Toy2 | Demeng Toy

Shenzhen Demeng Toy Co.,Ltd focus on making custom designer toys.

11 Toy Coloring Processes Compared: Spray, Pad, Water Decal & More

Toy coloring processes are the surface decoration techniques used in collectible art toy manufacturing to apply colors, patterns, logos and textures onto figure surfaces. At Demeng Toy, we utilize 11 core coloring processes — spray painting, pad printing, water decal, hand painting, water transfer printing , UV printing, screen printing and heat transfer printing, electroplating, flocking, mass base color — each optimized for specific material types, production volumes, and design requirements across 2,000+ toy projects covering vinyl toy, pvc figure, resin figure, plush toy. fiberglass sculpture and more. This guide compares all 11 techniques by precision level, cost efficiency, material compatibility, and optimal use cases, helping designers and brands select the right coloring method for their art toy production.

The 11 toy coloring processes compared in this guide are spray painting (mass base coating), pad printing (ultra-fine graphics), water transfer decal (low-cost sampling), hand painting (premium artistic finish), hand painting (premium artistic finish), water transfer printing (irregular shape coverage), UV printing (high-definition digital), screen printing (flat mass blocks), heat transfer printing (curved surface wrap), electroplating (mirror scratch-resistant metallic finish), flocking (soft fluffy fur-like tactile surface) and mass base color (peel-free integral pellet coloring). Each differs in precision, cost, speed and material compatibility.

1Spray Painting

Spray painting is the most widely used base coloring technique for mass toy production, applied in over 80% of Demeng Toy’s production orders for Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure, Resin Figure, Wood Figure and Plush Toy, and also provides color finishing for early-stage Prototype. Air spray guns atomize paint to wrap product surfaces evenly, achieving a 95%+ pass rate on first-run quality checks. It supports full base coats, soft color gradients, shadow layering and partial detail decoration, with automated production lines capable of processing 200–500 pieces per day. It is the universal coloring solution for all assembly-line mass toy orders.

2Pad Printing

Pad printing delivers ultra-precise tiny logos and delicate doll facial lines with precision down to 0.1mm, suitable for narrow recessed small areas of Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure and Resin Figure. Each steel printing plate can sustain over 10,000 production cycles, and single-color alignment only takes 2-3 seconds per piece. It supports single & multi-color tiny graphic marking for both small-batch prototype orders from Prototype and mass toy manufacturing alike.

3Water Decal

Water decal creates dot-free seamless complex patterns, ideal for prototype sampling on Prototype and small-batch decorative graphics for Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure and Fiberglass Sculpture. It requires zero mold fees for sampling, compared with the $500+ steel plate cost of pad printing, while single-piece processing takes only 3-5 minutes. No complicated mold opening is required for collectible figures.

4Hand Painting

Hand Painting features exclusive handmade brush textures and unique retro weathered vintage effects, widely used for high-end collectibles including Resin Figure, Fiberglass Sculpture, Copper Figure and limited-edition Vinyl Toy. Each piece takes 30-120 minutes to finish, with a daily output of only 10-30 pieces per painter, and its unit price is 5-10 times higher than automated coloring processes for luxury art toys.

5Water Transfer Printing

"Water Transfer Printing fully wraps irregular complex shapes with a film coverage rate over 95%, reproducing realistic wood grain, camouflage and marble texture effects for Fiberglass Sculpture, Resin Figure, PVC Figure and Wood Figure. Its scrap rate ranges from 8% to 15% due to necessary secondary trimming after transfer, popular for outdoor decorative sculptures."

6UV Printing

UV Printing achieves photo-level ultra HD output with a resolution of 1200+ dpi, perfectly restoring IP artworks and subtle color gradients, compatible with Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure, Resin Figure, Wood Figure and Fiberglass Sculpture. Single-piece printing takes 5-15 minutes, and its special ink cost reaches 3-5 times that of conventional spray paint, widely matched with premium Toy Package for high-detail collectibles.

7Screen Printing

Screen Printing forms thick opaque solid color layers ranging from 0.05-0.1mm in thickness, offering low-cost stable mass production for flat simple graphic decorations on PVC Figure, Plush Toy and Toy Package. The production line can process over 500 pieces per hour, and a single-color screen template costs only $50-100 for bulk plastic and vinyl toy orders.

8Heat Transfer Printing

Heat Transfer Printing creates wrinkle-free full graphics on spherical and cylindrical regular curved surfaces of Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure and Plush Toy, with strong wear resistance. The transfer process runs at 150-200°C for only 5-10 seconds per piece, and the first-pass quality pass rate stays above 90%, perfect for mass-produced soft and plastic collectibles.

