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The 10 Art Toy Brands
Over the years, I’ve built up a sizable collection of plastic designer figures. Some I picked up just for fun, others as long-term collectible investments, and plenty more simply because their designs instantly caught my eye. Today I’m sharing my personal top 10 collectible figurine brands. No ranking can ever be universally perfect, but this list reflects my genuine take on the most noteworthy labels in the space right now.
I’ll break down each brand one by one: covering their industry standing, iconic signature lines, and exactly what makes them stand out to me.
Let’s dive in.
1. KAWS (United States)
Core Position
Brian Donnelly, known professionally as KAWS, is an iconic toy artist who bridged street art and high-end collectibles. His creations occupy a unique middle ground between designer vinyl toys and fine contemporary art.
Signature Lines
COMPANION (both dissected and standard editions), BFF
What Makes Him Special
KAWS produces some of the world’s most recognizable art figurines, defined instantly by his signature XX-shaped cross-out eyes. His vinyl sculptures have fetched multi-million-dollar bids at major auctions—an extraordinary milestone for a medium that started out as simple toys. Among designer collectible brands, KAWS sits in a tier all his own, with countless collectors viewing his works as premium pieces with exceptional long-term value retention.
2. POP MART (China)
Core Position
POP MART has grown into one of the globe’s largest collectible figurine powerhouses, single-handedly turning blind box culture into a worldwide mainstream hobby.
Signature Lines
Molly, LABUBU, SKULLPANDA, Dimoo, Hirono
What Makes Them Special
POP MART figures are ubiquitous for all the right reasons. The brand collaborates with a stellar roster of original toy artists and rolls out brand-new themed collections on a steady cadence. Its designs are vibrant, adorable, and inherently collectible. If you’re a total beginner to designer toys, POP MART is the perfect entry point, and it has become the face of modern art toy culture across Asia.
3. MEDICOM TOY (Japan)
Core Position
Founded in 1996, MEDICOM TOY is an industry titan that largely pioneered and shaped Japan’s vinyl art toy market.
Signature Lines
BE@RBRICK block bear figures, KUBRICK mini-figures
What Makes Them Special
BE@RBRICK is widely regarded as the holy grail of vinyl collectibles. The brand’s collaboration roster spans every major name imaginable—from luxury houses like Chanel to cultural institutions such as the Van Gogh Museum, plus countless artists and IPs. For serious veteran collectors, a curated BE@RBRICK lineup is a staple of any display shelf. MEDICOM’s design philosophy leans into brilliant minimalism; blank raw BE@RBRICK blanks also serve as a fantastic canvas for fully custom hand-painted figurines.
4. Superplastic (United States)
Core Position
Superplastic is a next-gen designer toy label that seamlessly merges physical collectible sculptures with original animated web series storytelling.
Signature Lines
Janky, Guggimon, Dayzee
What Makes Them Special
Superplastic’s cast of original characters boasts massive global online followings, each with fully fleshed-out personalities and rich backstories. Its bold, eye-catching aesthetic aligns closely with streetwear culture, and the brand ranks among the fastest-growing names in designer toys. I love chasing their limited-edition drops—they make hunting rare vinyl figures endlessly exciting.
5. Mighty Jaxx (Singapore)
Core Position
Mighty Jaxx is an internationally celebrated art toy studio famed for its anatomical dissected figures and boundary-pushing cross-brand collabs.
Signature Lines
XXRAY anatomical dissection series, limited-edition artist co-branded designer toys
What Makes Them Special
Mighty Jaxx’s standout innovation lies in its transparent split designs that reveal detailed internal skeletons and organ structures. Its roster includes dissected reimaginings of beloved pop culture characters, blending pop art with educational anatomical detail. The brand sets itself apart via forward-thinking material development and ultra-intricate sculpt work, making its pieces ideal shelf display centerpieces. If you’re after a custom anatomical-style figure, Mighty Jaxx is the undisputed benchmark.
6. Kidrobot (United States)
Core Position
Kidrobot is one of the original trailblazers that brought designer vinyl toys to mainstream American audiences.
