Dakimakura Care

[Anonymous No.]

Just purchased my first cuddle pillow. It arrived safely, but the packaging was a little torn by the postal service. Thankfully the pillow itself was not damaged or made dirty, but it got me thinking how one would clean a dakimakura, and so I have a short list of questions.

1) How do you clean stains from it? I'm not as much thinking the obvious, but also body oil and the like that inevitably would build up on it. Can you put it in the washing machine like a normal pillow, or is that bad and spot-cleaning your only real solution?

2) When cleaning, is fading of the character a problem? How does one avoid this?

3) Does washing decrease the fluffiness of the pillow?

4) In regard to storage, is folding a dakimakura bad? Is vacuum packing an option to preserve them, or would this inevitably damage them?

5) What kind of lifespan can I expect from my dakimakura? Obviously it's treatment is a major factor, but assuming I take care of it what can I expect?

Whether you reply or not, thanks guys. I appreciate it, as well as your assistance in choosing to buy one.

tl;dr - dakimakura care tips?

[Anonymous No.]

I want one of these but my parents would freak out.

;_;

[Anonymous No.]

Can someone please explain the fascination with these fucking things? Hugging a pillow with your waifu on it is creepy as fuck guys

[Anonymous No.]

Cum on your pillow. Rub it in. Sleep on it.
Permanent stiffy all night long!

>>7258708
>normalfag

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258708
Baka! I-it's not like I wanted to do something perverted like that with you anyway...

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258708
>creepy as fuck
welcome to /jp/. now go back to /a/.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258712

That doesn't even make sense.

[Anonymous No.]

OP here, sure is slow board tonight. Just how many people on /jp/ are doing things for Good Friday? I thought we were all shut-ins...

[Anonymous No.]

>3) Does washing decrease the fluffiness of the pillow?

Same as any other pillow

4) In regard to storage, is folding a dakimakura bad?

Not necessarily, but I wouldn't do it if it can be avoided

Is it a Saber dakimakura?

>>7258708

>Hugging a pillow with your waifu on it is creepy as fuck guys

this is what normalfags actually believe

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258708
I don't understand. How are dolls and pillows creepier than humans or animals?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258726

I wouldn't mind a Saber one, this one's of Yoko.

But hey, thanks for your help man. Have a drunk maid for your trouble.

Any other help would definitely be appreciated guys. Thanks.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258708

I can't speak to the character prints, but if you sleep on your side, try putting a big pillow between your legs some time. The way it separates your knees and spaces everything out is fucking perfect.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258728

Firstly,
> animals

As for the pillows, they AREN'T REAL. It's CREEPY to be hugging a fake woman.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258738
But how can you be so sure that all the humans are real?
Maybe they aren't really there and I'm all alone on this world or stuck in a dream or something

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258737

See? Creepy. As. Fuck.

Why not straddle armchair arms while we're at it?

[Anonymous No.]

Please stop replying to this /a/-level troll please.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258708
They are low power level faggots, who need to hold something 3D in their arms to be able to imagine or feel something.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258741

Sure is autism in here.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258726
>Is it a Saber dakimakura?

I've been looking for quite a while and haven't seen a single worthy Saber cover. They all either have really terrible art or are unacceptably lewd.

>>7258743

...What?
It's comfort, and it's probably better for your spine. It's the same as using a pillow or a mattress as opposed to sleeping on a concrete slab.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258750
That's called philosophy, dipshit.

[Anonymous No.]

I've been thinking about getting a pillow myself.

Where can I get the just the pillow? Is there some universal size I have to get that matches all the covers out there that turns it into a dakimakura?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258751

OP here, not the aspie. Same deal for me man. If there were one of her or Rin that were actually quality/not obscenely vulgar I would throw my money at them. But that said, Yoko will suit me just fine at the moment.

Any other advice guys? Is fading an issue?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258757

Some Dakimakura are the pillow with a character printed right onto the pillow, some are cases. You can either put two pillows into a case, or get one dakimakura and buy covers for it afterwards.

Word to the wise: see the legitimate design on it before buying. Trust me.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258759

Set your washing machine to cold and put it on light/gentle if you want to prevent fading, and depending on the material you probably won't want to put it in the dryer to prevent it from shrinking.

