ZenPop Japanese Stationery Pack is a subscription box brought to you by ZenMarket filled with unique Japanese stationery and studying goods handpicked by their staff in Japan.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About ZenPop Stationery Pack
The Subscription Box: ZenPop Stationery Pack
The Cost: $29.50 a month with free international shipping. Save with longer commitments.
The Products: 12 or more cute and useful stationery items like pens, notebooks, stickers, and more.
Ships to: Worldwide
Good to know: Past boxes are sometimes still available via their marketplace.
ZenPop Stationery Pack August 2018 Review
The box includes a thank you note with a coupon code to use on their site.
I find ZenPop's info sheet to be really helpful since a lot of the packaging isn't in English. It gives you a rundown of each item and this month's theme is "Japanese Summer"!
Pilot Metallic Juice Pen in Silver, 0.5mm - Retail Value $1.80
I'm not going to lie, I am giving this pen the side-eye because it kind of looks like a rip of the Zebra Sarasa Clip pen that I love so much. Even so, this actually writes really nicely and has a great silver ink that glides along the page. I don't think the quality of the body is as nice as the Sarasa Clip, but the end result is.
Manet Ice Cream Cone Washi Tape
This is ridiculously cute and perfect for the "Japanese Summer" theme. Different colored soft serve ice cream cones run along this decorative washi tape with a colorful polka dot background. The one on the end looks like it took a nose dive though! Oh no!
Kuretake Zig Wink of Stella Brush Pen in Pink - Retail Value $6.50
As the info sheet says, they've sent the similar "Wink of Luna" pen in a past pack, but while that one was metallic, this one is glittery. I received the pink variation and must say that it's really fun! Once you get the ink flowing, you use it like any other brush pen but watch the intense glitter ink really make it pop! You can see the writing sample at the end of the review.
Summer Letter Set
Nothing says summer quite like fresh fruit- especially watermelon! The set comes with four mini sheets of paper in two different styles, four sparkly 3D watermelon stickers, and four mini envelopes. The paper is really lovely and delicate. There's a thin green border around each sheet and the one with the beetle and watermelon at the top are actually separate pieces to give it a raised look. What an adorable set!
Summer Postcard Set
Next up, there's a set of three postcards that feature different summertime desserts! The info sheet tells me that in Japan it's customary to send a postcard to friends and relatives in the summer just as you would a New Years card to say hello. What a nice idea! Even though summer is winding down here, I may just use that idea as an excuse to send these out.
Planner Sticky Notes
Mmm- more frozen treats! I love that this sticky note set includes two vertical pads that are affixed on a card that can easily tuck into your planner. The one on the left has a clipboard design to use as a checklist (one of my favorite things to write) and the other simply has an ice cream cone that declares "Good Day". The colors here are soft and pleasing and are sure to cheer up a dreary day.
Small Animal Ball Mini Memo Pad Set
Well, this one just keeps unfolding!! It starts as a chunky little book and as you open it, more and more memo pads are revealed, all in a "small animal ball" theme. Different round animals are inside a gumball-machine like toy dispenser (called Gacha-gacha or Gacha-pon in Japan) and look like they're waiting to be freed by you! There are six memo pads in all so you can stash them around your home or office in places you'll need to jot down notes!
Sugar Drink Folding Ruler
I've seen folding rulers like this in other boxes. I think I received a Sanrio one that featured the Little Twin Stars at one point. This time, I got a blue one that (as the name would suggest) folds open to make the ruler twice as long. You can also use it to measure angles too. One side says "Sugar Drink" and the other says "That is very sweet" which reminds me of Anna + Emily trying the new Starbucks drink this morning. Anna was actually in need of a ruler, so I passed this one on to her!
Sakura Micron Pigma Pen in Blue, 03 - Estimated Retail Value $3.60 (similar linked)
Wow, yes! This is a favorite felt tip pen of mine. These pens are an archival quality which means they won't fade and are waterproof. This particular point is quite fine which is preferred for me which makes it great for drawing detailed lines or even just writing clean lines of a letter. The ink is a nice bright blue as well as opposed to a navy.
Shell Flake Stickers
I enjoy receiving sticker packs like this because you just get so many in one pack instead of a sheet of stickers which is limited to surface space. There are two variations of an ocean theme and I received the one with different shells. These are really summery since trips to the beach are common this time of year! You'll receive 45 stickers in all that include three of 15 designs! They are made of a thin washi so they're delicate yet have gold foil on them to make them sparkle.
Bonus Item: Sakura Ballsign Pen in Glitter Green
This one is for subscribers only, so if you buy the pack as a one-time purchase, you won't get this pen. This one looks more like the Sakura Gelly Roll pen,but is labeled Ballsign. At any rate, it's glittery pen cap tips you off that is has glitter ink, and in this case, green glitter ink. It looks best on black paper but looks cool anywhere.
Here are writing samples of all the pens this month!
As always, the bottom of the box thanks us!
Verdict: ZenPop Stationery Packs wasn't my favorite this time around and pales in comparison to last month. It was really heavy on stationery and pens, with minimal random office supplies like they sometimes have. While everything was super cute, I do have so many little notepads already, it was a bit overwhelming to see so many in one box.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? There are only a couple days left to get this one. After that, you'll get September as your first.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $29.50 + free shipping, which means that each of the 11 items in the box has an average cost of $2.68.
Check out all of our ZenPop Stationery Pack reviews and more stationery reviews in the Paper and Stationery Subscription Box Directory!
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