FAQs
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 specified period, typically at least 30 days. Shipping costs also tend to fluctuate with changes in the global shipping market; therefore, final shipping costs are quoted for a set period of time.
Sample fees vary according to the size, type of toy, and number of sample designs you are having made. For plush toys, this is most often about $425-$450 for an average-sized design up to about 12 inches, and a bit more for larger plush. If there are electronics or sound modules, this will also impact the sample costs. When you place an order for plush manufacturing of 750 pieces (the current MOQ for most plush) or more, a portion of this sample fee is refunded toward the costs of your order. Sample fees include all revisions and shipping of the finished sample to you for hands-on approval prior to manufacturing.
We can significantly reduce the cost of each individual sample prototype design if you are having us sample more than one toy design at a time. The degree of reduction will depend on the toy and the number of different designs in question. Please fill out the quote form for the first toy and list the others in the message section of the form. Include imagery, if available, of each toy.
The credit back toward plush toy manufacturing at the MOQ is usually about 25%-30% of the sample fee. It varies with the sample size and design, but we will be able to provide you with an exact credit when we quote for your project.
Initially, photos of the prototype from multiple angles are emailed to you for comments. We will modify the prototypes until they look right in photos, and then the physical sample will be sent to you for final approval prior to beginning production. The sample fee includes all necessary revisions and shipping costs.
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 typically completed within 2-4 days per revision, but it can vary during certain times of the year when the designers are very busy. 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 for shipping to you for inspection. Rush sampling in as few as 1-4 days, part of a rush production of 20-25 days, may be available depending on the current design and production capacity at the factory.
We use a few different factories in China for standard plush toy production, and for the manufacturing of plastic, vinyl, and rubber toys. We partner with a World Fair Trade certified factory in India for production of plush in GOTS Certified organic fabrics and eco-friendly Recycled PET fabrics. The Indian factory is run by Bears for Humanity using their World Fair Trade certified supply chain. The factory we use to produce your project will be selected according to the specific nature of what type of toy, quantities of eventual production, the required timeline, and budget. In any case, we only work with factories that we have a long history of partnership and trust with.
We will be able to provide you with the most accurate time estimate once a sample has been completed to your approval and you are ready to begin production. Most regular plush toy mass production takes about 35-45 days, depending on the time of year. Once production is completed, delivery times via ocean are typically 30-55 days, while air freight times can vary from 2-15 days depending on the freight carrier. All told, including a few weeks for an average plush toy sample to be produced and approved, we recommend allotting about 14-16 weeks from beginning a sample for standard ocean delivery, and about 10 weeks for delivery by air freight. It is, however, crucial to remember that sample development times are not as predictable as mass production times. If you have an existing sample already developed, the duplication of that sample will be very straightforward. If your design requires extensive basic development and numerous revisions, and/or includes electronic or audio component modules, it may require more time. This sample development variability makes it difficult to provide firm production timelines until we have a clear understanding of the design time required for your toy. During certain times of the year, usually starting in early summer, the factories can also be very busy fulfilling the next season’s holiday orders. This may add a bit of time to sample construction and production runs.
Yes. Due to rush factors such as overtime labor and expedited materials acquisition, costs may be higher than those of standard production by about 15-20%. We will be able to provide an exact quote for rush costs once we understand the product being manufactured, the degree of the rush, and the factory's availability to accommodate a rush order.
We can provide a rough estimate of the costs for shipping a shipment from the factory to your door or loading dock. To do this accurately, we need your country, postal code, and a basic knowledge of the volume of the finished goods. Once manufacturing is complete and the exact weight and volume of your order are known, all shipping costs will be finalized. We always strive to find the optimal balance between speed and budget when arranging transportation. All shipping is done at actual cost. We do not mark up shipping costs for our customers, so you will always receive the best available shipping rates. If you prefer to handle shipping directly through your own carrier, we can provide you with the packing volumes and weights of the goods, allowing you to calculate the costs with your carrier. Cost for tariffs, Customs fees, and Customs inspections are not included in our quotes and are generally paid separately in the destination country prior to release from Customs.
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. We provide full safety testing certification to the latest ASTM 963F / CPSIA testing protocol for the US, EN71 for the EU (CE Mark), and the UKCA -- or whichever testing standard you require for your country. Testing is done by internationally accredited independent labs as either a separate line item or included in the quotation. Which way we quote depends on the factory that will be doing the manufacturing and the type of toy we are making for you. You will receive a detailed certification document showing all test results.
