1. Q: Is my qutoed price guaranteed?

      A: Initial quotes are based on imagery and information given to us about your toy. These quotes tend to be very close to the final cost, however due to the nature of the manufacturing process, an exact confirmed quote can only be given once the sample prototype is finished and approved by you. The confirmed quote will be guaranteed for a set period of time, usually at least 30 days. Shipping costs also tend to fluctuate with changes in the global shipping market, so final shipping costs are also quoted for a set period of time.

2. Q: I'v been trying to find a toy that used to be sold but can't seem to locate one. Are you able to reproduce that for me?

    A: Unfortunately we can't reproduce copyrighted toys or use intellectual property (IP) from another company or individual. We are very careful and sensitive  to this as we take care in protecting the IP of our clients as well.

3. Q: Can you make the 3D digital design for my plastic, vinyl, or resin toy?

    A: Yes, our digital artists can use your 2 dimensional drawings to develop a 3D digital design that is then used in creating a sample prototype, and/or 3D painted design print. Having a 3D design file is the initial step for most plastic, vinyl, or resin toy manufacturing these days.

4. Q: Can you make a toy that is safe for children under 3?

    A:  Yes! We can guide you in design decisions for toys for younger children and infants, and put the toys through the appropriate tests for certification.

5. Q: Can you make a toy that talks, make sounds, or moves?

    A:  Yes! We can add modules to toys to provide almost any sound, lighting, or movement you could want. Minimums for these components may be higher than our standard toy minimums.

6. Q: Can I just order a prototype, without heading directly to mass production? 

    A: Yes, you can order a sample prototype of your design without committing to mass production. This is often done for use in raising funds for production, and/or gauging interest from investors. However, we ask that the ultimate intent of the prototype be for this purpose, not simply as a one-off item. We devote a lot of limited time and resources to the prototyping process, as it is the vital first step to creating a high quality mass produced toy that is true to your design. We want to make sure we are focusing as efficiently as possible on your project so that it will have the best potential for development in mass production.

7. Q: What is a "Hand-Prototype" in plastic and vinyl toy production?

    A: A "hand prototype" was how we used to describe the hand sculpting of prototypes in clay or wax. These hand sculpted prototypes are getting rare with the current use of fast, efficient, and awesome 3D modeling tools. However, we still refer to the creation of the "hand prototype" when quoting for the design and development of the wax transfer figure that is created after making a 3D design print based on a 3D digital model. The wax transfer is still a critical hand process that is needed to smooth, adjust, and section the figure before it is used to tool the metal molds for mass production in plastic and vinyl. It is quoted as a separate step after 3D design whether you bring us a fully designed 3D digital file, or we do the 3D digital modeling for you.

8. Q: How long does the first prototype sample take to complete?

    A: Assuming we begin with a design drawing to reference, we can typically get the initial prototype sample constructed within 7-14 working days. Revisions are usually done in 2-4 days per revision. It's not unusual for there to be a few revisions in sample development, so a fully completed sample prototype may take a few weeks to be ready to ship to you to see up close. Rush sampling in as few as 1-4 days, included in a rush production of 20-25 days, is available depending on design and production capacity at the factory.

9. Q: What about safety certifications and testing?

    A: We take the safety of the toys we make for you very seriously and our factories guarantee that all toys will meet or exceed all current international safety standards to the age range you specify.

10. Q: How much do plastic and vinyl toy sample prototype cost?

    A: Samples in plastic or vinyl are included in the cost of mold tooling, not made as a separate line item. Samples made in actual plastic or vinyl (usually variations of PVC or other plastics) require the tooling of high precision metal injection or roto molds in order to do the casting at high temperatures and pressure. Because of the high cost of the mold tooling, it is not usually economically feasible to spend the time and money to create this type of sample, until the further mass production prospects are already assured to move forward. Because 3D design printing has become an almost universally accepted and required part of development, we instead use a 3D printing process and hand painting to show you what the finished figure will look like once it is finally cast in the plastic and painted. This painted print is essentially an inexpensive stand-in for the actual cast-in-plastic and painted sample that will still be made and provided to you after the mold tooling process is done in preparation for mass production.