FAQ

PRODUCTS


1. What is washi? 
Wa meaning Japanese and Shi meaning Paper, washi is Japanese Paper made either by hand using traditional methods or by machine. Read more about washi here. 

2. Do you carry rice paper? 
We do not carry paper made out of rice. Most of the time, people refer to Asian papers in general to be "rice paper". 

3. Are your papers acid-free/ archival? 
Feel free to ask about specific papers being acid-free or archival. Almost all of our Japanese papers are acid-free and archival. The only known acid papers we carry that we know of are some of our Decorative papers and papers from around the world. 

4. Can I buy "Hiromi Paper"? 
Sometimes artists will caption their artwork as work on "Hiromi Paper". Most notable recently are Richard Serra's drawings on paper which refer to our DHM-11 Kozo Triple Thick large size. 

5. Are there ICC/ printing profiles for your digital papers? 
We can offer ICC profiles for IJ Aya and IJ Kozo papers, but do not have profiles for our other papers. We are currently working on getting them. Our samples have been printed using Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art setting. 

6. What's the difference between the "digital" and "inkjet" series? 
The "Digital Series" are letter size (8.5x 11") sheets cut from some of our machine made washi sheets. The "Inkjet Series" are washi that are coated in Japan especially for inkjet printing. Both can be put though the laser and inkjet printers, though they may produce different results. 

7. Do you do any cutting, printing, or framing? 
We do not cut, print, or frame at our store. However, we can give some resource suggestions. 

8. Is the smooth side of the paper the front? 
In Japan, the smooth side is typically called the front of the paper. Either side can be used for your art & printing based on your textural preference. 

9. Can I special order a custom size, weight, color of a paper? 
We do many custom orders, please contact us for the specifics with the paper you are interested in. There will usually be a minimum quantity requirement and a 50% deposit. Please consider the time it will take to produce and ship the custom order paper, and the time it will take to send samples back and forth. Mold fee may be applied if a mold is needed to be made. We offer shipment from our store (by our boat shipments, takes longer time) or directly from Japan by EMS (shipped as soon as the paper is ready, but at more shipping cost). 

10. Do you guarantee consistency with the paper? 
The nature of our papers is that each sheet can be unique. Some papers have a much higher chance in being uniform (machine made, bleached papers). Otherwise, variations can occur between batches (sizes, color, thickness). 

11. Why are the paper weights in g/m²? 
For the washi papers, each paper is traditionally weighed by the individual sheet in grams, which is then converted to per square meter for easier comparison. 

12. What are the lines in the paper from? Can I get paper without them? 
The silk thread that is used to weave the bamboo splints together on the washi molds leave a series of lines in most handmade paper. In Japan, this gives the paper their handmade trait and is even requested in the machine-made washi to give them the handmade traditional feel. We have done special orders for customers in which a silk cloth is used to cover the bamboo part so as not to leave any lines, but this can only be done for certain papers. Please contact us for more information. 


ORDERING

1. Why is my order declining? 
A common reason for a declined order is that the billing address given is incorrect. Feel free to contact us to help you get it sorted out. 

2. What is the return / damage policy? 
Our return / damage policy can be read here. If a package arrives damaged, please contact us right away. It would be helpful to take pictures of the box without opening it first. DO NOT discard any packing materials as they might be used as evidence by the shipping company when a damage claim is filed. 

3. Where else can I get your products? 
We ship worldwide through our online store or by phone/email/fax order. We also have a showroom open to the public in Culver City, CA where all of our products are available for purchase. Contact us for possible retailers near you. 

4. Can I get my order wrapped / Can I change my order? 
We can take requests and changes as long as we have not shipped the order yet. The best way is to write the request in the customers note during check out, or to send us an email / phone call immediately. It is likely that we will be able to respond right away. 


SHIPPING

Please see our shipping policy here. 

1. How are the papers shipped? 
Most paper orders are rolled and shipped in cardboard boxes. We do ship flat with certain papers or by request. Shipping flat may incur extra charges and be more prone to damages during shipping. 

2. What are my shipping options? 
We ship by UPS ground domestically, Fed-Ex/UPS/USPS postal internationally, and freight companies for large size sheets to certain areas. Express options are available at checkout. We can also take requests to use other shipping companies and methods (Fed-Ex, DHL, TNT..) 

For the best protection of your package, we recommend using express methods. 

3. Are there any extra charges? 
Large size sheets/rolls and flat boxes are subject to extra charge. International shipping is calculated and charged separately from the online checkout. 

4. Can you ship my order today? 
If we are notified before 3p.m. PST, there is a chance we can ensure shipment. The earlier the better! 


MISC.

1. How can I share my artwork with you? 
We love to see the artwork and projects using our paper! We can showcase them on our blog here. Please contact us for more information! 

2. Do you do wholesale? 
Yes, request for a wholesale application and information.