Pixiv Factory
Pixiv Factory is pixiv's print-on-demand manufacturing service that Japanese artists and doujin creators use to make merchandise. Think of it as the production backend—creators design their merch, Factory manufactures it, and you buy it through the creator's BOOTH store.
What can you upload to Pixiv Factory?
Common products made through Factory:
- Acrylic keychains, badges, and standees
- Phone cases, tote bags, and apparel
- Postcards, stickers, and prints
- Printed books (doujinshi, novels, art books)
The service launched in 2015 and has produced over 3.8 million items. When you're browsing BOOTH stores and see merch, there's a good chance Factory manufactured it.
Why Buy from BOOTH Stores Using Factory?
You're getting authentic creator merchandise. When you buy from a creator's BOOTH store that uses Factory, you're getting official products—not bootlegs or unauthorized reproductions. The creator designed it, approved it, and is profiting from your purchase directly.
The variety is massive. You'll find fanart merch of popular anime characters, original character designs, and tons of niche content you won't see anywhere else. If your favorite pixiv artist has a BOOTH store, they're probably using Factory for fulfillment.
Doujinshi and books: Many doujin creators use Factory for book printing. Through BOOTH (their marketplace), you can buy original doujinshi, self-published manga, art books, and novels with professional finishing—glossy or matte covers, quality paper, proper binding.
Most will be in Japanese, but if you don't speak the language, check out our guide on translating books with AI or pick up some basics with an app like Talkpal.
The International Shipping Problem
Here's the catch: Factory doesn't ship internationally, and most BOOTH sellers only ship within Japan.
Your options: Use a proxy service like Buyee (which has direct BOOTH integration), Zenmarket, White Rabbit Express, or Japan Rabbit. The process:
- Find the item you want on a creator's BOOTH store
- Order through your chosen proxy service
- Pay for the item + proxy fees + domestic shipping + international shipping
Real costs: Expect to pay 150-300% of the item's original price after all fees and shipping. A 1,570 JPY keychain can easily cost 3,000-4,000 JPY total when everything's added up. It's expensive, but it's your only option for getting Factory-made original merch outside Japan.
User Experience
For artists: Pixiv Factory's interface is Japanese-only, so if you want to use it to create your own merch, you'll need Japanese language skills or browser translation. BOOTH (the storefront) has an English interface, but the Factory production backend doesn't.
For buyers: You won't use Pixiv Factory for buying, but its marketplace, called BOOTH. BOOTH has an English interface, making browsing manageable. Items are made-to-order, so expect 5-10 business days for production before shipping to the proxy warehouse, then another 1-2 weeks for international delivery.
Quality is solid for the price point—not luxury tier, but definitely decent. Acrylic items and printed books get consistently good feedback from buyers.
Final Thoughts
Pixiv Factory powers a huge chunk of the independent creator merch scene in Japan. If you want authentic doujinshi or fanart merch from your favorite pixiv artists, check out the BOOTH store. The international shipping situation is annoying until you get used to it, but it's the only way to directly support the creators making the content you love.
