Vinyl & Silicone Reborn Babies
What is the difference?
Vinyl Reborn Babies
Vinyl is the most common material in the reborn world. It is a specialized type of plastic that, after being painted with many layers of appropriate paints, achieves immense visual realism, with tones and undertones that create a sense of transparency and depth in the skin.
These babies are weighted on the inside, so they feel similar to a real baby when held. They are also soft to the touch, but the material is rigid: they cannot flex or stretch their elbows, knees, wrists, ankles, etc. And because they have a cloth body, they cannot be submerged in water.
Details and Different Colorations
Mottled skin effect
Realistic ear with different skin tones
Other Vinyl Features:
- Variety: There is a vast number of different kits to choose from, featuring various facial expressions and sizes ranging from 15 cm miniatures to dolls that mimic children aged 4 or older…
- Durability: It is a material resistant to the passage of time and daily handling, provided it is properly painted with specialized paints for reborn art.
- Care: They only require basic general care. If followed, your reborn baby will stay in impeccable condition for many, many years.
- Cloth Body: The magic behind the realistic feel of these babies is thanks to the cloth body. This allows for movement and flexibility in your arms and in the positions the baby adopts when handled. If it were a full-vinyl baby, it would be as stiff as a brick
- Rooted Hair: The vinyl is hollow on the inside, so when the hair is rooted, it can be sealed with glue from within. This ensures the hair stays firm and won't fall out during handling.
- Price: They are more affordable than silicone babies without sacrificing realism.
Silicone Reborn Babies
Silicone reborn babies are considered luxury works of art due to the visual realism, touch, and movement they can achieve. Regarding the feeling of holding them, they resemble a real baby much more closely. They are also more delicate and require more careful handling.
These babies are crafted from Platinum silicone, most commonly Ecoflex 20, which offers a soft yet firm feel that is remarkably realistic on its own. However, artists have perfected the technique to achieve an even softer touch by creating custom Platinum silicone blends for that ultimate 'marshmallow' feel.
Like all reborn babies, these start with a sculptor crafting a clay model. This original model is used to create a silicone mold where liquid silicone is poured, cured, and carefully demolded—yielding a single piece of the sculpt, ready for painting. It is a slow, fully manual process. Because of the intensive creation steps and premium materials involved, they carry a higher price tag than vinyl babies.
The most well-known silicone reborn babies are 'full-body silicone,' but just like with vinyl babies, there are also silicone babies with cloth bodies. Only those that are full-body silicone can be submerged in water.
Soft feel, fully squeezable
Full body, can be bathed
The mouth opens to take a bottle or pacifier
Other Silicone Features:
- Sense of Realism: They are soft and supple to the touch, very similar to human skin. If you touch the cheek, it indents and then returns to its original shape.
- Mouth: They can usually open their mouths (even if the sculpture has closed lips) and take a real pacifier or bottle without any problem.
- Movement: The head and limbs have a natural 'wobble,' just like a real baby. Unless an 'armature' or 'skeleton' is added to the limbs so they can hold the position you place them in (for example, keeping the elbows bent). In this case, the limbs don't 'wobble' as much, adding a different kind of realism by simulating that the baby itself can hold its arms in that position.
- Rooted Hair: The silicone head is solid, so the rooted hair cannot be glued from the inside. You must take extra care to avoid damaging it
- Care: They require more attention than a vinyl baby. You must clean off lint and remove any shine using matting powders.
- Weight: Compared to vinyl babies, these babies have a heavier weight, more similar to that of a real infant.
- Bathing: If they are full-body silicone, they can be bathed and fully submerged.
In summary...
If you want a reborn baby to change its clothes often, perform daily routines, or take it with you on trips without complications, I recommend a VINYL one.
If you want a reborn baby for the sensory experience—to feel the weight, the movement, and the softness of a real baby in your arms—I recommend a SILICONE one.
If you want a reborn baby to handle often without worrying about extra care, regardless of the material, I recommend PAINTED HAIR.
If you want a reborn baby for maximum visual realism and won't be handling or moving it constantly, regardless of the material, I recommend ROOTED HAIR.