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Country of Origin Marking

Learn more about what a country of origin marking is and why you have to include one in your Chinese printed projects.

Printed In China Origin Book Marking

Both US and international laws require products printed in China to include information about where they were printed. Here at PrintNinja, while you’ll be communicating with our team in Evanston, Illinois, your project will actually be printed in China. Because of this, your project must have “Printed in China” on it somewhere. This is a mandatory requirement for all materials printed in China.

Laws also require that text be “conspicuous,” so we recommend a type size of at least 8 points and a text color that has adequate contrast between it and the background. Don’t try to beat the system by hiding it!

By including the country of origin in your printing project, you will be following all required rules, thus setting yourself up for success and a smooth process.

Printed in the U.S.

While PrintNinja cannot advise on whether the country of origin marking is required for orders printed through our digital-offset print service in the United States, it is always wise to include this information as it may be required for goods being shipped internationally.

Books

As long as your country of origin marking is conspicuous and legible, it’s completely up to you where you’d like to place it in your design.  If your project already has a page with your copyright information or business address, this can be a great place to add your country of origin marking.  Other popular locations include the back cover or inside cover.  

Cards, Board Games and More

Card games, board games, or any other type of project that comes in a package must have its country of origin marking visible on its outside packaging.  Most customers choose to print this somewhere on their box.  If your project doesn’t include printed packaging, however, you’ll have to use one of the following methods:

  1. If the only packaging on your deck is shrink wrap, you can include your country of origin marking on the first or last card so it is facing out. This way, it will be visible without unwrapping the deck.
  2. If you’ve selected booster packs for your deck, we can apply a standard “Printed in China” sticker to each pack. This will require a small assembly fee, so be sure to ask your account manager to include it in your quote.
  3. The sticker is transparent and approx. 23mm x 7mm (.91” x .28”). Be sure to specify where you’d like the sticker placed and we’ll assemble your cards accordingly.
    If you’d like to add a little more style to your packaging, you can also design your own sticker that includes a country of origin statement. Check out our setup guide for details on how to provide your sticker artwork. Just ask your account manager if you’d like to include custom-printed stickers in your order.


Assembled Sets and Kits

Some games and other projects don’t quite fit into the above categories.  If your project will include multiple printed pieces or add-ons for a crowdfunding campaign, you might not need to include a country of origin marking on every single one.  

If all your printed pieces will be packaged and sold as one unit, then including one country of origin marking on the outer packaging should be sufficient.  This also applies if you’re planning to assemble the components on your end or are planning to order some unassembled extras as replacement pieces.  

For projects with printed packaging, such as two-piece boxes, slip cases, or custom boxes, the easiest method is to simply include “Printed in China” somewhere in your design where it will be visible for customs inspection.  If your assembled kits only use non-printed packaging, such as shrink wrap or poly bags, then you’ll need to include a sticker with your country of origin marking.  See the Cards, Board Games, and More section above for more details on sticker options.

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