing hello@theplainthread.com. We will respond within 30 days. If you are in the European Economic Area or California, additional rights may apply under GDPR or CCPA respectively.
7. Children
This site is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13.
8. Changes
We may update this policy at any time. Material changes will be noted by updating the date at the top of this page.
9. Contact
Questions about this policy or your data:
The Plain Thread LLC