The Zakka Kit is a mystery box from Neko Box that's full of 5-8 fun and quality stationery products that you'll be excited to use each month!
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out our review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About The Zakka Kit
The Subscription Box: The Zakka Kit
The Cost: $19.99/mo + shipping
ACTIVE DEAL: Save 10% off your first box!
CODE: 10MAIL
The Products: You'll always receive 5-8 fun and quality stationery products that you'll be excited to use each month!
Ships to: The US for $6.50 and Worldwide for an additional cost
Good to know: Boxes ship from Japan
The Zakka Kit June 2018 Review
The first thing you see when you open the box is the info card for the month and theme which is "Summer Days!".
The reverse side has all of the month's items listed out with a short description. This month has a total listed value of $26.50+ USD.
Classiky x Sekihandou Tsubame Bird Washi Paper - Retail Value $5.15 (found here for $4.38)
Tsubame are Japanese barn swallows that are common in the summertime, so this paper ties in nicely to the theme. This washi paper is delicate and features a beautiful illustration of a tsubame with what looks like a weeping willow tree. Not only can you write letters on this paper, but it's also used as a decorative way to serve sweets during tea ceremonies.
Life Stationery Noble Note Mini Notebook - Retail Value $4.90
Oh, I find this so funny because I actually already own this exact little notebook! Mine is 2/3 of the way filled and pretty beat up from getting thrown in my purse but now I have a backup! So random! I always carry a small notebook like this around with me to jot down to do lists and be ready to take notes at any time. I love the spiral binding and the grid paper inside that makes it easy to keep organized.
Classiky x Mihoko Seki Blue Girl Washi Tape
Whoa- this is a bit wider than your average washi tape, plus it looks like you got a lot! The design is illustrated by artist Mihoko Seki and has some girls and hearts decorating the baby blue background. It's a little abstract but very feminine and interesting! This will be perfect to seal some envelopes with!
Zuretake Zig Clean Color Brush Pen in Violet - Retail Value $3.40
I'm very familiar with the Zig brush pen as I've received other colors in the past. It's a really well-made brush pen with a soft tip that allows beautiful calligraphy to flow from it. The color I received is a deep purple that is really bold.
Mitsubishi Uni Colored Pencil in Green - Estimated Retail Value $1.13 (Buy a 36 pencil set for $40.50 here)
I don't recall ever receiving a basic colored pencil like this in a box, so it's a bit new but also kind of a bummer. I think I'd prefer a mechanical pencil or another writing utensil that's a little more exciting. I don't use colored pencils much so I probably won't get much use out of this.
Here are writing samples of each.
Classiky x Mihani Kobo Colorful Origami Paper x4 - Estimated Retail Value $1.17 (Get 24 sheets for $6.99)
It's always nice to get beautiful origami papers like this, but I really must look into ways using them. I have plenty of letter-writing paper and these are so lovely that I end up never using them. They deserve better! The info sheet suggests wrapping tony gifts and I rather like that idea. The fun designs are inspired by vintage illustrated books and created by the design team, Mihani Kobo. I love the one with the animals so much!
Classiky x Ugyokusha Washi Goldfish Stickers x4 - Estimated Total Retail Value $1.69 (Buy a pack of 20 for $8.43)
The Zakka Kit has some of the coolest stickers around and this month they've sent four goldfish stickers that are a nice size and lovely illustrations by a woodblock artist, Ugyokusha. So awesome!
Verdict: The Zakka Kit this month has some great items, but I'm not too sure it has the listed value it said it did. Many of the items are normally sold in larger sets and were broken up so their pro-rated value wasn't very much. The washi tape is the only one I couldn't find an exact match for and I only got a total of $17.44 for the rest. The notebook is clearly my favorite since I had picked it out myself when purchasing it in the past and am excited to have another when I finish the one I'm currently using. The other item I liked best is the brush pen and the rest was just sort of filler (though the washi tape is a nice width too).
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, but order by the 21st of July to get August as your first box.
Coupon - Use code 10MAIL to save 10% off your first box!
Value Breakdown: At $26.49 ($19.99 + $6.50 shipping to Pittsburgh) each item of the 7 items has a value of about $3.78. This seems a little expensive since most items were under that average.
Check out all of our Zakka Kit reviews, plus other stationery subscriptions in the Paper and Stationery Subscription Box Directory!
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What do you think of this month's Zakka Kit?
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