Whose responsibility is it to keep clothing from staining dolls?

Caveat Emptor - "Let the Buyer Beware!"

 

One of the wisest phrases to remember. I've gotten dolls that were shipped in underwear from the company that left stains. Mr Clean Magic Eraser and I became good friends early on as a result. From a sewing perspective, I have to reiterate that some fabrics will continue to bleed no matter how many times you wash them. I've had to toss an otherwise fantastic fabric into the bin for the fact that there was just no way to stop the black from coming out. A manufacturer might have prewashed similar fabric and not realized that it wasn't enough to prevent staining. Protecting my doll from stains and cleaning it properly is my responsibility as a doll owner.

 

I have never owned doll clothes that have stained a doll apart from some boots that stained my dolls heels, which i managed to scrub off anyway. I think the seller of the doll clothes should make sure its not going to stain the doll, or be aware at least of what could stain and not use it but essentially it comes down to the owner to make sure the doll doesnt wear it for too long or wears something protective etc. A bit of awareness on both ends I think.
I know someone who bought some clothes from a company and just after trying the clothes on the doll it stained. I would never use fabrics that would instantly stain like that. I tend to dress my dolls in clothes I am selling first to have a check.

 

I haven't bought clothes yet and so had no stains, but i think its more than normal thats not the sellers fault if something stains.

I'm seamstress and I prewash most fabrics I work with (I dont know who made the fabric, with what chemicals it is dyed etc. I dont want that things on my fingers... and not on my doll!). But some fabrics cant be washed. Wool or Silk for example... So im more careful with these fabrics.
But I think too, that a good an professional seamstress should say if something isn't prewashed or cant be washed etc. so the buyer can choose if he would take the risk or not.

Levi

 

I'll be honest, it may be the doll owner's responsibility to care for the doll, the company should be responsible for at least warning of possible stains. I had no idea it could stain a doll, and I've poked around the doll community for a while. If the companies don't want to wash, they can at least make owners aware. I know I saw on the Fairyland customer service board someone who didn't understand why dolls will come with random eyes and such. Not everyone knows the 'way of the BJDs', especially first timers.

 

Well, I'm going to go ahead and disagree. A doll clothing manufacturer should take some pride in their work. If I found out a product I was making was ruining the product it was intended to be used with, you bet I'd change what I was doing. I think doll owners are way too forgiving, which enables companies to be lazy.

As far as doing research, how would anyone even know to do a search on "staining" until it was too late? It's not something you would logically think of, since people clothes don't stain people.

With that said, a magic eraser has solved most of my problems, but still. I hold other people to the same standards I hold myself to, and I wouldn't pull a "haha you should've done your research."

 

My doll has a pair of jeans that stain her legs. I was *going* to wash them with everything else today, but forgot. Sure, the Magic Eraser got rid of all the staining, but if I can prevent it at one time, then I don't have to go through the extra step of using the Eraser every time she wears them.

 

Sure, the doll owner has to watch how they take care of their doll and not have unrealistic expectations. But, I really think that the clothing manufacturer has a responsibility to pre-wash fabric and at least try their best to prevent staining like lining black clothes that stain with some white fabric. I mean yes, you could put a stocking on the doll... but I think that there should be pride in your work as a seamstress and a manufacturer. It is no secret that these clothes are going on dolls, and it's a little short sighted not to make them in a way that compensates for that!

 

The only staining i've had, that needed more than the magic eraser, was from wigs sewn with black thread so far. I feel though that it is sufficient enough for a clothing vendor to put a note on all clothes they are aware are prone to staining. If I am worried that something might stain or have noticed it minutely changing my doll's color after a short time, I will wash the item before it turns into a situation. One would hope that a professional business would know to prewash any fabric they're making items with though. Those spools sit around in warehouses and get dusty, everyone's touching them in the store, they have all sorts of chemical residues on them :/ not cool.

 

Oh, man. I normally wash everything before I wear it, but one time I was in desperate need of clean pants, so I threw on a pair I'd just bought. At the end of the day, my legs were blue! I had a moment of weirded-out panic, before realizing the black pants were to blame, at which point I felt stupid.

=^__^=
Anneko

 

Add me to the ranks of those who believe it's the owner's responsibility.

I received a coupleof matched tops for my Little Fee boys in a swap - same fabric, same style, one blue, one red, the red one leeks colour onto the resin, the blue one doesn't... I'm the one who didn't check beofre puttign it on the doll, despite having worked with fabrics for over 20 years and knowing that.

Sometimes prewashing doesn't help and fabrics will continue to leech colour - but it isn't something you can easily tell without the garemtn being on a doll for a reasonable length of time, so prewashing by the manufacturers of the clothes wouldn't necessarily help and often they are unaware that one of the many fabrics they use has a problem.

The red sweatr that leaks colour still does it, washing hasn't helped. I just make sure there's a thin long-sleeved T-shiort under it when I put it on the doll to minimise contact with the resin (and the colour washes off anyway so there are no permanent stains on the doll).

My usual reaction to finding that an item of doll clothing leaks colour onto the doll is to let the seller know (so they can include a note with the ones they subsequently sell to other people warning them, or they can let the manufacturer they bought their stock from know about it). Usually they are appologetic (even though it isn't their fault) and grateful for the information.

Teddy

 

It would be nice if the fabrics were prewashed, but overall it's the owner's responsibility to know how to care for their dolls.

 

I think it is a little of both. The company should tell a buyer if their clothes are prewashed, and should consider the damage that could be caused to a doll. However, unless otherwise mentioned a doll owner should treat every item as though it might stain their doll and either wash the item or place their doll in white (or very pale) slips or wash the outfits.

 

Owners responsibility all the way.

 

I would say it's the buyers responsibility.

I would never wear clothing I purchased for myself without washing it first, so the same goes for my dolls.

 

The only real problem I've had with staining came from materials that couldn't really be washed properly, (fake leathers etc), which was extremely annoying because there wasn't much I could do to prevent it. Magic Erasor takes care of it of course, but it's still aggrivating.

That being said...I really wish the buyer didn't have to be responsible. In fact I don't think it SHOULD be the buyer's responsibility to ensure a product doesn't damage the product it's meant for lol

That's not to say, of course, that I don't want to take responsibility for the care of my dolls. Only that, if it was any other product, (say a tablecloth that perpetually stained tabletops etc), I'm not so sure any of us would be buying it. I know that, for me, I'm just so used to it being a reality of the hobby that I don't think twice about it. Which, really, from an outside perspective, probably seems kind of silly! lol

 

I think it is the doll owner's responsibility to keep clothing from staining dolls.

 

Definitely the buyer. I am always careful with fabrics, because quite often dyes don't set as well as they should, so I always pre-wash items for my dolls.

I also advise that if you have a specific area on your doll that catches stains (on my Andi it is the front of her chest - she has big boobies and they rub on everything!) give it a spray with MSC. It makes for much easier cleaning if it does get stained!

 

I think it is my responsibilty to protect my dolls. If they are going to wear clothes that I think my bleed, I cling film (saran wrap) the area that it is likely to come in contact. It works like a dream, doesn't add bulk and doesn't usually show.