Signature Lines
Dunny rabbit-eared figures, blank Munny DIY custom blanks
What Makes Them Special
My personal favorite Kidrobot offering is the blank Munny: a raw unpainted vinyl base built entirely for full custom hand-decoration, ready for creators to craft one-of-a-kind personalized figurines. Over its history, Kidrobot has partnered with hundreds of visionary toy artists worldwide. Out of all major figurine brands, it fosters the tightest, most active creator and collector community. Its art toys strike a playful, delightfully weird tone that never gets stale.
7. Hot Toys (Hong Kong, China)
Core Position
Hot Toys reigns supreme in the hyperrealistic collectible figure space, a must-have brand for movie fans across the globe.
Signature Lines
1:6 scale movie character figures spanning Marvel, DC, Star Wars and countless blockbuster franchises
What Makes Them Special
If you want screen-accurate figurines perfectly mirroring on-screen actors, no brand rivals Hot Toys. Its hyper-detailed head sculpts and premium paint applications are universally hailed as the gold standard for realism. These figures carry a premium price tag, yet every dollar is well worth the investment. Hot Toys proves collectible toy design can rise to the standard of fine art, and most dedicated collectors end up building a curated Hot Toys collection over time.
8. Jason Freeny Studio (United States)
Core Position
Jason Freeny is a singular visionary toy artist famous for his signature dissected figure style, exposing internal skeletons, organs and mechanical components inside popular character sculptures.
Signature Lines
Dissected KAWS Companion editions, anatomical reworks of classic cartoon characters
What Makes Them Special
Jason Freeny’s sculpt language is instantly recognizable. His core concept splits vinyl figures artistically down the middle to showcase full internal anatomical structures. While his studio remains relatively small compared to major manufacturers, its creative influence across the entire collectible toy industry is enormous. Countless collectors commission fully custom figures crafted in his iconic dissection style, and his pieces offer a unique blend of artistic display and subtle educational value.
9. FINDING UNICORN (China)
Core Position
FINDING UNICORN is a Chinese collectible figurine brand centered on soft, emotionally resonant, healing-themed designer art toys.
Signature Lines
Farmer BOB, RiCO, ShinWoo, Zhuoda King
What Makes Them Special
FINDING UNICORN’s lineup leans into quiet, introspective charm, shunning loud, flashy aesthetics in favor of gentle moods and heartfelt narrative storytelling. Every collection is developed alongside original artists with deeply distinct creative voices. The brand differentiates itself through muted soft color palettes and strictly limited production runs. Its figures regularly sell out instantly upon release, with strong resale market demand and climbing aftermarket value.
10. 52TOYS (China)
Core Position
52TOYS is an established domestic Chinese manufacturer producing an extremely diverse range of vinyl figures, spanning cute casual collectibles to hardcore mecha designs.
Signature Lines
BEASTBOX transformable animal mecha cubes, WANBOX series, Strawberry Millionaire line
What Makes Them Special
52TOYS masterfully balances fun interactive play functionality with static display appeal. Its flagship BEASTBOX line features animal-shaped robots that fold neatly into compact uniform cubes—an immensely satisfying transformation mechanic. The brand caters to collectors across all budget ranges, and many hobbyists use its blank figure bases to create fully custom personalized sculptures. In my opinion, 52TOYS remains one of the most underrated heavyweights in the global figurine market.
That wraps up my curated list: ten collectible figurine brands I love following and collecting from.
Collector tastes naturally vary wildly. Some enthusiasts exclusively chase high-value iconic pieces from KAWS or hyperrealistic Hot Toys statues. Others live for the surprise blind box unboxing experience from POP MART and similar Asian brands. Many more simply seek a unique custom figure with personal sentimental meaning—and all of these collecting styles deserve equal appreciation.
Whether your passion lies in high-end designer art toys, detailed sculpted figurines, or casual affordable vinyl collectibles, this hobby has a space for every collector.
Did I leave out your favorite brand? Do you agree or disagree with my personal ranking? If you’ve got your own curated brand list you’d like to share, feel free to reach out to Xingyi Toy to exchange collecting thoughts and opinions.
Happy collecting to everyone!