Anything is going to fade if you wash it enough. Just try to keep it clean and don't do anything stupid like drooling on it. Unless you sleep naked, it's not going to get as dirty as your actual pillow case, since you're not going to be putting your hair and face on it, which are naturally oily.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258756

Uhuh. And the KFC logo is artwork.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258770

What if you snuggle into it/rub your face on it, or maybe use her legs as a pillow on the couch when she's in a 'sitting' position? How do I counteract those oils/get stains out? Average stain-removing MO, or is there special instructions for Dakimakura?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258772
If you look at it from the right perspective.

[Anonymous No.]

It's scientifically proven that this stuff is healthy for you.
But I suppose you could refrain from it if you find it to be creepy I guess.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258757
>Where can I get the just the pillow? Is there some universal size I have to get that matches all the covers out there that turns it into a dakimakura?

Hobbysearch/1999, AmiAmi, and others sell the covers and the actual pillow. There isn't any standard size for the covers or pillows; last time I checked there were two or three that were the most popular for both the covers and the pillows, and you can get oversize pillows. The covers will tell you the dimensions in millimeters on the product page.
I think I remember being advised to buy a slightly smaller pillow than case to make sure that it actually fits comfortably over the pillow.

The pillows themselves are pretty expensive, and unfortunately you're going to pay ~$40 for shipping from Japan for just the pillow, but you can get plain hug pillows from stores here that sell bedroom goods.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258794
>>7258762
Many thanks. How bad are the bootlegged ones compared to the genuine one anyway? And where can I get those ones?

[Anonymous No.]

I saw a cover on eBay that interested me a few weeks ago. I have enough money to purchase it, the only thing blocking me from doing so is the time. I'm soon leaving on a two-month-long trip and would miss the delivery. I messaged the seller asking if the item would still be there in two months and he assured me that he would indeed still be printing them out when I return. Now I can step with confidence, knowing that in a mere two months I will be the owner of something I had only previously fantasized about. I just hope it's not so cheaply made that my penis rubs the image off or the fabric is too rough.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258848

If you look on google for the covers, you'll be able to tell which ones are bootlegged or which sites are selling them. The art looks like fan-art, or at least not official. That, and most of the places that sell bootlegs will let you get one printed with your own design.
Most of the complaints I've heard about the bootlegs are either that the characters didn't look as advertised or the material the cover is made out of isn't as good as the official ones.

Long story short, it's probably worth the money just to get the real thing since you're going to be hugging it every night.

[Anonymous No.]

Hey guys, got a coffee stain on mine. Just coffee, spilled on her. How do I get that stain out?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258856
Can you or anyone else list some particular sites?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258869

Get one of those stain/detergent pens. If you take milk in your coffee, either get one right fucking now or throw it in the wash on gentle with cold water, because it's going to start smelling.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258874

Hobbysearch/AmiAmi, as said. Some cons will have them, and you can look at them right there, right then, although prices may be a little higher.

Avoid eBay. The bootlegs live there.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258888
What I meant to say is that, where can I get good/satisfactory bootlegged ones. Shouldn't be too hard to replicate a genuine one right? It's just a cover/pillow after all.

[mugenjohncel !!lsNOT2DQXWT No.]

I'm going to be honest here and I at one point attempted to manufacture and sell bootleg Dakimakuras. My objective is to sell them for roughly half the price. I did some feasibility study and went ahead with R&D... first I tried standard sublimation inks ( manufactured by ink2000 )... none of them lasted more than 40 washings and in some cases, cracks are already showing after 20 washings. Then I tried the more expensive fabric ink which performed quite well even after 70 simulated washings with the help of chemicals... but after some rough calculations, the profit margin is relatively low which is not worth my time and the mass producing equipment. Also, if I added chemical treatments to make them last as long as contemporary dakimakuras... the cost will be almost close to theirs that I might as well just throw everything away and distribute their products instead of going through the trouble of manufacturing them by myself...

[Anonymous No.]

Firstly, how is it weird to cuddle with a pillow? It's the closest one can get to cuddling with our waifu.

In regards to OP's questions:

1.) Generally you can wash them, but if the print is on the actual pillow itself and not on a case, make sure you use cold water/ gentle cycle. If possible, try to just spot clean with warm water. Don't dry them, as this will sometimes make the pillow all lumpy, depending on the material.

2.) Again, use cold water and a gentle wash setting and you should be OK for quite a while.

3.) See #1

4.) I've folded my dakimakuras before, to travel with them. Longest I had one folded was around a week and it's perfectly fine. Not too sure 'bout vacuum bags though, never tried it.

