Reborn Vinyl Dolls | What They Cost and Why Costs Vary

I just adopted my first reborn baby for $334 (including shipping). She is very cute and I cannot wait to receive her!! 🙂

Arriving at the decision to adopt wasn’t easy. I put in lots of time doing research that would help narrow down available dolls within my price range.

I also messaged the seller prior to sealing the deal to ensure I wasn’t missing any information or being scammed (unfortunately this is common in the reborn world).

I based my decision on the different features I was looking for in my doll and think I made a great decision.

Just because I shared what I paid doesn’t mean that’s what you can expect to pay for your own reborn.

So, how much does a reborn baby cost?

On average, a reborn doll costs somewhere between $100 and $2,000.

There are many factors that affect the price of a reborn doll.

From body style to hair, to quality of the artistry and special features, reborns can vary significantly in price.

In your search, you might find ‘Reborn Dolls for Sale’ postings in online classifieds or on Facebook marketplaces offering dolls for as low as $50.

What Is A Reborn Doll?

When I throw around the term reborn, it is important that you understand that the term reborn is associated with vinyl dolls.

There are also dolls made with silicone that fall within the lifelike or realistic doll category. These will never be referred to as reborn dolls by people in this community.

If you don’t know the difference between silicone and vinyl dolls, check out my other article where I outline the key differences between silicone and vinyl dolls.

In this article, I am specifically discussing factors that affect reborn or vinyl dolls specifically.

While some features may overlap, I will discuss how much silicone dolls cost in a separate article.

Factors That Affect The Cost Of Reborn Dolls

Let’s look at some of the most common elements that affect the range in prices you’ll see during your search for a reborn.

• Paint type.
• Body filling.
• Accessories.
• Special features.
• Boo boo babies.
• Head and body materials.
• Age.
• Scent.
• Size.
• COA.
• Eye Lashes and Hair.
• Smoke and pet-free environment.

Paint Type

This a preference by the artist. Most commonly used are Genesis Heat Set Paints (GHSP) and air dry acrylic paints (Reborn FX).

The paint is then sealed with a finish to the artist’s liking, usually either matte or satin finish (or a combo of both). This helps protect the paint.

More experienced artists will use mottling layers, natural skin tones, veining, bluing at thin-skinned areas, and blushing in order to make the doll as lifelike as possible.

Adding all these realistic touches takes time. This requires more advanced skills and adds extra time, which will be reflected in the price.

Body Filling

What is used to fill or weight the cloth body and limbs makes a big difference in the doll’s realism and feel.

The most commonly used fill is fine glass beads placed within the center of the doll’s body as well as in the limbs.

In order to make the doll most lifelike, artists may also use high-quality polyfill stuffing, silicone baby fat inserts, poly pellets (these are plastic – so these won’t react to the vinyl like silicone would).

Adding these other materials adds bulk and helps shape the doll without necessarily increasing the weight.

No two dolls will ever be the same exact weight.

Sometimes the artist may weight the doll’s head to do the “newborn tilt” when you pick it up. Just another fun feature that makes your reborn more lifelike.

Sometimes when you purchase a mass factory produced doll, they may be weighted with sand.

Sand is not an acceptable form of filling or weighting. It is not safe as it may contain contaminants or bacteria depending on the origin of the sand.

Weighting with sand is faster and cheaper, and this will drive down the cost of the factory-made reborn doll.

Accessories

Here we’re talking about what may accompany many reborn dolls. What the doll will arrive with is completely up to the artist or seller.

Often times you may find in the listing an adoption certificate or birth certificate, diapers, clothes that the baby comes in, a small stuffed animal, a blanket, pacifier, pacifier clip, bib, or a care sheet.

Of course, the more that is included, the more expensive the doll will be.

Special Features

These are the little touches added by the artist to make the doll more lifelike.

Sometimes the lips, fingernails, corners of eyes, or toenails are glossed to give them a slight shimmer. Or the inside of the nose and deep within the ears may have a “moist look” applied.

Because reborn dolls have a fixed mouth (it cannot open and close due to the nature of vinyl) a small magnet may be placed inside the doll’s head to allow for use of a magnetic pacifier.

Caution: these small magnets may interfere or be dangerous to those with pacemakers or for small children (if swallowed).

All vinyl dolls are created with a cloth body. You have the option to search for a doll made with a vinyl plate that lays over the cloth body and gives the doll a more lifelike appearance.