9. Electroplating

Electroplating delivers high-gloss mirror metallic luster with hard scratch-resistant surfaces for premium metal-look parts of PVC Figure and Vinyl Toy. It only supports ABS substrates for stable plating treatment and forms a seamless all-metal finish without secondary printing, a top choice for metallic-style collectible toys.

10. Flocking

Flocking produces soft velvety fluffy surfaces with lifelike animal fur tactile effects for Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure and miniature Wood Figure. It fits ABS, PVC and wooden toy blanks, while soft vinyl materials show poor fiber adhesion and cannot support stable flocking treatment, commonly applied on furry-themed art toys.

11. Mass Base Color

Mass Base Color is pellet integral pre-coloring for solid-color toy batches of Vinyl Toy, PVC Figure and Plush Toy, eliminating post-spray procedures completely with zero paint peeling risk. It works for ABS, PVC, vinyl and plush fabrics, and cuts mass solid-color production costs significantly for bulk plastic toy orders.

Process Introduction

Spray painting is the most widely used base coloring technique for mass toy production. Air spray guns atomize paint to cover product surfaces evenly, applicable for full base coats, color gradients, shadows and partial decoration. It delivers high production efficiency and is ideal for all assembly-line mass orders.

Types of Spray Painting

Edge Mold Spraying (clean edges for flat parts), Clamp Mold Spraying (multi-side coating for 3D figures), Large Gun Base Coating, Small Gun Fine Gradient & Blush Detailing

✅ Advantages

 Wide material compatibility, glossy smooth finish, rich color options, gradient effect available, easy rework, suitable for mass output.

❌ Disadvantages

 Minor color difference from manual operation; risk of paint sagging; limited coverage on deep narrow gaps.

Application Scenarios

Full-body base coating, solid color modification, figure blush & shadow gradients, standardized mass assembly line production.

Compatible Materials

ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood – all fully workable. Plush fabric is available only with special soft flexible ink.

Process Introduction

Pad printing is the core technique for ultra-fine toy graphics. A silicone pad transfers patterns from etched steel plates, ideal for tiny text, logos, facial features and mini icons requiring high precision.

Application Scenarios
Character facial prints, brand logos, button text, product serial numbers, miniature icons.

Compatible Materials
ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood. Not suitable for plush.

✅ Advantages
Sharp clear lines, outstanding precision, stable mass output, low rejection rate, works on slightly curved surfaces.

❌ Disadvantages
Only for small-size graphics; fails on large curves, hollow structures & deep crevices; multi-color alignment requires extra production steps.

Process Introduction

Low-cost flexible transfer method. Pre-printed decals are soaked in water and applied directly on products. No expensive molds required, perfect for new product sampling & multi-style small orders.

✅ Advantages

No mold charge, low sampling cost, fast turnaround, complete graphic coverage without dot patterns.

❌ Disadvantages

Slow manual application, not suitable for mass bulk orders; decals wrinkle on steep curves; weak adhesion, clear protective top coat mandatory.

Application Scenarios

Prototype sampling, small-batch decorative patterns, multi-style custom designs, small export orders.

Compatible Materials

ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood. Not suitable for plush.

Process Introduction

High-end digital custom printing. LED cold light cures ink instantly without high-temperature damage. Produces photo-realistic high-definition graphics & complex art gradients for IP figures and limited-edition collectibles.

✅ Advantages

Ultra-high graphic resolution, accurate color reproduction, compatible with all materials, no pre-treatment needed, zero surface scratches.

❌ Disadvantages

Slow printing speed, high ink cost, uneconomical for full-surface mass production.

Application Scenarios

High-definition IP artwork, artistic textures, limited-run customization, premium prototype sampling.

Compatible Materials

ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood, Plush. 100% universal for all substrates.

Hand Painting

Process Introduction

Fully manual coloring technique. Used for hand filling, gap touch-up, vintage aging, rust & worn texture effects. Unique artistic finish that mechanical processes cannot replicate, exclusive for high-end collectible art toys.

✅ Advantages

One-of-a-kind hand texture, strong artistic sense, can touch up deep narrow gaps, capable of fixing surface paint defects, top-tier vintage weathering effects.

❌ Disadvantages

Extremely low production capacity, high unit cost, slight handmade inconsistency between pieces.

Application Scenarios

Vintage model weathering, antique worn texture, art dolls, premium collectible figures, paint defect repair.

Compatible Materials

ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood. Plush only for tiny local detailing.

Screen Printing

Process Introduction

Mass production technique for large regular flat patterns. Ink is squeezed through woven mesh screens to print thick opaque color blocks, cost-efficient for mass low-to-mid range toys.

✅ Advantages

Low bulk printing cost, saturated solid color, strong coverage, stable high yield.

