Designer toys, also referred to as Art toys, are collectables and toys; created by artists and designers that are either self-produced or made by small, independent toy companies, typically in very limited edition. Artists use a variety of materials, such as ABS plastic, vinyl, wood, metal, latex, plush, and resin. Creators often have backgrounds in graphic design, Illustration, or Fine Art,
Larger figures are produced in limited editions, making them highly valuable to collectors. Smaller toys are often sold in blind packaging, similar to trading cards, giving the buyers an extra thrill of mystery. That has led to a trend called unboxing, in which excited fans open a whole case all at once in the hope of getting a rare figure
The first Designer Toys appeared in the 1990s in Hong Kong and Japan. By the early 2000s, the majority of Designer Toys were based upon characters created by popular Lowbrow artists, forever linking the two movements.
The goal of the Small Batch Toy Festival is to get all our favorite toy designers from the Southeast and beyond under one roof!
