New cloth doll concept

Spudgun · Post by **Spudgun** » Sun May 01, 2016 4:59 am

Me and the wife are thinking of entering the world of doll-making. I'm an experienced doll-user and she is an experienced toy maker, but the tenner here and there she gets off Etsy for soft toys just isn't cutting it.

Repairing my Teddy Babe Deluxe a few days ago we got discussing ideas; is there a market for lower-cost, simpler cloth dolls?
A TBD runs to just over £700 in the UK, and while it's worth every penny, there isn't anything for those without that money or the inclination to risk said money on a new hobby without an "entry level" equivalent to try first.

Our initial design would be a very straightforward, almost pillowlike full size body, with breasts, buttocks, vaginal cavity to take a pocket pussy and a pretty, fabric face.

The concept is primarily to make a cuddle-buddy, with the option for sex.
We'd like to make male versions too.

If we can keeps costs economic, probably sell for £200ish?

Any thoughts guys? This sound like something any of you would be interested in?

Post by **Zang** » Sun May 01, 2016 9:55 am

I think it could likely be done, for a minimally-posable pillow doll. A light, wonderful-feeling but durable cover fabric (fleece, perhaps?) would be a must. For the face, you might provide for a few easy options like different eye colors (and eye styles, perhaps even an eyes-closed option). Expense could be saved by not crafting fully-formed hands and feet.

Over in Japan, they have a tamer, plainer version of this already: they call them Wata Yome "cotton wives" (and Wata Danna "cotton husbands"), which are basically body pillows in the shape of a faceless person (but not 'equipped' for sex). I recently came across an interesting article about them here.
I hope that helps with brainstorming some ideas.

Sate · Post by **Sate** » Sun May 01, 2016 11:09 am

I don't see why not. My own hobby besides video games is making low cost plush dolls that I sell here in the US under the same idea.

If I can offer one good tip, it's that taller dolls (155cm and up) tend to sell better overall. Also having a light pink fabric to make the body from like TBs use would give your dolls some great appeal.

- Sate

Spudgun · Post by **Spudgun** » Sun May 01, 2016 1:01 pm

Thanks for the feedback guys, and Sate, fan of your work!

We will be using flesh colours, and yes, aim for full-size dolls of 155cm+ etc.
Facial options we are definitely interested in, and I have made felt "eyelids" for my TBD so closed eyes are a great option.
We may stitch in fingers, and possibly toes to give the appearance of them, basically making them the sock-and-mitten types then adding in stitches.
We're planning on females, males, ebony skinned dolls, mermaids, and sold with a simple wig and a set of pyjamas.

Genji · Post by **Genji** » Sun May 01, 2016 1:05 pm

At about $300USD or less, I'm sure that there would be a market.

However, even the most humble fabric doll does involve a significant amount of cutting and stitching and stuffing. Not to mention materials: about 3 yards of 60 inch wide fabric, thread, stuffings, maybe a zipper etc...figure at least $50 cost. Plus time marketing, packaging and shipping. I wonder if there would be enough of a profit to make it worth your time, figuring that a skilled seamstress could always work on alternative projects.

By pillow, perhaps you mean more of a "pancake" like pattern as some doll hobbyists do use. Certainly that would save on time.

Personally, if I were thinking of getting into the business, I would aim for quality not quantity; design something nice, and price it at $500 +. People probably don't mind paying for something that is unique and well-made.

There are a lot of good light pink or peach color fabrics out there (or tan or yellow). You may have better luck ordering them online, than at a chain fabric store.

Spudgun · Post by **Spudgun** » Sun May 01, 2016 8:41 pm

Making something that expensive is against everything the doll concept is; a cheaper, entry-level cuddle doll for people new to the hobby, or those that have not the funds or inclination to spend a month's wages on one item.

