Origin and quality
Where Are Custom Tarot Cards Printed? Our Origin, In Plain Terms
Dark Forest tarot cards are made in Ukraine. Every deck we print, whether it carries our artwork or yours, is produced there and ships from there to every destination we publish a price for. This guide states the origin plainly and then answers the questions that actually follow from it: how quality is controlled, what you approve before anything is printed, how long delivery takes, and what happens if a parcel is lost.
Made in Ukraine, and nothing vaguer than that
The single sentence a buyer usually cannot get is the one at the top of this page: the cards are made in Ukraine. Production is not brokered through an unnamed overseas reseller, and the country of manufacture does not change between orders.
We do not publish the name of any production partner, and we will not: a supplier list is commercial information, and a buyer who has it can be approached directly. What we do publish is the part that affects you — the country, the standard set, the approval step, the lead time, the delivery rate and the insurance. Those are stated in full on this page and in our trade terms.
What you approve before anything is printed
Quality control on a custom order starts with a document, not with an inspection. After the order is placed we contact you by email to confirm the artwork and any preparation help. Production begins only after you approve the exact artwork, and the approved version is the version manufactured.
Before approving, check the complete proof: text, sequence, orientation, backs, packaging, booklet and configuration. Changes after approval require a new review and may affect cost or timing. Approval does not remove remedies for a confirmed manufacturing defect — that is a separate right and it survives the approval.
A physical sample is a separate order and is not the digital production proof. Sample purchasing is not enabled at the moment, and no unlimited or perpetual credit is promised — we would rather say that here than let you plan around a sample you cannot yet buy. When a sample credit does apply, only the sample product price is credited toward a qualifying later production order; sample shipping and separate service charges are not credited, and the credit can be used once.
The standard set that comes off the line
The specification that ships as standard is fixed and published: 78 cards at 70 × 120 mm, a 48-page booklet, a standard folding box, and a complete kit weighing 340 g including allocated outer packaging. Nonstandard physical specifications are estimated separately rather than quietly substituted.
The full file geometry, bleed and page counts live in the print specification and templates, the same document that governs the standard set described above.
How long it takes to reach you, and what it costs
For Made to Order and custom printing, plan for 3–4 weeks, 15–20 business days, covering production and delivery after artwork approval. It is a planning estimate, not a guaranteed date: carrier service and destination affect it, and any order-specific schedule is shown before you commit.
Delivery is charged per physical deck and includes insurance:
| Destination | Per deck, insurance included |
|---|---|
| United States | $3.00 |
| Great Britain | $2.75 |
| Canada, Australia, Japan | $3.45 |
Additional boxes and booklets do not add a second deck-delivery charge.
Every parcel is insured, and who handles the claim
Shipping insurance is included in the delivery price above — it is not an upsell at checkout. We arrange insurance before dispatch and help manage the carrier claim. Your shipment identifies the insured value, the carrier service, the exclusions and the evidence required for a claim. Insurance does not guarantee an uninterrupted schedule or cover every cause of damage, and we would rather say that here than in small print.
If a manufacturing defect is confirmed, we provide a replacement at no charge, including replacement shipping.
What a Ukrainian origin means at your border
Origin is the fact your customs authority works from, so it is worth reading it against your own country rather than a general estimate. Courier imports from Ukraine into Canada above CAD 20 may incur duty, GST/HST and clearance fees. The UK sets its consignment line at £135 and treats VAT-registered buyers differently. In the US, import charges are the buyer's responsibility unless the order confirms they are prepaid.
The country-by-country detail is in the guide to customs, duties and import tax on wholesale orders. Any import charges payable separately by the recipient are identified before the relevant payment.
Your artwork does not leave the order
Sending original art to a printer in another country is the part that worries most first-time buyers. Our written position: you grant only the permission needed to review files, prepare production artwork, manufacture, check quality and fulfil your order. That does not grant a right to resell or license your artwork, to train models on it, or to publish it in a portfolio. Public display requires separate, optional permission and is never a condition of ordering. Access is limited to authorised project participants and the service providers needed to fulfil the order, and production uploads are not public download links.
The longer version is in artwork rights and proof approval.
Common questions
- Where are Dark Forest tarot cards made?
In Ukraine. Every deck, printed with our artwork or with yours, is produced in Ukraine and ships from there to every published destination.
- Do you name your printing partner?
No. We publish the country of manufacture, the standard specification, the approval step, the lead time, the delivery rate and the insurance terms. We do not publish the name of a production partner.
- How is quality controlled on a custom tarot order?
Production begins only after you approve the exact artwork, and the approved version is what is manufactured. You check the complete proof first: text, sequence, orientation, backs, packaging, booklet and configuration. A confirmed manufacturing defect is replaced at no charge, including replacement shipping, and approval does not remove that remedy.
- How long does delivery from Ukraine take?
Plan for 3 to 4 weeks, or 15 to 20 business days, for production and delivery after artwork approval. It is a planning estimate rather than a guaranteed date; carrier service and destination affect it.
- What is the standard deck that comes out of production?
78 cards at 70 x 120 mm, a 48-page booklet and a standard folding box. A complete kit weighs 340 g including allocated outer packaging. Nonstandard physical specifications are estimated separately.
- Is the shipment insured?
Yes. Transit insurance is included in the per-deck delivery price: $3.00 a deck to the United States, $2.75 to Great Britain and $3.45 to Canada, Australia and Japan. We arrange the insurance before dispatch and help manage the carrier claim.
- Does a Ukrainian origin change my import charges?
It can. Courier imports from Ukraine into Canada above CAD 20 may incur duty, GST/HST and clearance fees. The UK applies a GBP 135 consignment line and treats VAT-registered buyers differently. In the United States, import charges are the buyer's responsibility unless the order confirms they are prepaid.
Buying into the United States specifically? What ships from where sets out the two routes into a US shop and what each of them does to your calendar.