Popular Vinyl Toys

Urban vinyl, like designer toys in general, urban vinyl figures feature original designs, small production numbers, and are marketed to collectors, predominantly adults. 

Urban vinyl figures are designed primarily by illustrators, graffiti artists, musicians and DJs from urban areas in Asia (especially Japan and Hong Kong), North America (especially the United States), and Europe.

What sets "urban" designer toys apart from general "designer" or "art" toys, is the subject matter. Anything dealing with graffiti, hip-hop, rap or other subjects typically tied to an urban environment.

The urban vinyl trend was initiated by artist Eric So & Michael Lau, who first created urban vinyl figures in Hong Kong in the late 1990s.Early designer toy creators include New York artist Ron English.

Other creators of urban vinyl figures are Japanese artist and designer Takashi Murakami whose work has been exhibited in the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Australian designer Nathan Jurevicius's Scarygirl, based on characters from his comic of the same name, and produced in conjunction with Hong Kong company Flyingcat, and former graffiti artist KAWS.

About Sofubi Vinyl

Sofubi, short for “soft vinyl,” is a type of plastic material/craft used to create Japanese vinyl toys. These toys have captured the hearts of collectors worldwide due to their unique aesthetics and tactile appeal.

Additionally, Sofubi’s soft and smooth texture provides a pleasing tactile sensation that sets them apart from traditional hard plastic toys. Their hand-painted details and vibrant colors make them a standout addition to any toy collection.

If you’d like to make your own line of toys, we’d love to help you get the ball rolling. If you have a similar design, or would like to inquire about the craft of making your own toy, you can directly CONTACT US.