We want to make the doll that I would have wanted as a penniless student, or the doll that a female otaku might buy to cuddle while she watches netflix, or the doll that a touring business rep can squish into a suitcase so his nights in hotels aren't spent alone, or even the collector that wants an affordable variety. I'm still paying off the credit card I maxed out getting my TBD, and while she was worth every penny, I only paid so much because I had no choice. I have a couple of dakimakura which I adore but the visual nature of them is lost as soon as the lights go out.
Our doll will have the tactile feel of a soft person, with legs to entwine, arms to snuggle into, breasts to nuzzle and an arse to squeeze while still being more dakimakura than teddy babe.

That's our vision anyway.

DarkOne · Post by **DarkOne** » Sun May 01, 2016 8:56 pm

I would love to see more fabric dolls enter the market. But IMO I would like to see something more like textile doll then a teddy babe.

Very realistic, very awesome to look at. Not hard to see why anyone would want one. IMO teddy babes are a bit of a niche market and they already seem to fill it well.

Just please.. give em a bit of a smile or smirk like they are having fun. Textile dolls all look a little depressed almost. definitely some kinda 'moody' face that is not very happy.

Or consider the option of using a TPE or silicone head, maybe from an existing manufacture. Maybe as a 'deluxe' upgrade version of your doll. TPE heads are AMAZING kissers. Sanhui has AMAZING faces.

But yes I believe any fabric doll would be a lot of labor and a decent amount of materials. You could likely get a lot more money for them then regular plushie dolls however, if your already spending hours for $10~20, moving up to full sized love dolls might be a much better return on time investment.

Lots of people end up with smaller dolls due to budget. I still think there would be a huge market for a new fabric doll at the $500 USD price point (About 300~400 UK dollars if your selling there?)

If you can somehow manage to sell them without VAT and/or all those import taxes the UK imposes you might have a real winner in the UK.
Not sure what export is like from UK but I will say that those sellers that offered Canada shipping from the UK on small engine parts have been *FAR CHEAPER* shipping them, then from sellers shipping US to Canada. So you might have an advantage in worldwide shipping by not being US based.

Some fabric dolls use romex wiring as the skeleton btw. Something to look into.. It will break with time but I find wire based fabric doll skeletons MUCH more acceptable then wire based silicone/tpe doll skeletons, because a fabric doll you can actually open and get at the wires for repair. a TPE doll would have to be cut in half to replace/fix the skeleton.

a skeleton-less fabric doll would also be acceptable. I don't see a huge need for a fabric doll to pose, shes more for cuddling then display IMO. Although the ability for fabric dolls to wear darker clothing 24/7, and stand up is very nice for display purposes.

Mello_Pello · Post by **Mello_Pello** » Mon May 02, 2016 2:58 am

I personally think its well past due time for a more affordable plush sexy Doll. The price of TPE Dolls and some Silicone Dolls are dropping in price so low nowadays that it makes me wonder why Teddy Babes cost so much. I dont believe in the saying 'the value of something is what you are willing to pay for'...nonsense. The value of a product is how much money the material cost to put into the product..as well as labor cost, vendor markup, etc. And from what Im seeing, the 800-1200 buck price range for the raw materials and labor time involved to make these Dolls is ..a bit over the top. Couple that with a vendor that has no quality control standards as was my experience... will make you think twice about if a wise decision was made.
Anyways...back to point on hand...YES..your idea sounds awesome and I really do look forward to seeing what you guys have planned!

Genji · Post by **Genji** » Mon May 02, 2016 8:44 pm

Certainly interested in seeing what you have in mind also.

Wasn't suggesting price gouging, more like a fair rate of return, on what would likely be a more than one day project. Having made a few of them as a hobbyist (see Amy, my avatar doll, or Anna prototype doll of a few topics ago) I know that is how long it would take me.

But, if you can produce them faster and cheaper and are happy with the result, then great!

Textile Doll looks to be a stretchy stocking-like fabric, over a molded foam body. Visually impressive, but not the sort of thing you could do at home, unless there would be a way to mold the body on a small scale that I don't know about Never seen a Teddy Babe up close, but they look to be stitched together the old fashioned way. I like them actually--they are a clever design, as you can see by the way the seam lines go together in close up pictures.