5.) I've had my first dakimakura (Konata, from Lucky Star if you're curious) for about 3 years now. No major wear on it, other than very slight fading. Of course, I only wash it every few months, and I only sleep with it a few times a month. So I imagine if you take good care of it, at least a couple years, more if used less, obviously.

Hope this helped ^^

[Anonymous No.]

http://stores.ebay.com/Zephyr-toy-store

This one's full of bootlegs, but I'm not going to pay $60 for a pillow cover. I don't understand the aversion to fakes when no one on 4chan pays for anything else if they can help it. Maybe with figures where there's legit concerns over bad sculpts etc. but this is a pillow cover we're talking about.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258898
Are you talking about screen printing?
Because screen printing your own dakimakuras is really cheap and easy and they last for well over 100 washes in my experience.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258898
So the costs of the genuine inks are the reason for the price huh. Maybe I might get genuine after all.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258902

It's like this:

You're paying three-quarters of the real price for something that they change oh-so-slightly so they can't be sued, which means that it is going to have different coloured eyes than the character/poor lines etc. Sometimes they will be a bad trace of a picture.

You may as well pay the extra for one of these, as you will be looking right at her up close for some time.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258902

I was and am willing to pay a hell of a lot more than that for anything that helps me sleep better. The official ones are generally made out of better materials, last longer, and have better artwork.

Yes, the prices are fucking outrageous, but that's how it goes. As the tripfag/attempted bootlegger said, it's not cheap to print on something that big with those inks anyway.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258901

It does. Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions.

Three years? Wow, that's pretty impressive man. I think I'll be getting my money's worth if mine lasts that long.

Thanks to everyone who has been helping out here, it's cool to have such support. If anyone else has anything to add or any tips I'll be here for a while longer. Otherwise, dakimakura thread. As I said, Yoko is my first. What has everyone here got?

[mugenjohncel !!lsNOT2DQXWT No.]

>>7258912
No not screen printing but imitate the actual process Dakimakura being made, get as close to the quality of the originals but make it more profitable but umm... cutting some corners and using slightly cheaper materials and in later part, also copy the chemical treatment process... success but too expensive... so no go...

>>7258915
Yes this is one of those cases where originals outdo the bootlegs. But it's not the ink that is the driving factor but the chemical treatment used to make the originals last long... without those chemicals, I can safely say that the originals will just be as bad as the bootlegs.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258923

I'm this guy >>7258901

Like I said, Konata (Lucky Star)
-also-
Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya)
Miku Hatsune (Vocaloid)
Suzumi Tamao (Strawberry Panic!)
aaaaannnnnnddd
Naru Narusegawa (Love Hina)

Got all of them at cons, except Tamao-chan who I got off the internet. Like what these guys have been posting, ones off the internet tend to be (if not from a reliable seller) poorer quality. In this case, the ink faded a lot quicker, and in a couple spots is nearly non-existant.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258960

Not bad taste you got there. Naru was my first waifu.

That's quite the collection, BTW. Do you have them on couches and the like, or stand them against walls? Where are they generally?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258984

I keep them all over the place. Generally in my room though, 'cause I rent a room with other people who find otaku... let's just say nerdy (one of the more polite names I've been called). But usually on my bed or against the wall, yeah.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258960

>Naru Narusegawa (Love Hina)

Interesting choice. I would probably jizz over the nostalgia alone, nevermind the print itself.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258998

That would be pretty cool, having five of those ones drawn so the eyes follow you.

[Anonymous No.]

Alright guys, I'm going to bed. First night with Yoko, going to be interesting.

Thanks for all the help. I appreciate it. Best wishes to all of you, have a good holiday.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259024
Night my friend

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258898
>>7258934
I do admire your entrepreneurial spirit, even if you are an annoying fucker.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258856
>>7258848
>>7258919
>>7258934
Bootlegs aren't nearly as poor quality as you guys are making them out to be. Having owned a couple of different bootlegs for a few years they have held up pretty well. The only complaint I've had is sometimes the lines aren't as crisp or clear but are generally of good quality. Also the fabrics are just as good (and sometimes better) than the official ones.

>>7258902
The ones from this guy for example are a Satin fabric that's extremely smooth. Pic is a satin cover I've used (almost) every night for 5 years, and have washed probably 20 times.

Other bootlegs usually use a peach-skin fabric which is a chemically treated polyester fabric that makes it smooth to feel like peach-skin. The actual fabric feels a lot more durable, not as smooth as the satin ones but still overall good, and IMO better than most of the official ones.

