The flux of... plastic — Artist Toy Vol. 01
- Gối
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
After a year of struggling with ceramics, I’m moving on to modern materials. Clay and I have a love-hate thing; the kiln results are often a total shock. Waiting might be beautiful, but it only works for me, while Hand-Fetish-Projects® (HFP) is scaling up with an 'artist/designer toy' line.
Big players like PopMart hit near-perfect consistency with vinyl—I find them both impressive and terrifying. HFP won't be doing that. Not because I look down on vinyl like some ceramic purists, but honestly... because we’re broke. Vinyl toys, or 'Sofubi' (ソフブ), have been a subculture since the 90s. The obsession with Sofubi in the US and Japan is just like the Vietnamese longing for pre-1975 typography—it’s all about nostalgia.
These toys are cast from copper or metal molds. Liquid vinyl is poured in, heated until it melts, and spun via centrifugal force until it sets. The signature result? A hollow, wind-light toy that’s insanely satisfying to squeeze. That first mold costs a fortune, but every vinyl pour after that is dirt cheap. If you’ve got the marketing chops like PopMart, you’re basically sitting on a goldmine.
So, what about HFP? What are we making artist toys out of? Our lean process looks like this: 3D design ⟼ 3D print ⟼ silicon mold from the prototype ⟼ casting with the right material.
I’ve experimented with a ton of casting materials, and my checklist was non-negotiable:
Fast casting for consistent production cycles.
Non-toxic for a home-studio setup—I live with two cats, so safety comes first.
Easy to decorate.
Lightweight to keep international shipping costs from killing the margin.
Reliable suppliers. I have to call out the Vietnamese ceramics industry on this last point. It’s way too insular and a nightmare for small studios or independent artists. They’re constantly switching up formulas and sources, and in ceramics, the smallest slip-up leads to a total disaster. It brings back that 'kiln suspense' I mentioned earlier.
With those boxes to check, I’ve been through it all:
Criteria | Epoxy / UV Resin | Urethane Resin (PU) | EGC / Jesmonite Variants |
Characteristics | Crystal clear & glossy. Bulletproof durability. UV cures instantly, but Epoxy is a slow burner (8-24h). | Opaque / Semi-matte. Cures fast as hell (2-10 mins). Insanely tough and impact-resistant. | Stone / Ceramic vibe. Matte finish. Sets in 20-40 mins. Fire-resistant, but more brittle than plastic. |
Safety | Risky. Smells like chemicals (VOCs). Needs masks/gloves. Can mess up your skin over time. | The Worst. Contains Isocyanates—highly toxic. Professional respirators and extreme ventilation are non-negotiable. | The Winner. Water-based, odorless, zero VOCs. Totally safe for humans and my cats. |
Availability | Everywhere. Easy to snag from hobby shops or online. | A pain to find. Usually hidden in industrial warehouses or niche artist stores. | Local vs. Global. Official Jesmonite is a pricey import, but local EGC (Eco-Gypsum) is easy to get. |
Production Cost | Mid-to-High. UV resin is an expensive hobby; high-quality anti-yellowing epoxy isn't cheap either. | Mid. Raw materials are okay, but you'll need gear like vacuum chambers to kill the bubbles. | High (Official) / Cheap (EGC). Jesmonite is a luxury. Local EGC blends are very budget-friendly. |
In the end, I landed on Jesmonite variants for my creative journey. The market is a total mess right now, with names and brands all over the place. After testing batches from various suppliers, I realized that the polymer content varies wildly between them—and that’s exactly what makes or breaks the durability of the final piece.
The Achilles' heel of this material is its strength. That’s why I spent ages figuring out how to fix the hardness issue once and for all. The result? A killer formula that I’m incredibly proud of—it’s so simple it actually blew my mind.
Want in on the secret? Drop a comment below if you’re curious. Otherwise, I’m keeping this recipe strictly for HFP eyes only. :}
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