❌ Disadvantages

Cannot render delicate gradients; poor performance on curved/concave surfaces; screen mold required, not cost-effective for small orders.

Application Scenarios

Toy packaging graphics, flat block patterns on building blocks, large-area clothing prints on dolls, regular solid-color decorations.

Compatible Materials

ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood. Plush fabric produces poor printing results and is not recommended.

Heat Transfer Printing

Process Introduction

High-temperature pressure transfer technique designed exclusively for regular spherical, cylindrical and smooth curved parts. Pre-printed transfer films are pressed onto surfaces for seamless full-wrap patterns with strong abrasion resistance.

✅ Advantages

Smooth wrinkle-free graphics on regular curves, firm scratch-resistant adhesion, consistent mass production results.

❌ Disadvantages

Strict high-temperature resistance requirement; incompatible with irregular concave/convex shapes; unable to print tiny fine text.

Application Scenarios

Ball toys, cylindrical figurines, mass printed patterns on smooth curved plastic ornaments.

Compatible Materials

Only ABS works stably; a tiny number of hard resin pieces are testable. PVC, vinyl, plush & wood are completely incompatible.

Water Transfer Printing

Process Introduction

Specialized technique for complex irregular shapes, concave-convex curves & simulation textures. Patterns on water-soluble films fully wrap around any workpiece via water pressure, supporting wood grain, camouflage, marble and other premium realistic textures.

✅ Advantages

Almost unlimited shape adaptability, full coverage without dead angles, ultra-realistic simulation textures, compatible with multiple hard substrates.

❌ Disadvantages

High production rejection rate; prone to pattern shifting & wrinkling; insufficient precision for small text & mini logos.

Application Scenarios

Military camouflage models, wood-grain toys, irregular art figures, full-surface texture decoration for premium craft toys.

Compatible Materials

ABS, PVC, Vinyl, Resin, Wood. Not suitable for plush (cannot soak in water).

FAQ

What types of fabrics are used for plush toys?

The 10 most commonly used fabrics for making plush toys: Cotton, Polyester, Wool, Short pile fabric, Long pile fabric, Felt, Velvet & Velour, and Faux fur.

What is the best filling for plush toys?

There are three best types of fillings for plush toys: cotton filling, odorless memory foam filling, and natural cotton filling.

How much does it cost to manufacture a plush toy?

Custom plush toys vary in price depending on the amount of embroidery, different fabric colors, weighted beans, clothing accessories, and whether they need to create the design from scratch, etc. For example, customizing 300 plush toys typically costs around $10-20 each for an 8-inch tall plush animal toy.

What's the difference between stuffed animals and plush toys?

From a material perspective, "plush toys" generally refer to toys covered with plush fabric. Plush is long, soft, and delicate, making it very comfortable to touch. For example, many common teddy bear plush toys fall into the category of "plush toys." The scope of "stuffed toys" is broader. Any toy filled with stuffing in fabric, leather, or other materials can be referred to as a "stuffed toy." The fabric does not necessarily have to be plush. Some small items with a coarse cotton fabric shell and filled with cotton can also be called stuffed toys. From an appearance standpoint, "plush toys" appear fluffier and more luxurious due to their fur. The appearance of "stuffed toys" is more diverse, with some possibly having a primitive and simple shape.

Why is custom plush toy so expensive?

Creating a high-quality plush toy involves many complex processes. Starting with the design, professional designers need to create patterns based on market demand and current trends, a process that requires significant creativity and manpower. Cutting the fabric must be precise to ensure that each part is the correct size and to avoid material waste. The sewing process requires meticulous stitching to prevent unraveling and ensure clean seams, which demands skilled workers and considerable time and effort. Some high-end plush toys also utilize special techniques such as embroidery and printing to further enhance the toy's sophistication and aesthetic value, which undoubtedly increases production costs.

What's the best material for a plushie?

In fact, there is no specific fabric that can be called the most ideal material for plush toys. When choosing the right fabric, it is necessary to consider several factors. The selection of appropriate fabric is influenced by various factors, including many application requirements, aesthetic preferences, safety issues, and material characteristics. If the plush toy needs to be used frequently, it may require durable fabric to prevent tearing and wear. On the other hand, plush toys designed for comfortable sleep may need softer and hypoallergenic materials.

Get in touch with us

Just leave your email or phone number in the contact form so we can send you a free quote for our wide range of designs!

input must not exceed 280 in length!

name

Please enter a valid email address!

input must not exceed 280 in length!

phone

input must not exceed 280 in length!

file

File required to be uploaded, Format Support——txt, doc, docx, ppt, pptx, xlsx, xls, pdf, jpg, png, bmp, gif, jpeg, rar, zip, Do not upload more than 20Mb or file name maximum 100!

file

The input length cannot be less than 11!

content