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.
Yes! We can guide you in making design decisions for toys suitable for younger children and infants (age 0+), and conduct the necessary tests to ensure certification.
Unfortunately, in most cases, it is not feasible to manufacture below our stated minimum quantities. The exceptions would be in cases of very large, oversized plush, wearable mascot characters, and some other unique items. If you are looking for a prototype to show to potential backers or buyers, we can develop a sample of your design for that purpose. However, we kindly request that the intent for the sample development is not as a one-off item.
There can be significant variability in sample costs for resin figures, depending on factors such as size, type of resin, and the complexity of the design. Samples in resin typically range from $600 - $1200 for most average-sized designs.
Similarly, for plush toys, we can only manufacture in quantities stated as our minimum order quantities (MOQs). The MOQs are set up to allow efficient use of the factory production environment and maximize the availability of the designers to do high-quality work. If you require prototypes of your designs to show to potential backers or buyers, we can develop 3D printed samples for that purpose just as we do when prototyping items being prepared for manufcturing, but we ask that the intent for the sample development is not as a one-off item.
Yes, you can order a sample prototype of your design without committing to mass production. This is often done to raise funds for production and/or gauge 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 ensure that we focus as efficiently as possible on your project, so that it has the best potential for development in mass production.
Samples in plastic, vinyl, and rubber materials 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 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, surface polishing, and hand painting to show you what the finished figure will look like. This painted print serves as an inexpensive substitute for the actual cast-in-plastic or vinyl sample that will be created and provided to you after the mold tooling process is complete, in preparation for mass production.
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, vinyl, and most rubber. 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.
Like for plastic and vinyl, resin samples also require molds for casting; however, the type of mold needed is very different. Plastics and vinyl casting require high-precision metal molds, while resin is cast from flexible molds that do not need high-pressure resistance and expensive precision tooling. Resin molds are relatively cheap, and for some resin figures, we don't need to separate out the mold costs when quoting the resin sample. The resin samples we make are going to be identical to a mass-produced version.
Typical mass production times at the factories in China are 35-45 days after sample prototype design approval. During peak production season (June through December), manufacturing time may be a bit longer. Production times for the Fair Trade factory with organic or recycled PET fabrics usually take from 60-120 days, depending on the type of fabric being used and other particulars. Manufacturing times can also vary according to quantities, toy complexity, as well as the workload at the factory.
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, rubber, or resin toy manufacturing these days. We can also use most existing physical models to directly develop resin toys and make hand prototypes that are used in mold tooling for plastic, vinyl, and rubber toys.
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 great care in protecting the IP of our clients as well.
Sample fees are upfront costs that can be paid securely online by credit card. For sample payments exceeding $500, we may need to add an additional 3% credit card processing fee, which is applied by the credit card processor. Mass production costs are divided into a 50% deposit after the sample is approved for production, and a 50% balance payment is made after manufacturing is completed, prior to shipping from the factory. Shipping costs can be added to the balance invoice or paid separately, according to the needs of the particular project. We provide detailed, completed production imagery that shows finished and packaged products, according to the specifications of each project. Mass production costs and mold tooling costs are usually arranged to be paid by direct bank wire or ACH, rather than by credit card, in order to avoid the added processing fees that credit card processing entails. If you wish to pay using a credit card, we will need to add the credit card processing fee to the invoice as a separate line item.
Until February 2025 nearly all toys entering the US were tariff free goods, so tariffs for most US bound toys are a new concern, although some tariffs have always been common for goods entering many other countries.
Contrary to what many people seem to believe, tariffs (Customs Duties) are not paid by the manufacturing factories in the country of origin. Tariffs are only officially calculated and paid after the goods are processed by Customs officials at the port of entry in the country where the goods are being received. The importer (you, if you have had us manufacture the toys) is ultimately responsible for paying the tariff, not the manufacturer, and Customs will hold and impound shipments until Customs Duties are paid. We endeavor to find ways to classify the products or assign appropriate valuations to try and limit tariff costs as much as possible. When we help arrange the shipping of goods, we use experienced freight forwarders and Customs Brokers to make the experience as seamless as possible so there are no surprises or delays in receiving your toys. We will calculate and include estimated duties in the shipping cost determination that we give you once the goods are ready to ship from the factory, so you will know what to expect.
