The Anatomy of a Figurine

Recently, I've noticed that many users are concerned about taking better care of their figures and are perhaps oblivious to certain issues that may arise naturally (or not) over time. After some quick research, I found some very useful information that I hope will answer some of your questions. First, let's look at the materials in general:

• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) : It is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is used in construction because it is cheaper than more durable alternatives like ductile iron. It can be made softer and more flexible by adding plasticizers, the most commonly used being phthalates. In this form it is used in clothing, furnishings, electrical cable insulation, inflatable products and many applications where it replaces rubber. PVC is a thermoplastic , which means it turns into a liquid when heated and becomes rigid again when cooled sufficiently. PVC will begin to warp at any temperature above 60 degrees Celsius (60°C = 140°F).

• ABS (Acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) : This is a copolymer made by polymerization of styrene and acrylonitrile in the presence of polybutadiene. The proportions can vary from 15 to 35% acrylonitrile, 5 to 30% butadiene and 40 to 60% styrene. The result is a long polybutadiene chain crossed with shorter poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) chains. The nitrile groups of neighboring chains, being polar, attract each other and bind the chains together, making ABS stronger than pure polystyrene. Styrene gives plastic a shiny, waterproof surface. Butadiene, a rubbery substance, provides resilience even at low temperatures. For the majority of applications, ABS can be used between -20 and 80°C (-4 and 176°F) because its mechanical properties vary with temperature. ABS is also a thermoplastic and it will begin to warp at any temperature above 80 degrees Celsius (80°C = 176°F).

• Vinyl : Vinyl compound is any organic compound containing a vinyl group (preferred IUPAC name: ethenyl), derived from ethene, CH2=CH2, with a hydrogen atom replaced by another group. An important industrial example is vinyl chloride, the precursor to PVC, a plastic commonly known as "vinyl".

• Resin or synthetic resins : These are materials with a property similar to that of natural plant resins: they are viscous liquids that can harden permanently. Chemically, they are very different from the various resinous compounds secreted by plants. Synthetics are of several classes. Some are made by esterification or saponification of organic compounds. Some are thermosetting plastics in which the term "resin" is informally applied to the reactant or the product, or both. "Resin" can be applied to one of two monomers of a copolymer (the other being called a "hardener", as in epoxy resins). For thermosetting plastics that require only one monomer, the monomer compound is the "resin". For example, liquid methyl methacrylate is often called a "resin" or "casting resin" when it is in a liquid state, before polymerizing and "hardening."

• Cold Cast : This is a plastic compound formed after mixing two types of plastic materials. The mixture then solidifies and no heat is applied during this process.

• Polystone : This is a compound made primarily of polyurethane resin mixed with stone powder additives that give it added weight and the porcelain or "stone" feel that gives the material its name. Polystone is durable and very effective in maintaining a crisp paint finish. Unlike porcelain which is kiln fired, polystone is a cold pour material in which no heat is used in the manufacturing process, resulting in a greater variety of paint finishes.

Materials and figurines:

• PVC : PVC is used to make figurines mainly because it is very cheap compared to other plastics and is somewhat durable. PVC being a thermoplastic, it is easy to work with and recyclable. The PVC used to make scale figures contains low amounts of plasticizers so that it is not too rubbery and soft. Good quality PVC feels soft to the touch and has a skin-like appearance, which cannot be achieved using other plastics like ABS. However, PVC is very fragile and has poor resistance to high temperatures and pressure. Both of these factors can cause PVC to bend or warp.

• ABS : ABS is mainly used for the bases and legs of the figures. ABS is a very sturdy plastic and will not bend (ABS is the type of plastic that will break before bending). However, what makes ABS so strong can also make it even more fragile than PVC. Depending on the height of the fall, the ABS may break. ABS can also be very shiny and have a more plastic appearance than PVC and vinyl. It is used to make Figma faces and hair, Figma and Nendoroid joints, scale figure bases, figure lower bodies, LEGOs, and more.

• Soft Vinyl : Soft vinyl is used to make Dollfies and many other figurines. Vinyl can be just like PVC (soft and bendable) or like ABS (strong but brittle), depending on its use. Vinyl can also be smooth and have the same skin-like appearance as PVC, but it is more expensive than PVC and a little harder to handle if used to make scale figures, making the more complicated and therefore more expensive manufacturing process.

• Cold Cast, Polystone and Resin : All of these materials are very robust and fragile. None of them can survive a fall and they break quite easily. They are used to make scale figures, garage kits, larger statues, vases and many other things. They are very resistant to temperature, humidity and are considerably easier to clean. Cold Cast and Polystone are similar to porcelain in appearance and resin can look the same as PVC, but all three are much, much heavier and more expensive.

Cleaning and protecting your figurines :

• PVC can sometimes release oil. It's not very common, but it can happen and there's nothing wrong with it. If this happens, it could also mean that the temperature is too high and the PVC has sweated. PVC is a plastic and, like any other plastic, it is waterproof. If your figurine is dirty or greasy, you can wash it without fear (but do not rub them, otherwise you risk damaging the paint). If the figurine is difficult to wash manually, immerse it in water with a little detergent (or liquid soap) and let it soak for about an hour. Then wash it again under running water and let it dry naturally or use cotton balls or even flannel, but be careful. Although it is safe to wash your figurines, you should not do it too often. Two or three times a year should be more than enough. Do not wash Cold Cast, Polystone or Resin, just wipe them with a damp cloth, that's all. Water will not cause any damage to them, but there is no need to clean them.

• Under no circumstances should you use cleaning chemicals, alcohol, or anything other than soap. Any chemical can cause discoloration and damage both the PVC and the paint. The same goes for ABS, Vinyl, Cold Cast, Polystone and Resin.

Management of leaning figures:

• As I said before, only full PVC figures will bend. Since PVC is a thermoplastic, applying heat can help straighten the figure and correct leaning by using hot water to soften the PVC. You can also use a hair dryer to heat the PVC, but I don't recommend it. Hair dryers heat PVC too quickly and too intensely, which can damage the PVC itself or the paint, while hot water will not. However, if you want to take the risk, here's how to do it: If you use a hairdryer, wash the part you heated with cold water as soon as you have managed to straighten it, so that the PVC hardens again, but in the right position.

Something every collector needs to know: no "modern" figure is going to bend... I'll explain. Some figure manufacturing companies before 2007/2008 had different quality standards, and to reduce production costs, these figures were made entirely of PVC, which ended up causing lean. After 2007/2008, the figure industry seems to have learned from its past mistakes and started making figures with better and more appropriate materials (ABS) to avoid this problem, and it worked. If you own figures released after the dates I mentioned you have probably already noticed that they don't lean, there may be a few exceptions like lottery figures, small company figures, etc. The problem of leaning figures is a thing of the past and will never come back. You can still find cheap lottery figures made entirely of PVC and these can lean, but as long as you buy scale figures from good brands, don't worry, your figures will always stay upright.

That's all for now, I still have a lot to add, but I will in the future. I hope this rather long blog can help you in some way.