What is an art toy? Definition, history and why people collect them

You have probably spotted these characters with bold designs, sitting on a shelf or in a concept store window, somewhere between sculpture and toy. They are art toys. But what turns a figure into an art toy? Where does the movement come from, and why do so many people collect them? Here is everything you need to know, with the example of our own character, EQSO.

The definition of an art toy

An art toy (also called a designer toy, or urban vinyl) is an artist-made figure: an original character, imagined by a creator, produced in a limited edition and designed to be displayed, not played with. Three things set it apart from a regular figure:

• Original creation: it is not a copy of a film or manga hero, but an artist’s universe.
• Rarity: runs are limited, often to a few hundred copies, sometimes numbered.
• Art object status: people choose it for its design, display it and collect it like an artwork.

Where do art toys come from?

The movement was born in the late 1990s, between Hong Kong and Japan, when artists and designers began producing their own small-run figures inspired by street culture, hip-hop and graffiti. Hong Kong artist Michael Lau is often cited among the pioneers.

In the 2000s the scene took hold: Japanese company Medicom Toy launched the Be@rbrick, a bear reinterpreted by hundreds of artists and brands, and US company Kidrobot popularised the Dunny, a rabbit silhouette artists customise. Artists such as KAWS brought art toys into galleries and auction houses.

More recently, Chinese brand Pop Mart made the blind box format huge with the general public, with characters such as Molly and Labubu, created by the artist Kasing Lung. Today, art toys range from small figures costing a few euros to gallery pieces.

What are art toys made of?

• Rotocast vinyl (rotational moulding): the historic art toy material. It is cast in a heated, rotating metal mould, which gives a hollow, light and sturdy piece. It is the material of our EQSO art toys.
• Resin: for small runs and highly detailed artist pieces, often heavier and more fragile.
• Injected PVC: for large runs, like many blind box figures.
• More rarely: wood, metal, ceramics or plush.

Why people collect them

Collectors’ reasons are as varied as collectors themselves:

1. Accessible art: owning an artist’s creation for a few dozen euros.
2. Design: strong shapes, bold colours, objects that make a room on their own.
3. Culture: streetwear, skateboarding, graffiti, manga, pop culture.
4. The hunt: limited editions, blind box secret figures, series to complete.
5. Community: trading between collectors, eagerly awaited releases, conventions.

How much does an art toy cost?

There is no standard price. A blind box usually costs between €15 and €25. An artist’s vinyl art toy often costs between a few dozen and a few hundred euros, depending on size, run and the artist’s reputation. Very rare pieces can be worth much more on the resale market.

How to start your collection

1. Pick a universe that speaks to you, rather than following the trend.
2. Check the edition: number of copies, numbering, certificate. Everything is explained in limited edition art toys.
3. Keep the box and certificate: for many collectors, a complete piece is worth more than a loose one.
4. Buy from the creator or official retailers, to avoid fakes.
5. Start small: a blind box lets you discover a universe before moving on to a bigger piece.

Popterror art toys

At Popterror, our art toys feature EQSO, an inhabitant of planet XO fascinated by our pop culture, imagined in Lille, France, by a father-and-son duo. Series 1, funded on Kickstarter in 2024, had 500 copies in total and is sold out. Series 2, Dark Light, Xtra Red and Purple Fire, is limited to 300 copies per model, in 12.5 cm vinyl, with a premium box and signed certificate. To start small, the EQSO The Crew blind box starts at €18. And to learn everything about our character, read the EQSO story.