Buying a finished doll is a different exercise from buying a doll body. The body is one moulding decision; a finished doll is a small assembly line: a moulded head with inserted sleep eyes, a rooting operation, a sewn body, a rooted or wigged hairstyle and a full outfit, all of which have to arrive at the same unit cost. Our programme is built around that assembly view, so the quote you receive covers the doll on the shelf rather than a box of parts.
The 18 inch platform is the core size for the European and North American markets. We also run 14 and 16 inch platforms on the same head tooling family, which lets a buyer extend a range without a full new tool set.
Head moulding and eye insertion
Heads are moulded in soft PVC plastisol over a hollow cavity, with the eye sockets formed as recesses rather than through-holes. Sleep eyes are inserted from inside the head and retained by a moulded rib, so no adhesive sits in the line of the child's pull. Where a design calls for moving eyes, the mechanism is a moulded lever and counterweight assembly in rigid ABS, inserted before the head is filled.
- Eye sockets formed as recesses, adhesive kept away from the pull line
- Sleep eye inserts retained by a moulded rib, not glue alone
- Moving-eye mechanism moulded in ABS and pre-assembled
- Head surface left matte and unprinted unless artwork is supplied
Rooted hair
Rooting is done on rotary rooting machines that stitch individual strands into the head at a set angle and depth. It is the single most labour-dependent step in the programme, so it is quoted separately from moulding. Rooted hair holds a style after brushing, does not shed like a glued wig, and survives the wash test that retail buyers run on returnable dolls. Where the target price does not support rooting, we quote a wefted wig alternative on the same head.
Hair fibre selection is part of the specification: kanekalon for a soft finish, modacrylic where heat styling is expected. Both are specified by denier and crimp, and the fibre is locked before the first production run so reorders match.
Body and outfit
Bodies are sewn from stuffed vinyl or fabric skin filled with PP fibre, with articulated shoulders, hips and knees. Outfits are cut and sewn from buyer-supplied or nominated fabric, with snaps sized so a child can dress the doll. Where the programme includes a wardrobe, each outfit is quoted as its own SKU with its own fabric consumption.
Quality and compliance
Every doll programme is produced against the safety standard the buyer specifies, typically EN71-1/2/3 for Europe and ASTM F963 with CPSIA tracking labels for the United States. Small-part, torque, tension and drop tests are run on first articles by an accredited third-party laboratory appointed by the buyer, and repeat tests run per production lot on the retention-critical parts: eyes, rooted hair anchors and limb attachments.
We do not reproduce protected characters or branded likenesses. Designs referred to a film, game or entertainment property are only produced against a written licence held by the buyer.
Specification
| Height | 14, 16 and 18 inch platforms; custom heights from tooling |
|---|---|
| Head | Soft PVC plastisol, matte unprinted surface, sleep or moving eyes |
| Hair | Machine rooted kanekalon or modacrylic, or wefted wig option |
| Body | Stuffed vinyl or fabric skin, PP fibre fill, articulated joints |
| Outfit | Cut and sewn to buyer artwork, child-usable snaps |
| Safety | EN71-1/2/3, ASTM F963, CPSIA tracking label on request |
| MOQ | 500 pieces per doll design, 1,000 for a new head platform |
| Tooling | 40 to 55 days for head and body tools; first articles in 14 days |
Programme structure
A typical first order covers one doll design in three outfits, with the head tooling amortised across the first 2,000 pieces. Reorders run against the locked fibre, outfit fabric and eye insert, so colour and hair texture stay stable across seasons. Buyers who want to see the assembly before committing can order a hand-rooted sample ahead of tooling.
See also our blank vinyl doll body programme for buyers who root and dress in-house, or browse the full Dolls & Plush Toys range.
