Hi everyone,
We’ve been reading the recent comments, and while we still completely understand the frustration, we felt it was important to make one clear update addressing the most common questions and assumptions directly -as it was also suggested. Some of the points below are not brand-new information, but clarifications and repeated answers gathered again in one place for those who may have missed them, forgotten them, or still had questions.
First of all: no, this project is not going to take another 1–2 years to complete.
We are not at the beginning of the process. We are in the final stretch, and that is exactly why we are working so hard right now to resolve the last shipping and logistics issues correctly, rather than rushing into something that would create even more problems.
We know many of you are tired. Please know that we are tired too. We are not happy that this project became so difficult, long, and emotionally exhausting. None of this has been easy on our side either, and we are human beings doing our best to bring this campaign to completion under very difficult circumstances.
❗ PLEASE READ EVERYTHING CAREFULLY.
We took the time to put it together thoughtfully so we could address as many recurring questions, new concerns, and misunderstandings as possible in one place. That is why this update was not rushed.
Q&A
"Where are we shipping from?"
We have seen several people asking where we are located or where parcels are shipping from, so to clarify once again: We ship from Italy.
"Where are the pins now?"
The pins are now safely on their way to us and are currently scheduled to arrive to us around April 6–7, based on the latest information we have.
"Which Countries are affected by the Tariffs-related issue?"
This issue affects shipments going to the United States. It does not affect the rest of the world in the same way.
The shipping block and tariffs-related issue are tied specifically to U.S.-bound parcels, not all international orders worldwide.
"Why are there extra shipping-related costs now?"
These are not extra shipping-related costs.
The additional charges being requested from U.S. backers are import-related and mandatory. More details are explained below.
"Why I have to pay these extra costs, then?"
These are not invented charges, and they are not profit for us. They are tied to U.S. import policies and tariffs that would have had to be paid on arrival regardless.
For several months starting around July/August 2025, shipments from Europe to the United States were completely blocked for us. There was no viable shipping option available at all.
We are now only able to resume U.S. shipping because we secured a DDP (Delivery Duties Paid) solution with our courier. This was not part of our original shipping setup.
With this method, duties and import charges must be paid upfront in order for the shipment to go through. Without it, the parcels simply could not be shipped.
So to be absolutely clear: these are not duplicate shipping charges, and they are not something we created for convenience. Shipping fees and import duties are separate things.
“What if I can’t afford it right now?”
We understand that some backers are in a different financial situation now than they were when they originally pledged. If you are unable to pay right away, your parcel can be held and shipped later once you are able to complete payment.
We are not trying to punish anyone. We are simply trying to work within the only viable shipping method currently available.
“Why has this taken so long?”
Because of a combination of serious production problems, manufacturer-related issues, and personal hardships, all of which created delays, added costs, and setbacks we had to overcome step by step.
“Are you close to shipping?”
Yes — we are much closer to the end than some comments are suggesting.
We are in the closing phase of this project, and that is exactly why we are asking everyone to read the updates carefully. Repeated assumptions such as “this will take another two years” are not accurate and only create more confusion for everyone.
🔹“What if I can’t find my survey anymore?”
If you lost your survey email, or think you may not have received it, you can recover your survey directly here:
Please enter the email address connected to your pledge, and BackerKit will send you a new survey link.
Address changes / payment issues / old cards / order questions
If your card has expired, your address needs updating, or you need help understanding what you pledged for, please contact us directly through the proper support channel and we will do our best to help.
Important Notes & Further Context | Please read this too❗
Our Commitment
We want to emphasize again that we are not asking backers to cover every extra cost this campaign created on our side.
We absorbed major production losses caused by manufacturing problems, and we also absorbed shipping cost increases over time. We are not charging you those extra shipping increases.
What we are asking for here is not money for our mistakes, not money for our losses, and not extra profit. These are mandatory import-related charges that U.S. backers would have had to pay upon delivery anyway for parcels entering the United States from abroad. Those funds do not go into our pocket.
And as we have said before, crowdfunding campaigns like this do not create profit for us on their own. Our actual income comes later, through leftovers sales in our shops, only after campaign fulfillment is completed — which is also why it is fully in our interest to finish fulfillment properly.
This project very genuinely could have failed entirely. Instead, we kept going because delivering it to you matters to us.
