Posted by marc June 09, 2016
Droplets vinyl toys

I don't even know where to begin with the Droplet series by JamFactory, which was produced by Crazy Label in 2008. They're ridiculously cute, with fun little smiley faces, hearts on their foreheads, and candy-colored coats of paint. Premiering at the am & Custard show, the blindbox series hit store shelves a few months later. With the body of a, well, droplet of liquid, each toy had two adjustable antennae. The sculpt could also be flipped upside down, balancing on its head and antennae, for a new perspective.

Series 1 featured five colorways based on tasty treats. Each antenna was decorated with a debossed skull and the four standard colorways had a heart emblazoned on their head. But the chase colorway, which was purple on black, had a skull in place of the heart and an x-shaped mouth, contrasting with the happy aesthetics of the other four figures. Series 2 used the same base, but added a theme and sculpted antennae to each toy. For example, the tennis character had sweatbands on its antennae, and the zombie character's antennae were outfitted with skulls. Also worth noting was the packaging. The blindboxes used a very nicely textured cardstock with a matte finish that contrasted with the graphics' glossy ink. Messages were hidden under each flap, encouraging the collector to keep opening up the packaging to find the toy inside.

While they've been out of production for years, Droplets are still affordable. You can find Series 2 blindboxes at Rotofugi for under $8. Series 1 toys are harder to come by, meaning you'll have to resort to forums and eBay, though you should be able to find each standard colorway for under $15 and the chase for about $20 or $25.

While Crazy Label no longer produces toys, we'd love to see more Droplets from JamFactory, AKA Gavin Strange, who has created several more designs, albeit in 2D form.

Check out previous #TBT entries here

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