In the world of art toys and designer figures, you have likely encountered collectibles with a smooth, rounded surface and a subtle, flexible feel. This distinctive tactile quality comes from "Soft Vinyl" (Sofubi) crafting—a manufacturing technique taking the global designer toy market by storm.
What is Soft Vinyl Crafting?
Soft vinyl molding is a plastic manufacturing process where products are formed inside a hollow mold cavity. Its core process can be simplified into four steps:
1.Liquid Slush Injection > 2. Rotational Heating > 3. Cooling & Solidification > 4. Hot Demolding
First, liquid PVC paste is injected into the mold. The mold is then placed into a high-temperature oven and rotated continuously, using centrifugal force to evenly coat the internal cavity walls. Upon removal from the oven, the mold is submerged in cold water to cool. Finally, while the material retains lingering heat and elasticity, skilled craftsmen manually pull the vinyl piece out from the narrow mold opening.
Key Advantage: Hot Demolding
Standard steel injection molds carry strict draft angle limitations, often leaving prominent seam lines (parting lines) on the finished surface. In contrast, soft vinyl crafting leverages the exceptional flexibility of warm vinyl. Even with minor undercuts, figures can be demolded effortlessly. This better preserves the aesthetic integrity of the figure and significantly minimizes visible seam lines.
Additionally, because the demolding points can be engineered during the design phase to hide in inconspicuous areas or along joint assembly cuts, seam lines become practically invisible once the final piece is assembled.
Bringing Your Designs to Life
With deep roots in toy manufacturing, we operate our own factory backed by over 20 years of experience in product development and mass production. We offer corporate clients end-to-end B2B solutions—from 2D design concepts and mold development to full-scale manufacturing. Providing comprehensive technical evaluations and integrated services, we fully support your blind boxes, designer toys, and licensed IP products.
Contact us today with your design concepts! Let’s collaborate to guide your ideas seamlessly from concept to mass production and create fun, engaging products together.