As far as official ones go I've only ever experienced the 2-way tricot. Which they just use what feels like a polyester cotton blend and then use a type of warp knitting which makes it feel kind of weird and not very smooth going against the grain of the fabric. They are also considerably more expensive, and if you are trying to get a dakimakura that isn't currently in print or you don't get it off a pre-order, prepared to be fucked over hard.
http://ekizo.mandarake.co.jp/shop/en/item_s-379905.html


Official ones where the image is printed directly on the pillow are really mediocre. It's a cotton pillow, not very smooth, and not very good to sleep with. I've not been impressed with these at all.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258893
For good places to get them, I've personally bought them and haven't had many problems from
http://stores.ebay.com/Zephyr-toy-store
(The satin guy)
http://janelee922.ecrater.com/c/766230/dakimakura-hugging-pillow-case
(Peach skin, and sometimes does discounts on bulk orders, great if you have any friends that want a dakimakura cover too, or if you just went to get a few at once)
http://stores.ebay.com/shemues-anime-store
(Another peach skin dealer that updates fairly often and carries covers I haven't seen at other shops).

[Anonymous No.]

Bootlegs also have the ability to have designs and covers that never got released officially or of support characters that might not have been exceedingly popular.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259280
Is that, perchance, a slightly indecent picture of Burning Arisa?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259297
Yes and on the other side is a slightly indecent picture of Suzuka

[PRINNY !nLFbzB/0pw No.]

1. I place each of my dakimakuras alone in a washing machine and dryer

2. I haven't noticed any fading after washing, although Reisen's hands are starting to fade.

3. Not that I have experienced

4. No idea, I have never placed a dakimakura into storage

5. My Reisen one is still fine after a good 8 months or so, the Remila(Front) Flandre (Back) one is brand new so it is in pretty good condition.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258728
You don't fap to said humans and animals....I hope.

It's not called being a normalfag, it's called not being a full-blown weeaboo fuckcookie. I am so not a weeaboo.

[PRINNY !nLFbzB/0pw No.]

>>7259344
Different strokes for different folks. Let's just leave it at that.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259350
This, I suppose, I cannot argue with.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259280
>>7259301
>2001

Shit that was a long time ago.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259271
The sellers you listed all sell only covers right? Where would I get a pillow that is the right size for them?

[PRINNY !nLFbzB/0pw No.]

>>7259372
Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond often sell Dakimakura size body pillows. Usually for less than 20 dollars.

[Anonymous No.]

Lately I haven't been able to stop thinking about how much I want a bootleg Reimu dakimakura. Reimu isn't even close to my favorite Touhou, but there's so many images that stirs up my cold heart just thinking about being able to embrace them.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7258757
Don't listen to the other two post. Bed Bath and Beyond sells them for like $10 and $20 for the more fluffy one. Seriously. I use them for my covers and they actually work better than the "official" ones that fold over and feel rather flat. The only problem is the few inches of unfilled space at the bottom, but it's not a big deal at all since it's not a lot of space left loose.

[Anonymous No.]

I have several and have only had fading issues with one, which was my first one and a Chinese knockoff.

I would recommend spending the money on a nice one. I can't imagine any amount is too much when it comes to something you sleep with at night.

This is the website of a doujin circle that does all original artwork for almost every character imaginable. The one I have from them is absolutely exquisite.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259906

Forgot to post website: http://www.dakemakura.com/top.html

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259906
>The one I have from them is absolutely exquisite.
In what way? Better fabric?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259430

>bootleg Reimu

Those shouldn't even exist.

Neither should you.

[Anonymous No.]

Had any of you ordered a custom dakimakura from this site?

http://www.hobbyheart.com/faq.php

I'm not the best at drawing, but I feel like a custom loli girl would mean much more than just a random anime or Touhou lying at my side.
I feel like sleeping with someone else's dream girl would be kind of creepy and I would be ashamed if someone found out, but if it's a girl that came from my own imagination, I would feel much better and comfy. Anyway, here's a sample of my drawing. I still need to color it, though. The site recommends a large image so this image is rather large.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259920
What? Why is it any more wrong getting a bootleg of Reimu than any other character?

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259918

Yes, the fabric on mine is a smooth knit with a high thread count. I know some of them are tricot as well. As everything is custom made to order you can specify the size and fabric as well when you order.

Just browse the site. It's fun.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259926

Because she's my waifu and it offends me.

Now stop.

[mugenjohncel !!lsNOT2DQXWT No.]

