Why are bjds so expensive?
Due to the process of making one.
First, the artist creates the doll. There are two ways of doing this: starting out with a bunch of clay or using a 3D rendering program. Both are very time consuming and take a lot of skill and effort. It can take months, of not years, before a sculpt (from sculpture) is finished.
Now money has been spend on lots and lots of clay and sculpting materials. Or on 3D software, 3D printer and 3D printing material. The master sculpt needs to be printed out for the 3D artist. The artist might have to do that several times, if the master sculpt needs tweaking.
Enter the mold making. A silicone mold needs to be made of the master sculpt. The molds will get worn out with time, so after a few uses, the artist needs to create a new mold. Silicone isn’t cheap.
The molds are filled with polyurethane resin. That is an expensive type of plastic which comes very close to porcelain in looks and touch, without being as fragile. In order to cast the polyurethane resin, it needs to be put in a pressure pot. A pressure pot is very expensive and they can break down, just like any other piece of machinery.
The artist is not yet finished. Sharp seamlines need to be sanded, eye hooks needs to be drilled in, magnets installed, stringing it with elastic and S-hook / O-hooks. Eye sockets needs to be beveled, a headplate needs to be attached. Most dolls are send out fully assembled, so the artist needs to string the doll as well and make sure it functions like it should. They often come with inserted eyes, someone needs to do that too. Time is money.
If the customer ordered a face-up, the face-up artist needs to seal the doll, apply many layers of paint and sealant, gloss, add lashes. Companies often offer a specific face-up, so the artist needs to try and paint each face the same. Yes, all by hand.
Packing. If you went to through that much trouble of creating a doll, you can’t just slap it in a box and be done with it. Most companies have lovely boxes with their names printed on it and to make sure the doll is safe in said box, they are cushioned by pillows or a padded case. And bubblewrap. Lots of bubblewrap. Someone has to do all that packaging and make sure everyone receives the right doll, with the right extra’s (if ordered).
Now you know why it takes several months for a company to produce your doll. This all assuming there are no problems, but problems could arise and delay the process. You are paying for:
Most companies are very small. They have very few employees and some companies are all one artist, doing all the work. The bjd business is not for fast money. The profit is not that much and often put to the production of new dolls. Making your own bjds is thought to be cheaper, but it’s not.
The price difference between two companies can be due to:
Difference in quality of the polyurethane resin.
Difference in living cost of a country.
Wether or not paying yourself a wage is mandatory in a country.
Wether or not you have to pay taxes as an artist in your country.
Shipping options offered in your country.
Amount of employees that need payment.
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