You have the options to look for a belly and backplate, a chest plate, as well as female or male anatomically correct plates, or gender-neutral plates (with baby butt included).

Some dolls are also created with the ability to drink and wet. They typically use an inner plastic tubing mechanism to drink from a specially made bottle and then wet their diapers.

You may also choose between a doll that appears to be sleeping (with eyes closed) or with open eyes.

Reborn doll eyes are usually created with glass, acrylic, or polyglass.

Adding any of these special features means that more time has been put into creating this doll and therefore will result in a higher price.

Boo-boo Babies

These are dolls that are being sold with minor imperfections.

This might have been an artist’s first doll and there may be paint smudges, darkened areas, or poor coloration.

They also may have been improperly stuffed or weighted and don’t lay, sit, or pose as most reborns do.

These boo-boo dolls are still very beautiful and sometimes the imperfections are what make these dolls unique.

Hey, everyone has to start somewhere right?

If these imperfections don’t bother you, you can expect these blemishes to lower the price of the doll.

Boo-boo babies are more affordable due to their imperfections.

Head and Body Material

Materials used for the head and body may differ from doll to doll.

Typically, you will find that the head is made of vinyl for most reborn dolls.

The body material is usually made from cloth or doe suede.

Some dolls are created as “cuddle babies“. This typically means that instead of vinyl arms and legs, the cloth or doe suede body material is extended to create soft, cuddly limbs.

Age

This also varies from baby to baby.

You will see dolls listed as a preemie, newborn, older baby, or toddler.

Scented

These usually are stuffed with a scented “pocket” of baby powder within the cloth body to give a baby-like scent.

Size

Some dolls are teeny tiny and can fit in the palm of your hand. Others may be more toddler-sized and are upwards of 20-inches.

You will also want to pay attention to the arm and leg length. Some are full length while others may be 3/4 or 1/4 length.

The bigger the doll and its limbs, the more material and time went into creating it. This may drive up the price.

COA

A certificate of authenticity is another item sellers include that comes with some debate.

When an artist purchases a blank doll kit to reborn, the COA usually comes with it. It is provided by the artist to prevent doll knock-offs.

Unfortunately, there is a large market of scammers or doll knock-offs in this community.

Many feel a COA is important for resale and without it, the value of the doll may decrease.

Many expect that if a doll comes without a COA, they may understand, but would expect a price reduction.

But on the other hand, some people do not mind a lack of COA and think that its absence does not affect the price of the doll.

Eye Lashes and Hair

You will find that these may be either rooted or painted.

Rooted hair is typically Mohair that is hand-rooted into the doll’s head with a special needle.

Inserting these hairs one by one is very time-consuming but provides a more realistic feature to a doll.

You can expect dolls with rooted eyelashes and hair to be higher in price.

Painted hair is still very beautiful and lifelike and is still hand-drawn by the artist.

These dolls with painted hair and eyelashes will be at a lower price point though.

Some artists may even combine these methods if they find it aesthetically pleasing.

Smoke or Pet Free Environment

This has nothing to do with the actual doll but rather the environment it was created in.

For those with severe pet allergies or a smoke aversion, this will be an important feature for you to ask your artist about.

Actual Reborn Doll Costs

I’ve put together some real costs of reborn dolls from sellers across the U.S.

Ashton Drake

PumpkinDoodleBabies

Kimber’s Kiddos

• 19″ and 4lbs. 3oz.
• Cloth Body with Vinyl Head & Limbs
• Painted Hair
• Rooted Lashes

$299 + shipping (SOLD)

View Doll Listing

FairytaleVillage

• 20″ and 5lbs.
• Vinyl Belly Plate (anatomically correct) with Vinyl Head and Limbs
• Rooted Hair

$899 + shipping (SOLD)

View Doll Listing

Living Inspirations Reborn Nursery

• 18″ and 4lbs. 8 oz.
• Jointed Cloth Body with Vinyl Head & Limbs
• Rooted Hair & Lashes

$599 + shipping (SOLD)

View Doll Listing

Wrapping Things Up

As you can probably tell by now, there is no simple answer to “how much does a reborn doll cost?”.

I have outlined and discussed the many reasons a price may vary for a reborn.

Now that you are armed with the countless features that affect the price of a reborn doll, you are ready to hit the market.

Remember, ask as many questions as you need of your seller, this reborn doll is a big investment and you have the right to know every detail.

Depending on your budget and your wants for your reborn, there is certainly a doll out there for you.