As for myself, I do like the soft and warm tactile feel of a thicker and fuzzier fabric. Such a doll, with some visible stitch lines, could never look as real as a non-fabric doll. Teddy Babe kind of went for a deliberate anime look (big eyes, and large Jessica Rabbit breasts). Kawaii desu... nothing wrong with that. But, you can also achieve a more realistic (smaller eyed) look with fabric, if that is what you are aiming for.

Are we still talking about a do-it-home business, or a real commercial product? If the latter, business realities might mean it would make more sense to have it made overseas. (There is a reason that developed countries like the UK and the USA have no remaining domestic garment industry to speak of...)

You could save a lot on shipping costs, by selling the doll as an outer case only, and allowing the buyer to stuff the doll himself, since a bag or two of filler can be bought at any fabric store. Inner framework for a fabric doll never struck me as essential, except something to keep the neck straight

Anyway, luck and encouragement,

Spudgun · Post by **Spudgun** » Tue May 03, 2016 5:54 am

It's gonna be an at-home indie venture. The dolls need to be affordable because I myself am a customer of the more-affordable doll.
We are all about the kawaii look, and the dolls will be overtly cartoon-like, realism is not something desirable or achievable with our budget and taste.
No internal skeleton, I always hated my TBDs skeleton, and it was the process of removing it that got my wife and I discussing making our own.

A lovable, simplistic, pillowlike doll, cartoonish oversized features, floppy bodied, hand stitched, etc.
The simplicity of the design means we can make "request" dolls relatively easily, we've planned males, mermaids, brony/anthropomorphic dolls, athletic, voluptuous, pregnant, the list goes on.
We will likely have a standard, large-breasted anime like doll as standard, and let customers email in requests as each one we will pretty much handmake to order, selling one a week ideally.

If they get crazy popular, who knows?

Karrot · Post by **Karrot** » Tue May 03, 2016 7:49 am

Spudgun wrote:.........brony/anthropomorphic dolls.........

It's definitely something that could work out. A further idea for you would be to emualte the Anime dolls and make the basic doll from calico or some similar cotton, then put on a removable Lycra 'skin' to give the colour/feel.

Karrot

Genji · Post by **Genji** » Tue May 03, 2016 8:52 pm

"calico or some similar cotton, then put on a removable Lycra 'skin' to give the colour/feel".....

That is basically the design of the ever-popular Nuno doll pattern. http://dollmaker.nunodoll.com/

Apparently casting of cushion foam is not quite as complicated as I thought; working various types of part A/part B mix. Certainly do-able in a workshop, if someone was motivated to produce something in the Textile Doll style. https://www.smooth-on.com/product-line/flexfoam-it/

DarkOne · Post by **DarkOne** » Tue May 03, 2016 9:13 pm

I always thought textile dolls where stuffed like teddybabes. ALthough maybe they use a hard foam insert for the head to get the details? Not sure.

Maybe someone should ask on their forum?

Genji · Post by **Genji** » Tue May 03, 2016 11:39 pm

"Batting, soft polyurethane foam and fabric with Lycra."

See the Barbarella model; detail, down to individual tendons, simply not possible to get with a stuffed doll. http://www.textiledoll.com/en/specifications

Still, I am a fan of cute and cuddly stuffed polyester princesses.

DollAfficionado · Post by **DollAfficionado** » Thu May 05, 2016 1:58 am

If you can make a decent fabric doll that you can sell for less than $300, then there would definitely be a market for you.

Overall, I recommend evaluating the current market VERY CAREFULLY before you make any final decisions. As an example, Snugamate made a great doll, but it unfortunately competes with the low end of the TPE doll market, so interest in purchasing their dolls has not been so hot.

When considering the price point of the doll you are offering, place yourself in the boots of the consumer. If I can buy a significantly better doll for a couple hundred dolls more, then I will. Quality of your work alone is unfortunately not enough to be successful.