About InkForm
What is InkForm? InkForm is an independent graphic tee brand that makes Japanese-inspired graphic tees. The designs draw on Japanese art, yokai and folklore, usually with a dry sense of humor, and come as front-print or back-print unisex T-shirts, printed to order in the US.
In other words, we take old Japanese monsters, lucky cats and woodblock waves, and put them on shirts. The monsters have not been consulted.
Quick facts
- What we make: unisex short-sleeve graphic T-shirts
- Style: Japanese-inspired. Japanese art, yokai and folklore, often with dry humor
- Prints: front-print and back-print designs
- Sizes: S, M, L, XL, 2XL, 3XL
- Colors: black, pepper (a washed charcoal), ivory, white
- Fabric: 100% ring-spun cotton, pre-shrunk, relaxed fit
- Printing: direct-to-garment (DTG), printed to order in the US
- Shipping: US only. Free US shipping on orders of $75 or more. Most orders arrive in 3-9 business days
- Returns: 14-day return window
What InkForm makes
Graphic T-shirts, and only graphic T-shirts. We tried to think of a second thing and went back to making T-shirts.
Every InkForm tee is unisex, relaxed fit, and comes in sizes S through 3XL. Each design is available in four colors: black, pepper, ivory and white. The shirts are 100% ring-spun cotton and pre-shrunk, so they're soft and hold their size well when you wash them cold and dry them low.
Designs come in two placements:
- Front prints: the design sits on the chest.
- Back prints: the main design goes across the back, so people behind you in line finally have something to read.
What the designs are about
InkForm designs are Japanese-inspired. They pull from:
- Yokai and folklore: kappa, tengu, oni, noppera-bō, kitsune and other creatures from Japanese stories
- Classic Japanese art: waves, cranes, Mount Fuji, cherry blossoms, koi and woodblock-style illustration
- Japanese animals: cats, frogs, tanuki, snow monkeys and more, often with strong opinions
- Dry humor: a lot of the designs pair a traditional subject with a deadpan English line, like a frog who is off the clock or a cat that closed for the day
Each product page explains the folklore or meaning behind its design, including any kanji on the shirt. We'd rather you know what your shirt says before a stranger asks you.
How InkForm tees are made
Every shirt is printed to order in the US using direct-to-garment (DTG) printing. Nothing is sitting in a warehouse waiting for you. When you place an order, your shirt gets printed.
DTG works like an inkjet printer for fabric: the ink goes straight into the cotton and is heat-cured, so the print feels soft rather than like a sticker. It also handles fine linework and detail, which matters when half your designs involve brush strokes and kanji.
For sizing and care, see the size chart and the wash and care guide.
Shipping and returns
- Where we ship: US only.
- Free shipping: on US orders of $75 or more.
- How long it takes: printing takes 1-4 business days, then shipping takes 2-5 business days. Most orders arrive in 3-9 business days.
- Returns: you have a 14-day return window.
Because every shirt is printed when you order it, it takes a few days longer than grabbing something off a shelf. We think the shirt is worth it. We would say that, though.
Where to start
Not sure where to begin? Here's the map:
- All T-shirts: everything, in one place
- Back prints: for people who want their shirt to keep talking after they've walked past
- Funny Japanese shirts: the deadpan ones
- Yokai and folklore shirts: river monsters, demons and a long-nosed tengu with an attitude
- Japanese animal shirts: cats, frogs, tanuki and other animals who have had enough
- Classic Japanese art shirts: waves, cranes, cherry blossoms and koi, played straight
Who's behind InkForm
InkForm is an independent brand. The designs get made because someone here thought a tired cat or a judgmental frog deserved to be on a shirt, and nobody stopped them.