Healing a Pet-Loss Heart: I Tried Ordering "My Pet Goods" Other Than Acrylic Stands - A Review

I know that my beloved cat, who has passed on, is always by my side in spirit. But there are days when I just want to feel them by my side in a “visible” form.

When I feel that kind of pain, what gives me emotional support is one-of-a-kind "custom pet merch." Now that creating "fan activity" (oshi-katsu) goods is booming, there are many different manufacturers where you can make a huge variety of custom pet items. Truly, I am so grateful for this.

In this post, I’ll introduce the manufacturers I’ve actually ordered from and the goods I’ve made. I hope this serves as a helpful reference for anyone struggling with, "I have no idea where to order from..."

(*As always, please rest assured this is not a sponsored post.)

Touched by the cuteness of "acrylic stands" that make me want to take them everywhere

When you think of fan merchandise, acrylic stands (acusta) are a staple. However, I hadn't taken the plunge because I worried, "Aren't the photos I take on my smartphone not high-quality enough to make these?"

But as my longing for my cat grew day by day, I started thinking, "If I make an acrylic stand, I can take them to cafes with me!" or "I want to put it in a case and take it to all sorts of events!"

Then, fueled by a burning desire to just make it happen, I decided to place an order at a fan merchandise production site called "snaps." I chose this photo because I wanted to turn a casual, everyday moment into an acrylic stand.

I decided to order from this site because I felt they had a rich variety of other fan goods like acrylic keychains, stickers, and fan books. It’s also interesting that they allow you to create Korean-style goods, such as "name slogans," which you don't often see from Japanese manufacturers.

Honestly, I didn't have high expectations for the print quality, but the finished acrylic stand was incredibly beautiful...

There was a protective film on the surface of the stand, but I didn't even realize it for a few days...

One day, while handling it, I was surprised when it started to peel off, and that was the first time I noticed the film. I was just so grateful that they had rendered my photo into such a beautiful stand. It makes my happy memories come back so vividly...

They got bored of it in a few days, and both the toy and I ended up in tears. pic.twitter.com/Sq2P1XdtyF

— Yua ｜ Writer🖊 (@yunc24291) October 17, 2024

At "snaps," you can connect the base parts used to stand the acrylics to a certain extent. So, with a little ingenuity, you can even pose them in a dynamic way.

Also, instead of choosing from fixed sizes like S, M, or L, you can produce them in whatever size you like. I made mine at 62mm x 60mm. Compared to a standard mug, it’s about this size.

It's amazing that the color quality is just as beautiful on the back as it is on the front.

By the way, "snaps" holds sales periodically, so I recommend timing your order to when you can get a good deal.

I’m planning to watch a basketball game this year with Gigi, who is now an acrylic stand. I hope Gigi enjoys watching the intense game too.

The "acrylic block" was better than I ever expected

At the same time I ordered the stand, I also ordered a solid, substantial acrylic block. I felt like it would have a different appeal than just displaying a photo, so I gave it a try.

Just like the acrylic stand, you don't have to choose from fixed sizes; you can enter your preferred dimensions. I chose the square type, but it seems you can also create acrylic blocks in free-form shapes like the stands, or in the shape of trading cards.

Like the stand, the image quality here is great, and I am personally very satisfied. The acrylic block is a solid 9mm thick, so it stands up on its own perfectly.

I usually keep Gigi’s acrylic stand and block on a small altar, and every time I pick them up, I feel a sense of warmth, thinking, "She really lived, and we had so many memories together." I’m so glad I made these.

"Transparent trading cards" to tuck into your phone case or wallet

Among the many companies that make fan merchandise, the biggest reason I chose "snaps" was actually the stunning perfection of their "transparent trading cards."

Due to issues like portrait rights and copyright, almost no manufacturer takes orders for trading cards of celebrities, but because some people make their own for personal use, trading cards are now a staple of fan merchandise. General trading cards are wonderful too, but the draw of "snaps" is being able to make "transparent trading cards" with a see-through background.

When creating trading cards with "snaps," I also recommend designing them yourself beforehand using an image design tool like Canva. You can create an even more unique "transparent trading card of my pet."

I still have moments where it feels painful, so I’ve only made one as a trial, but in the future, I want to find more ways to enjoy them, like adding messages to various memory photos or making a deck of cards featuring my cat.

By the way, besides "snaps," there are many other fan-support sites that allow you to make custom pet goods, such as "Shimauma Plus" and "Monolab Factory." If you're interested, take a look while thinking about what you’d like to make.

I hope that being able to keep the presence of your precious companion close to you will help ease the sorrow, even if just a little.

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