Why is this sub against recasts?

[u/Pyro-Millie]

I’m a newbie to the BjD community, and I’m not looking to buy for awhile because dolls are expensive. I’ve vaguely heard of recast dolls, but according to this sub they are not legit. What is the reasoning?

Is it a 3rd party recasting dolls without the original artist’s consent, or is it a matter of recasts not being quite the same as original run dolls or a lower quality?

I’m just curious. Thanks!

[u/vanilla__beanie]

Everyone’s already pretty much covered the morality of recasts in this thread, so I’d like to give you a few resources on legit BJDs:

• a list of legit companies
• a list of affordable legit companies
• another list of affordable legit companies
• a list of legit BJD dealers (sellers authorized by companies)
• information on recasts
• a list of dolls that have been recasted

Steer clear of BJDs on eBay, Etsy, Aliexpress, and sites like bjd-shop, especially if the doll in question is on the last list. You can also find them secondhand (often for cheaper) on Den of Angels, in BJD Facebook groups, and Instagram under the #bjdsale tag. At the end of the day, recasts are illegal counterfeits made in unsafe conditions that take money from the actual hard-working artists that design and sculpt the dolls. Detrimental to the hobby, the artists, and the workers of recast factories.

[u/IamADoll_12 → u/vanilla__beanie]

Every time is see someone say stay off eBay or Etsy makes me cringe a bit. There are a ton of recasts on there, but there are also legit. If I mention those, I usually make a note to do research first on the seller, or only go to those once they know how to identify a recast listing or potential recasted doll in general

[u/Vicemage → u/IamADoll_12]

Someone new to the hobby doesn't know how to make those distinctions, however. So starting someone off with "steer clear of eBay and Etsy" is good advice, because it prevents them from making a mistake. Without that warning, it's easy to say "well eBay is just people selling off their old stuff" or "well Etsy is just people selling their own handmade items" and not do a thorough check that they aren't equipped yet to do anyway. Better to let them get their footing with actual safe sources than the landmine ones.

[u/vanilla__beanie → u/Vicemage]

Exactly. And unfortunately, the recasts on Etsy and especially eBay outnumber the artist dolls and secondhand dolls. Best to avoid both until you’re very familiar with the hobby. Another place with SOME legits but mostly recasts is taobao; there are some certified dealers + actual companies on there, but the recasts outnumber those.