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 specified period, typically at least 30 days. Shipping costs also tend to fluctuate with changes in the global shipping market; therefore, final shipping costs are quoted for a set period of time.
Sample fees vary according to the size, type of toy, and number of sample designs you are having made. For plush toys, this is most often about $425-$450 for an average-sized design up to about 12 inches, and a bit more for larger plush. If there are electronics or sound modules, this will also impact the sample costs. When you place an order for plush manufacturing of 750 pieces (the current MOQ for most plush) or more, a portion of this sample fee is refunded toward the costs of your order. Sample fees include all revisions and shipping of the finished sample to you for hands-on approval prior to manufacturing.
We can significantly reduce the cost of each individual sample prototype design if you are having us sample more than one toy design at a time. The degree of reduction will depend on the toy and the number of different designs in question. Please fill out the quote form for the first toy and list the others in the message section of the form. Include imagery, if available, of each toy.
The credit back toward plush toy manufacturing at the MOQ is usually about 25%-30% of the sample fee. It varies with the sample size and design, but we will be able to provide you with an exact credit when we quote for your project.
Initially, photos of the prototype from multiple angles are emailed to you for comments. We will modify the prototypes until they look right in photos, and then the physical sample will be sent to you for final approval prior to beginning production. The sample fee includes all necessary revisions and shipping costs.
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 typically completed within 2-4 days per revision, but it can vary during certain times of the year when the designers are very busy. 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 for shipping to you for inspection. Rush sampling in as few as 1-4 days, part of a rush production of 20-25 days, may be available depending on the current design and production capacity at the factory.
We use a few different factories in China for standard plush toy production, and for the manufacturing of plastic, vinyl, and rubber toys. We partner with a World Fair Trade certified factory in India for production of plush in GOTS Certified organic fabrics and eco-friendly Recycled PET fabrics. The Indian factory is run by Bears for Humanity using their World Fair Trade certified supply chain. The factory we use to produce your project will be selected according to the specific nature of what type of toy, quantities of eventual production, the required timeline, and budget. In any case, we only work with factories that we have a long history of partnership and trust with.
We will be able to provide you with the most accurate time estimate once a sample has been completed to your approval and you are ready to begin production. Most regular plush toy mass production takes about 35-45 days, depending on the time of year. Once production is completed, delivery times via ocean are typically 30-55 days, while air freight times can vary from 2-15 days depending on the freight carrier. All told, including a few weeks for an average plush toy sample to be produced and approved, we recommend allotting about 14-16 weeks from beginning a sample for standard ocean delivery, and about 10 weeks for delivery by air freight. It is, however, crucial to remember that sample development times are not as predictable as mass production times. If you have an existing sample already developed, the duplication of that sample will be very straightforward. If your design requires extensive basic development and numerous revisions, and/or includes electronic or audio component modules, it may require more time. This sample development variability makes it difficult to provide firm production timelines until we have a clear understanding of the design time required for your toy. During certain times of the year, usually starting in early summer, the factories can also be very busy fulfilling the next season’s holiday orders. This may add a bit of time to sample construction and production runs.
Yes. Due to rush factors such as overtime labor and expedited materials acquisition, costs may be higher than those of standard production by about 15-20%. We will be able to provide an exact quote for rush costs once we understand the product being manufactured, the degree of the rush, and the factory's availability to accommodate a rush order.
We can provide a rough estimate of the costs for shipping a shipment from the factory to your door or loading dock. To do this accurately, we need your country, postal code, and a basic knowledge of the volume of the finished goods. Once manufacturing is complete and the exact weight and volume of your order are known, all shipping costs will be finalized. We always strive to find the optimal balance between speed and budget when arranging transportation. All shipping is done at actual cost. We do not mark up shipping costs for our customers, so you will always receive the best available shipping rates. If you prefer to handle shipping directly through your own carrier, we can provide you with the packing volumes and weights of the goods, allowing you to calculate the costs with your carrier. Cost for tariffs, Customs fees, and Customs inspections are not included in our quotes and are generally paid separately in the destination country prior to release from Customs.
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. We provide full safety testing certification to the latest ASTM 963F / CPSIA testing protocol for the US, EN71 for the EU (CE Mark), and the UKCA -- or whichever testing standard you require for your country. Testing is done by internationally accredited independent labs as either a separate line item or included in the quotation. Which way we quote depends on the factory that will be doing the manufacturing and the type of toy we are making for you. You will receive a detailed certification document showing all test results.
