1. It has come to the attention of forum staff that Dollshe Craft has ceased communications with dealers and customers, has failed to provide promised refunds for the excessive waits, and now has wait times surpassing 5 years in some cases. Forum staff are also concerned as there are claims being put forth that Dollshe plans to close down their doll making company. Due to the instability of the company, the lack of communication, the lack of promised refunds, and the wait times now surpassing 5 years, we strongly urge members to research the current state of this company very carefully and thoroughly before deciding to place an order. For more information please see the Dollshe waiting room. Do not assume this cannot happen to you or that your order will be different.
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  2. Dollshe Craft and all dolls created by Dollshe, including any dolls created under his new or future companies, including Club Coco BJD are now banned from Den of Angels. Dollshe and the sculptor may not advertise his products on this forum. Sales may not be discussed, no news threads may be posted regarding new releases. This ban does not impact any dolls by Dollshe ordered by November 8, 2023. Any dolls ordered after November 8, 2023, regardless of the date the sculpt was released, are banned from this forum as are any dolls released under his new or future companies including but not limited to Club Coco BJD. This ban does not apply to other company dolls cast by Dollshe as part of a casting agreement between him and the actual sculpt or company and those dolls may still be discussed on the forum. Please come to Ask the Moderators if you have any questions.
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Doll Company Labor Practices?

Apr 10, 2018

    1. Hello all! I'm wondering if anyone has any insights into how different doll companies treat employees. We talk a lot about supporting artists and I wonder if the hobby has similar ethics about making sure the doll companies (sometime the artists themselves as far as I understand) treat employees well. I know that in some cases smaller artists will send a mold out to be cast, what companies do this casting and are they accountable to anyone for treating employees ethically? How do larger companies treat folks who work for them in customer service or production? Do consumers even have access to this information?

      By "treat employees well" I mean do workers have reasonable hours, a living wage etc. I like to support ethical business practices when I can and when I am spending this much on something I want to make sure I am putting my money where my values are.
       
      #1 gracego, Apr 10, 2018
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    2. Harucasting is popular among smaller artists and it's a family operation. So, no worries there.
       
      #2 Kayble, Apr 10, 2018
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    3. In short, if it's a quality product which is being made by a clearly skilled artist / professional, it will be priced accordingly. If the deal is almost "too good to be true" someone along the line is probably getting ripped off.

      (In long,) :sweat
      When you get into products which are cheaply / easily / quickly being mass produced, (look for machine-painted faces, doll garments which are sleeveless, unhemmed, have simplistic skirts, sewn with long stitch length, or which are cut from non-fraying fabric, for example) it is likely being made by a minimally skilled worker who is being minimally compensated.

      There is sometimes controversy attached to relatively large businesses with regard to severing ties with contracted sculptors or designers and continuing to produce the contracted products. Occasionally an artist speaks out about being unhappy or some injustice from the company they were working for, but it seems to happen only on occasion and on a personal level, which naturally happens in any profession.

      I prefer to buy as directly from the artist as possible, and when I do buy something from a bigger company, I try to get what I want secondhand. Artists / very small companies who I have bought from were conversational and very open about their procedures when I talked with them. They are eager to please (and earn your trust) so that you will be a testimonial for their work and hopefully a returning buyer.

      If you find a particular product or service and you're unsure, it never hurts to ask!
       
      #3 Lokinta, Apr 10, 2018
      Last edited: Apr 10, 2018