Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps vs Midori Paintable Stamp Review: The UK's Best Decorative Stamps for Journalling 2026
Jun 29, 2026
Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps vs Midori Paintable Stamp Review: The UK's Best Decorative Stamps for Journalling 2026
Decorative stamps have become an essential tool for UK journallers, planners, and crafters who want to add beautiful, consistent decorative elements to their pages without the time and skill required for hand-drawing. In this review, we compare two outstanding Japanese decorative stamps: the Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps, a charming set of decorative stamps designed for journalling and scrapbooking, and the Midori Paintable Stamp, an innovative oil-based self-inking stamp that can be used with any paint or ink colour. Both are available from TTPEN UK.
Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps — Instant Decoration for Every Page
The Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps are a delightful set of decorative stamps designed specifically for journalling, scrapbooking, and paper crafting. At £16.00, they offer a collection of charming motifs that can be used to decorate journal pages, planner spreads, greeting cards, and any paper project that benefits from a decorative touch.
The Hancoco Design Philosophy
Kutsuwa is a Japanese stationery brand known for its innovative and charming products, and the Hancoco stamps reflect this reputation. The name “Hancoco” is a playful Japanese portmanteau that captures the fun, creative spirit of the product. The stamp designs are carefully curated to appeal to the journalling and stationery community — cute, versatile motifs that work well individually or in combination to create more complex decorative arrangements.
The stamps are self-inking, meaning they come pre-loaded with ink and are ready to use immediately without a separate ink pad. This makes them particularly convenient for on-the-go journalling and for those who want to stamp quickly without the setup time required by traditional rubber stamps and ink pads.
Versatility and Creative Applications
The Hancoco stamps are designed to be used in a variety of creative contexts. UK journallers have used them to create decorative borders, mark important dates, add visual interest to blank pages, and create themed spreads for different occasions. The stamps can be combined with other decorative elements — washi tape, stickers, hand lettering — to create rich, layered page designs.
The compact size of the stamps makes them easy to carry in a pencil case or journal pouch, so they're always available when inspiration strikes. The self-inking mechanism ensures consistent, clean impressions every time, without the mess and inconsistency that can come with traditional ink pads.
Who Are the Hancoco Stamps For?
The Hancoco stamps are for journallers, scrapbookers, and crafters who want a convenient, charming set of decorative stamps for their creative practice. They're also an excellent gift for anyone who loves Japanese stationery and creative paper crafting.
Price: £16.00 — Buy the Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps at TTPEN UK
Midori Paintable Stamp — Any Colour, Any Surface, Infinite Possibilities
The Midori Paintable Stamp Oil Based Self-Inking Rubber Stamp Rectangle is a genuinely innovative product that takes the decorative stamp concept in a new direction. At £18.00, it is a self-inking rubber stamp that uses an oil-based mechanism — but unlike conventional self-inking stamps, the Paintable Stamp is designed to be used with any paint or ink colour, giving you complete creative control over the colour of your impressions.
The Paintable Concept
The Midori Paintable Stamp's defining innovation is its “paintable” mechanism. The stamp pad is made from a special oil-based material that can absorb and hold any water-based paint or ink. To use the stamp in a specific colour, you simply apply your chosen paint or ink to the stamp pad using a brush or sponge, then stamp as normal. The oil-based pad holds the colour evenly and releases it consistently onto the paper, producing a clean, crisp impression in your chosen colour.
This system gives you complete creative control over the colour of your stamp impressions — you can match the stamp colour to your journal's colour scheme, create ombre effects by applying multiple colours to the pad, or use metallic or specialty inks that would not be available in a conventional self-inking stamp. The possibilities are genuinely limitless.
The Rectangle Design
The rectangular stamp format is particularly versatile for journalling and paper crafting. The rectangle can be used to create frames, borders, and background textures, as well as to stamp specific motifs within the rectangular area. The Midori Paintable Stamp's rectangle design is carefully proportioned to be useful in a wide range of journalling contexts — large enough to make a visual impact, small enough to be used as an accent without overwhelming the page.
Midori is one of Japan's most respected stationery brands, known for its premium quality and innovative design. The Paintable Stamp reflects both qualities — the build quality is excellent, and the concept is genuinely innovative.
Who Is the Midori Paintable Stamp For?
The Paintable Stamp is for creative journallers and crafters who want complete colour control over their stamp impressions. If you have a specific colour scheme for your journal or project and want your stamps to match perfectly, the Paintable Stamp is the only product that can deliver this level of creative control.
Price: £18.00 — Buy the Midori Paintable Stamp at TTPEN UK
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Kutsuwa Hancoco Deco Stamps | Midori Paintable Stamp |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £16.00 | £18.00 |
| Ink System | Pre-loaded self-inking | Oil-based, any paint/ink colour |
| Colour Control | Fixed ink colour | Any colour you choose |
| Design Style | Kawaii decorative motifs | Rectangle format, versatile |
| Best For | Quick decoration, journalling accents | Colour-matched projects, creative control |
Which Decorative Stamp Is Right for You?
The Kutsuwa Hancoco and Midori Paintable Stamp both bring Japanese craftsmanship to the decorative stamp category, but they offer very different creative experiences. The Hancoco Deco Stamps are the choice for those who want instant, convenient decoration — charming motifs that are ready to use immediately, with no preparation required.
The Midori Paintable Stamp is the choice for those who want complete creative control — the ability to use any colour with their stamp, matched perfectly to their project's colour scheme. It requires a little more preparation but offers limitless creative possibilities.
Both are available from TTPEN UK with fast UK delivery. Visit www.ttpen.co.uk to browse our full range of Japanese decorative stamps and journalling accessories.
Final Verdict
The Kutsuwa Hancoco and Midori Paintable Stamp are two of the most creative and enjoyable decorative stamps available in the UK market. The Hancoco wins on convenience and charm; the Midori wins on creative control and colour versatility. Both earn our highest recommendation for UK journallers and crafters. Visit TTPEN UK today.
