Poster Files
Aren’t there many people who struggle with how to store and organize an ever-growing pile of posters? This article is about storing posters. On this site, we’ve previously introduced articles, as below — on carrying posters, the handy «poster case», and, for displaying them indoors, the «poster frame»
This time it’s a topics piece about «storage». Read this, and the poster collecting you may have been hesitating over should really take off!
About Storing Posters
When you buy a poster, you usually receive it rolled up.
A poster case protects the poster from what can happen while you carry it home — rain and wind, contact with people or objects, and unpredictable shocks to the work. Collectors must protect their precious poster works, and in that sense a case is essential.
But, like me, don’t many people end up keeping the poster in the case itself? And no small number leave the poster just as it was when purchased, without even putting it in a case.
I’d been watching poster files for a while, but only three products were on the market, and you had to choose among them.
The three big items were Sakuradō, Disk Union, and Green Week.
Then, on September 20, 2019, a maker muscled into this oligopolistic poster-file market: “Kingjim,” the major stationery maker that ranks No. 1 in Japan for office files and holds an overwhelming share of thick files.
The product name is, quite literally, «Poster File.» It’s a name that seems to brim with confidence.
Kingjim’s «Poster File»
So, I promptly bought this Kingjim «Poster File» and tried storing some of my own posters in it.
With artwork by Tsuguya Inoue, it dates from the single’s release in October 2016, so it had been left rolled up for over three years. Because I’d rolled it tightly, the curl was hard and tightly set. Now, to file it.
Even a curled poster slides in smoothly.
The curl doesn’t vanish right away, but I watched to see how much it would relax over time. In the end, it disappeared relatively quickly.
If you file it right after purchase, before any curl sets in, it fits perfectly flat.
Why I Recommend the «Poster File»
Kingjim’s «Poster File» is a superb product.
Below, I’ve organized and summarized the points I recommend.
- Bulky posters can be filed neatly
- You can store posters without a curl setting in
- Even curled posters go in smoothly
- Solidly made — the reassurance of a major stationery maker
- The cover offers peace of mind — protection from impacts and UV rays
- Available online — handy, since it’s a large item that’s awkward to carry
- An affordable price, under ¥5,000
I’ve also gathered the points to watch out for that I noticed from actually using it.
- When buying in-store and carrying it home, mind the large size
- When filing a strongly curled poster, you might accidentally crease it
- You’ll need to decide in advance where to keep the poster file
Last but not least, what I especially want to convey is this: thanks to the Poster File, you can finally put an end to the era of giving up on B2 posters. Even poster works I’d hesitated over because of storage now feel like things I can buy without reservation.
I’ll say it outright: this «Poster File» is a superb product!
By the way, besides B2 it also comes in a B3 size. I’m eager for a B1 size to appear.
Details
Kingjim «Poster File», B2 sizeIncludes a paper case; each pocket has a white backing sheet
Price: ¥4,500 (excl. tax)
Pockets: fixed, 10 pockets (store 20 sheets using both sides)
Material: colored PP cover
Size (for B2 posters): H754 × W540 × spine 20 (mm) *B3 size also available
Colors: Navy / Milky White
