Some models can cost up to $10,000.
Most reborns are handmade by amateurs: they are moulded and painted, which is a long and painstaking process, especially for expensive silicone models.
Owners buy expensive prams, car seats, clothes and accessories for their “babies”, and sometimes even special perfumes that give the dolls the smell of a real baby.
At a recent Dolls of the World fair in North Carolina, there were about 1,500 attendees.
Among them was Kelly Maple, a youtuber with over 2 million subscribers, who sold her work and signed autographs for fans.
Although some consider the hobby “creepy” or call the owners “crazy,” collectors take note: Critics miss the point.
For many women, these dolls are a way to cope with pain:
- after the loss of a child or miscarriage.
- for PTSD, dementia, autism, where reborns can be a source of emotional peace. For example, Britney Spears, who experienced a miscarriage, also carried such a doll with her.
It’s like any other hobby,
says 21-year-old collector Hannah Hammond.
The dolls are also used in paediatric therapy, helping children who have experienced trauma to learn love and care.