7/30/2015

Bad, Bad Bodies

I'm so disappointed every time I come across a discolored body. 98% of the time the body is an Integrity Toys product. These aren't even old. And what's old anyway? Five years? I don't think so.



The one on the left is a handspeak body and the rest are tall bodies - each has discoloration.

In each and every case, the hands have not turned yellow, making the rest of the body look even worse.

It's a very good reason to abandon collecting these dolls. I don't know if the FR2 bodies are discoloring but they are very swingy now. It's odd because they're not strung dolls. I know that strung dolls can get swingy with time. The FR2 haven't even been around for very long.

I read somewhere that someone had success with either bleach or peroxide in restoring the vinyl to it's original color. Anyone remember that?


23 comments:

  1. Here you go, KingKevin to the rescue
    http://www.integritytoys.com/wclubforum/showthread.php?30055-Restoring-yellow-bodies&highlight=king+kevin

    I've been very successful with this, it's literally changed my Misaki collection. Now when I redress them I check for yellowing & bleach out anything that needs it. It's like getting new bodies & is SUCH an improvement. I've also had really good results with Momoko bodies, so it's not just IT stuff.
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/24020302@N05/16459788830/in/photolist-w2vzwJ-wjz4M6-vJg2JB-v4JJ75-vJ8Q6u-tR6Qys-u5RyNi-rfcaJm-rcAsV6-r5uHLA-osbUTW-o8LHMJ-nRnFZ3-kx2gub-fNHhFt-fNHhGZ-fNHhHM-e2ZHgH-e2ZHhM-e36p9N-dCZwY4-deqmiu-daZj4q-bUeLgs-bretbr-aAoT3A-9afdHB-8ZH8m7-7iWSUX-7iWSVv-73CSoh-6zynV5-aU3Q5Z-aKGUbk-9WhawW-8g9jTn-73CSnS-73CSnq-73CSos-6B6w74-6zynVJ

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    1. Where can I find instructions on how to apply the bleach to remove the yellowing, please? I thought I could click on the URLs listed in Mama's post, but it just brought me back here. This is my first visit. Great info!

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    2. Copy & paste the links instead of clicking on them

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    3. Tried that - brought me right back here to Terri!!

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    4. I wish I knew how to help you. Do you belong to W Club?

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    5. Hmm, the links work for me, maybe you need to clear your cache? I don't know how else to get you there.

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  2. The idea of "restoring" a doll that's 5 years old is appallingly. Period.

    Seriously, this is unacceptable, and collectors should demand replacements or not buy Integrity's products. The idea that we're all sitting around with a cotton swab peroxiding the bodies of our $200 gift set dolls! Why bother lining the dress?

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  3. I am so tired of the shit quality of IT products. Bad face paint, misapplied paint, wonky eye, defective body parts, missing or destroyed or loose lashes, mold, loose necks, gunk oozing out of joints, leaking bodies. And you are absolutely right, these dolls are not old. 5 years or 10 years or even 15 years is not old. I am tired of hearing that "oh well it just happens with plastic", No it doesn't. Not this quickly. And this is intolerable. My Barbies from 1983 don't have discoloration.

    I also agree that the idea of restoring a 5 year old doll being a thing, is appalling. It is nice that people are trying to find ways of how to do it and share it, but we shouldn't have to. I am not going to spend 145 dollars on a doll just so I can have the pleasure to restore a body gone to shit a decade later. This should not be happening and as someone said above, IT should replace these no questions asked instead of offering bodies for sale.

    I am truly disappointed at the abysmally bad quality of Integrity Toys products over the past 2 to 3 years. As they have expanded and gotten bigger, and as prices have gone up, the quality has gone down more and more and anyone who dares to protest or dares to even talk about it anywhere over the internet is issued gag orders by IT. It's like they have nothing better to do than monitor the web to see who criticizes them. Maybe instead of spending all that time stalking people and telling them to not say anything was actually spent on improving the quality of their products, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

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    Replies
    1. So my question is...would you have submitted this review with your name or are you gagged as well?
      I disagree that all their products are bad quality. It's the bodies that are deteriorating. Apparently many tolerate it. I'm pleased that I've gradually switched back to 16" dolls but IT is still producing a few dolls I like.