That does not erase your frustration, and we know that. But it is painful to read comments suggesting that we do not care, that we are doing nothing, or that this project is somehow being dragged out on purpose. That is simply not true.
Please also do not mistake delays for comfort, ease, or indifference. This campaign has not funded some carefree life behind the scenes — it has required ongoing work, sacrifice, and personal cost to keep it moving at all.
We have carried this project through years of problems, production setbacks, personal hardship, and major extra expenses because we wanted to see it through to the end. We are still here, still working, and still doing everything we can to make fulfillment possible.
Why comparing campaigns is not that simple
Comparing this campaign to unrelated creators or campaigns without knowing the full production, shipping, and logistical circumstances is simply not a fair or useful comparison.
We have also seen repeated comparisons to other creators and other campaigns. Respectfully, those comparisons are often not meaningful unless all the circumstances are actually the same — and they almost never are.
Different creators may be producing different numbers of designs, from different Countries, using different manufacturers, different shipping contracts, different parcel routes, different product complexity levels, different team sizes, and different levels of outside support.
Different creators may also have very different funding situation: not just in total amount raised, but in how much funding remains in proportion to what actually has to be produced and paid for. Some campaigns raise substantial surplus beyond their core production and stretch goal costs, while others do not.
In our case, this campaign includes a large number of highly detailed designs and products, which naturally creates more production steps and more opportunities for things to go wrong.
That does not make your frustration invalid — but it does mean that comparing timelines or outcomes across unrelated campaigns is often misleading.
What backing a crowdfunding campaign means
We also want to gently remind everyone that platforms like BackerKit and Kickstarter are not standard retail shops. They are crowdfunding platforms, which means backers are helping bring products to life that do not yet exist at the time of funding.
That is part of what crowdfunding is: supporting the creation of something new, with the understanding that production, delays, complications, and even total failure can sometimes happen along the way.
That does not mean creators should not be held accountable when problems arise — and we are not saying that. Creators should always do their best to resolve those problems whenever possible. We are only saying that crowdfunding is fundamentally different from buying ready-made stock from a regular store, and it comes with different rules, policies, and expectations.
In the end, please think about it: what this project will carry with it is its own story. A story of resilience, of pushing through hardship, and of still choosing to bring something creative and meaningful into the world, despite everything that tried to stop it.
And because of that, the products themselves will carry some of that story and character too. When you look at them, we hope you will be able to remember the resilience, patience, and determination that helped bring them into existence.
For those who supported this project through all of this, there is also something else in it: the knowledge that you were there, that you were part of it, and that your support helped something difficult but meaningful finally come to life.
Final note
We truly do understand why people feel upset. Waiting this long is frustrating, and the added costs are frustrating. We are not dismissing that.
But we also want to say this honestly: problems happen. Frustration does not justify aggressive or passive-aggressive comments, false assumptions, or treating us as though we are creating problems on purpose, acting in bad faith, or trying to scam anyone. Criticism is understandable. Rewriting the facts is not.
We do appreciate those of you who have raised concerns or criticism in a respectful way, without insults or unfair accusations, even indirect ones.
We always put a great deal of time and effort into writing detailed updates, and it is disheartening to find ourselves repeatedly answering the same points that were already addressed. We understand that not everyone reads every update carefully, but that does contribute to confusion, repeated assumptions, and unnecessary hostility.
You are absolutely right not to feel happy about how long this has taken. We understand that, and the waiting itself has been painful. Please just know that this was never what we wanted either. If it had been up to us, your plushies would already be there to hug, your pins would already be sparkling in your hands, and your hoodies and joggers would already be there to keep you warm.
We also want to say this respectfully but clearly: many of the questions currently being repeated in the comments have already been answered in previous updates. One reason we are making this post is precisely to gather those answers again in one place as clearly as possible. We are also pinning this post so it can serve as a clear reference point going forward, and so we can link back to it whenever the same questions come up again.
If there are still questions we have not addressed here, we will do our best to update this Q&A post with further clarifications and any additional questions we may have missed/may have raised later, and reply directly when necessary, as soon as possible.
🔹 = newly added clarifications
Thank you to everyone who has remained patient, respectful, and willing to read the updates carefully, even if they are long and detailed. It means more than you know.
Inari & Mako
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
