Original Print

Original Print, written オリジナルプリント.jp on its own site, is a Japanese custom printing service that prints apparel, bags, towels, mugs, phone cases, stickers, stationery and many other goods to order, starting from a single piece. The site says it is operated by 株式会社イメージ・マジック (Image Magic Inc.), which it describes as a listed company ("東証上場企業", listed on the TSE). Its FAQ names companies, schools, local governments and clubs among the customers who order for events, novelties, gifts and goods for sale, and it also runs services for online shop owners: a listing integration with the Japanese store builder BASE, a shipping-on-behalf service and an enterprise print solution for system integration. The whole site is in Japanese and prices are in yen.

How ordering works

The homepage's "why choose us" section sets out the model. Under "ご注文は1点から" (orders from one piece), it says you can order a single item, that businesses can keep inventory risk to a minimum, and that the price and delivery date are shown automatically so you can check them on the spot. Designs are made in the company's own browser-based design tool, which it says it developed in-house "業界に先駆けて" (ahead of the industry): you upload and edit artwork online and see a preview immediately. The FAQ adds that the tool is free, works from a smartphone without installing an app, accepts JPEG, PNG and AI files, and offers design templates, so Illustrator or Photoshop is not required.

Production runs in what the company calls its "最新プリントファクトリー" (latest print factory), with experienced staff and quality control, backed by a "全国プリントネットワーク" (nationwide print network). Items marked for same-day shipping go out the same day when ordered by 13:00. For everything else, the FAQ says the time from order to delivery depends on the product, print method and quantity, and that the expected ship date appears on each product page and in the cart. Larger quantities can push that date back.

Print methods

Original Print lists an unusually long set of decoration methods on its print methods guide: on-demand transfer (DTF), inkjet printing (DTG), sublimation transfer, silkscreen, cutting press print, foil print, pad printing, UV-cured inkjet, UV coating, latex printing, tape printing, stamping, rotary UV inkjet, digital transfer, on-demand color laser, embroidery, and laser processing for goods and apparel.

The T-shirt transfer page explains its DTF process. DTF stands for "Direct To Film": ink is printed onto a film sheet and then transferred to the fabric with heat and pressure, which the page says gives vivid color, reproduces fine detail and is less affected by the fabric type or color. The same page lists the T-shirts available for on-demand transfer: GLIMMER Dry T-shirt from ¥550, Printstar Heavyweight T-shirt from ¥605, United Athle 5.6oz High Quality T-shirt from ¥715, Printstar 5.9oz Open End T-shirt from ¥715 and a United Athle 4.1oz Dry Athletic Baseball Shirt from ¥1,430.

The catalog

The category menu covers apparel (T-shirts, long sleeves, hoodies and sweatshirts, jackets, polo shirts, pants, sportswear, work uniforms, happi coats and baby goods), bags (totes, sacoche bags, backpacks, pouches, eco bags and novelty bags), towels, blankets and cushions, interior goods (fabric panels, posters and tapestries, clocks, mats, calendars and balloons), fashion goods (socks, sneakers and sandals, aprons, caps and hats, scarves and bandanas, tattoo stickers and umbrellas), stickers and stationery, mugs, tumblers, bottles and other kitchen goods, and a large accessories group with acrylic goods, key rings, can badges, puzzles, phone cases and PC goods.

The homepage publishes starting prices for its best sellers. In tote bags, a thin cotton bag starts at ¥121 and a 12oz canvas tote (M) at ¥330. Hoodies and sweatshirts run from ¥1,870 for a Printstar 8.4oz crew neck light sweatshirt to ¥3,300 for a United Athle 10.0oz full-zip hoodie. Picked-up items show the basis of the price: a United Athle 5.6oz boxy cropped T-shirt from ¥847 is the tax-included blank price per piece at 100 pieces, while custom flat crew socks from ¥2,552 and a desk calendar from ¥1,485 are single-piece prices including printing. A can badge starts at ¥154 per piece in 32mm when 10 are made.

Services for shop owners

Several items in the usage guide matter to a seller rather than a one-off buyer:

• BASEオンデマンド出品連携 (BASE on-demand listing integration), a connection to the BASE online store platform. The site names it without describing the setup.
• 代行出荷サービス (shipping-on-behalf service), which sends orders out on the customer's behalf.
• 袋詰め・ラッピング サービス (bagging and wrapping). The FAQ says individual OPP bagging is available on some products.
• 法人向け エンタープライズサービス and オンデマンドプリントソリューションズ, an enterprise service and an on-demand print solution for customers who want a system connection, plus OEM and large-lot support.

Two FAQ answers are useful for anyone shipping to end buyers. The statement of charges is not packed with the goods ("明細書は商品に同梱しておりません"), so a parcel does not reveal the price paid, and each order ships to one address only, so separate buyers need separate orders.

Payment, discounts and policies

The site offers a coupon system, a review discount, an early-bird discount (早割サービス), a late artwork submission service and a shareholder benefit program. Quotes can be issued before ordering and receipts after shipping from the account page, and companies and organizations can pay by invoice. The operator is registered as a qualified invoice issuer under Japan's invoice system. Orders can be canceled by the customer within 30 minutes of ordering; after that, production starts and cancellations are not accepted. Copyrighted logos, characters and celebrity images are printed only with the rights holder's permission.

Support runs through an order support center by phone and a contact form, open 10:00 to 17:00, excluding weekends, public holidays and the New Year period, with a separate sales desk for large orders.

Who Original Print suits

Original Print suits sellers in Japan who want a domestic printer with a huge product range, published starting prices and orders from one piece, especially those already running a shop on BASE. The long list of print methods, from DTF and DTG to embroidery, silkscreen and laser work, means one supplier can cover apparel, stickers, acrylic goods and drinkware in one account. Same-day shipping on eligible items helps with event and fan merch.

It is a harder fit for sellers outside Japan. The site is Japanese-only, prices are in yen, and it says nothing about shipping abroad. It is also built first as a custom goods shop, so a seller looking for a range of store integrations will find the BASE connection and the enterprise solution, and no others named.