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    2. not all of their products show bad quality, but enough products over the past few years to be noticed, raise serious concerns and worry collectors about quality control issues (such as discoloration of bodies).

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  4. Thanks for posting the link and thanks to Marna for providing it!
    I have a Gene that looks like she had a four pack a day habit and will need a few days at the "SPA" as it were.
    I do have to agree with a few of the postings about the quality control issues. At these price points there really aren't excuses for defective or self destructing "collectibles".
    As always love the blog
    Will C.

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  5. Integrity arguably makes the most beautiful fashions and accessories for 1:6 scale dolls on the market and always has. From the first Veronique in the silver lingerie with straight arms, it's a shame that the bodies continue to discolor when other manufacturers are not having this issue. That's a QA issue in a factory not brad sweeping malfeasance.

    I suppose I'll take discoloration over glitter!!!!

    I do find it interesting on a side note that no matter how often you request it Terri, people still don't sign names or give avatars to comments.

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    1. I wonder if they even notice that I don't post most of their anonymous comments when they are simply trashing the company.

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  6. After my experiences with the very first Veronique and Adele (heads fell off), the yellowing/ chipping IT Gene bodies, I declined the Katy Keene line knowing this problem hasn't been resolved. With $$$$ at a premium now, I don't want to spend the rest of my days finding replacement bodies. Looking at the picture provided, this may have been a wise choice. Shame, since the clothes look wonderful.

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  7. Yes, I had experience lightening vinyl bleach for laundry, but restore the color bodies Integrity he can not.

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  8. I just started buying IT dolls, and I only have DG dolls and a few Homme. I'm assuming since DG dolls are made from the same kind of vinyl as FR dolls this will happen to them after a few years, but does this also happen with darker skin toned dolls? Most of my DG dolls are African American or have dark tanned skin tones. Thanks!

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    Replies
    1. I have heard that sometimes the hands turn a different color.

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  9. I would like to back up Terri's comment that not all of IT's products are poor quality.

    I would never have become as hooked as I did if the clothing had not been so beautifully made. It's the vinyl that's the problem.

    I'm just grateful that the lovely heads of my older FR dolls are still in perfect condition, but at the prices I've paid over the years, their bodies should not have changed in colour so drastically.

    It makes me especially sad to see how one of my favourites, Haute Luxuries Veronique, has yellowed. Also, my Final Cut Cannes Isha has very chalky legs and arms. I dare not try bleach on my dolls for fear it will make things worse so I have left them alone.

    And as Terri has said, some are very swingy. I don't move my dolls enough to explain why some have terribly loose joints.

    Like everyone else, I believe IT should provide replacement bodies made of a better quality vinyl. What would be the point of replacing bodies if the replacement bodies were of the same vinyl as the originals?

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    1. An update since posting that comment: I was absolutely devastated when the neck on my Cosmetic Takeover Natalia shattered recently. All I tried to do was adjust the tilt of her head! It wasn't as if I dropped the doll or accidentally knocked it with force. I've put the beautiful head on a tall body, but it's just not the same when a doll isn't in its original state. I was planning to sell off my collection at some stage but I've given up on the idea. Who is going to buy dolls that are fading, yellowing or falling apart?

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  10. Does anyone know how to take Gene's head off the Ashton Drake dolls? I have a body to replace, but it's so dang hard. I don't want to break the whole thing :-( any help would be appreciated!

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    1. This is kind of old, so I don't know if you solved this, however, I heat the head with a heating pad, and once it is a little soft, I push the head straight down onto the neck, which temporarily expands the neck hole and the head should lift off easily without struggling, while it is still warm and expanded, you should pop it onto the replacement body, and once the head cools the neck hole will shrink to conform around the new neck knob and she'll be good to go!

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