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.
Yes! We can guide you in making design decisions for toys suitable for younger children and infants (age 0+), and conduct the necessary tests to ensure certification.
Unfortunately, in most cases, it is not feasible to manufacture below our stated minimum quantities. The exceptions would be in cases of very large, oversized plush, wearable mascot characters, and some other unique items. If you are looking for a prototype to show to potential backers or buyers, we can develop a sample of your design for that purpose. However, we kindly request that the intent for the sample development is not as a one-off item.
There can be significant variability in sample costs for resin figures, depending on factors such as size, type of resin, and the complexity of the design. Samples in resin typically range from $600 - $1200 for most average-sized designs.
Similarly, for plush toys, we can only manufacture in quantities stated as our minimum order quantities (MOQs). The MOQs are set up to allow efficient use of the factory production environment and maximize the availability of the designers to do high-quality work. If you require prototypes of your designs to show to potential backers or buyers, we can develop 3D printed samples for that purpose just as we do when prototyping items being prepared for manufcturing, but we ask that the intent for the sample development is not as a one-off item.
Yes, you can order a sample prototype of your design without committing to mass production. This is often done to raise funds for production and/or gauge 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 ensure that we focus as efficiently as possible on your project, so that it has the best potential for development in mass production.
Samples in plastic, vinyl, and rubber materials 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 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, surface polishing, and hand painting to show you what the finished figure will look like. This painted print serves as an inexpensive substitute for the actual cast-in-plastic or vinyl sample that will be created and provided to you after the mold tooling process is complete, in preparation for mass production.
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, vinyl, and most rubber. 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.
Like for plastic and vinyl, resin samples also require molds for casting; however, the type of mold needed is very different. Plastics and vinyl casting require high-precision metal molds, while resin is cast from flexible molds that do not need high-pressure resistance and expensive precision tooling. Resin molds are relatively cheap, and for some resin figures, we don't need to separate out the mold costs when quoting the resin sample. The resin samples we make are going to be identical to a mass-produced version.
Typical mass production times at the factories in China are 35-45 days after sample prototype design approval. During peak production season (June through December), manufacturing time may be a bit longer. Production times for the Fair Trade factory with organic or recycled PET fabrics usually take from 60-120 days, depending on the type of fabric being used and other particulars. Manufacturing times can also vary according to quantities, toy complexity, as well as the workload at the factory.
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, rubber, or resin toy manufacturing these days. We can also use most existing physical models to directly develop resin toys and make hand prototypes that are used in mold tooling for plastic, vinyl, and rubber toys.
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 great care in protecting the IP of our clients as well.
Sample fees are upfront costs that can be paid securely online by credit card. For sample payments exceeding $500, we may need to add an additional 3% credit card processing fee, which is applied by the credit card processor. Mass production costs are divided into a 50% deposit after the sample is approved for production, and a 50% balance payment is made after manufacturing is completed, prior to shipping from the factory. Shipping costs can be added to the balance invoice or paid separately, according to the needs of the particular project. We provide detailed, completed production imagery that shows finished and packaged products, according to the specifications of each project. Mass production costs and mold tooling costs are usually arranged to be paid by direct bank wire or ACH, rather than by credit card, in order to avoid the added processing fees that credit card processing entails. If you wish to pay using a credit card, we will need to add the credit card processing fee to the invoice as a separate line item.
Until February 2025 nearly all toys entering the US were tariff free goods, so tariffs for most US bound toys are a new concern, although some tariffs have always been common for goods entering many other countries.
Contrary to what many people seem to believe, tariffs (Customs Duties) are not paid by the manufacturing factories in the country of origin. Tariffs are only officially calculated and paid after the goods are processed by Customs officials at the port of entry in the country where the goods are being received. The importer (you, if you have had us manufacture the toys) is ultimately responsible for paying the tariff, not the manufacturer, and Customs will hold and impound shipments until Customs Duties are paid. We endeavor to find ways to classify the products or assign appropriate valuations to try and limit tariff costs as much as possible. When we help arrange the shipping of goods, we use experienced freight forwarders and Customs Brokers to make the experience as seamless as possible so there are no surprises or delays in receiving your toys. We will calculate and include estimated duties in the shipping cost determination that we give you once the goods are ready to ship from the factory, so you will know what to expect.