>>7259925
WHOA!... NICE DRAWING SKILLS YOU GOT THERE MY FRIEND!!!... I usually don't post or compliment like this but you really deserve it!... that is really good drawing...

I say go for it!... don't forget to post it here when you're done coloring it!...

[White Ren !YLuFFdRcFQ No.]

>>7260066
Onion smuggler alert. Meido, enemy sighted.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259910
That's good to hear! I was going to order a dakimakura from that very website, very excited that it is great quality.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260066
well, thank you! (actually I used another dakimakura picture as a guide). I'm still a bit worried about fabric quality, but I'll give it a try.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260083
Only problem is so many of them have fairly tasteless lewd sides to them. Only thing that prevents me from getting one from them. So many girls have a look of fear that they are about to get raped, and are crying.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259925
She's cute, but perhaps make the arms a bit thicker? I like your idea though.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260168
I can understand the poses that makes it look like they're surrendering to your sexual advances (though they're not to my personal tastes), but what I don't get are those that make it look like she's in genuine discomfort. Wouldn't it feel kinda bad to hug a girl and see an expression on her that suggests she's very bothered by the fact that you're embracing her?

I guess some people have that fetish, but there's no way it can be that popular.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260067
Don't be silly, fake-kun. You know meido is a thing of the past.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260168
I noticed. Luckily though, the one I'm getting isn't too sexy and she looks very happy and sleepy on the other side.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260202
Actually I performed a liposuction to the original image because I thought the girl was too thick for a loli. I like skinny girls and I have sort of a fetish for thin arms.

[Anonymous No.]

I wish there were more dakimakura covers that didn't make my waifu look like she was being raped. I don't even want a nude one, just having her in normal clothes on the front and pajamas on the back with a gentle smile is fine for me.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260657
>pajamas on the back
Oh, that would be nice. I wonder why I've barely seen any of this.

[Anonymous No.]

I can understand that these Chinese sweatshop workers just want to make some money and don't really care much about the products they're making, but sometimes I wish they would could try a little harder.

[Anonymous No.]

I posted this in the last related thread, as before I should point out that Fate actually belongs to
>>7259262
>>7259271
>>7259280
>>7259301
that guy, as he sometimes sleeps on my couch and obviously has enough of Fate to leave one somewhere else for convenience.

The rest are mine, Louise is my favorite. I got 2 new ones recently which I'll put in the next image

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260985
New ones. I'm starting to break out of the TsundeRie cycle but I doubt it will last long.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260985
>>7260987
I think I'm starting to see some kind of pattern to the characters you like, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

[Anonymous No.]

One problem I've had from my (bootleg) dakimakura is fibers from my sheets and clothes getting stuck in it. There are tiny specks of material all over it, its a little hard to spot but I figured they would build up and be really conspicuous after a while. Washing didn't remove them. Does anyone know if I'm right about what causes this and how to get rid of it (if possible)?

I keep mine folded lightly (I don't put anything heavy on it) and inside a sealed zip-loc bag. Anyone know if this is bad, or have suggestions for better storage? Any help would be appreciated.

[魔法少女の神－Madoka !!OV9cVB7MkuL No.]

>>7258721

I think everyone is posting somewhere else right now, my son...

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260960
IDK it always was entertaining to me.

I especially enjoyed it when I got a note from one of the vendors say "I hope you have many good moods and love with your pillow" with my package.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7259910
Question about that site, if you don't mind. How are they in terms of english ordering? I've been trying to build up the courage to mail a request but I don't know where to start beyond linking their webpage and saying I GIVE YOU MONEY, which seems kind of like a dick move.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7260985
>>7260987
I like your taste
get ready for kugimiya rie's new characters this season

[Anonymous No.]

>>7261290
He still needs to get Rose from last season...

[Anonymous No.]

>>7261286
Q I love DAKIMAKURA. But I can not speak Japanease……
Can I send you English mail?
A If you do not speak Japanese, Please send me English mail. →mail here
We understand a little bit of English.
And people who love DAKIMAKURA are my friend.
For friends,we make DAKEMAKURA.

[Anonymous No.]

>>7261298
I saw that. Was mostly curious if he'd gone through the english ordering himself so I could get a feel for it before attempting it. Much thanks for your help though!

[Anonymous No.]

>>7261344
They seem like pretty nice people, so don't worry too much. Just send an email stating what you wish to buy from them and where you want it shipped, and ask where to go from there. Perhaps make sure to keep your English simple so there's no challenge to understanding your point.