Recasting and counterfeited dolls

Lately, the recast issue is becoming a real subject of concern for me. I've seen people on flickr congratulate each other for the beauty of their recasted dolls and openly talking about the ones they were about to buy : I received messages of threats and insults when I pointed out that this was both illegal and immoral. I wondered if I had somehow stepped through the looking glass and now up was down and right was wrong !

A few days ago, a fellow french doll artist, Lilycat (check her work, she's great), discovered thanks to one of her clients a whole facebook group dedicated to recasting her creations. She's taking care of it like the professional she is, through legal actions. But that doesn't make it okay. This is a SERIOUS issue.

Creating dolls is difficult and time consuming. For my own first prototype, I spent more than 300 hours sculpting, sanding, piercing... Which means that when I sell one doll, I get about 1.10€ per hour. And that doesn't even take into account the money I have to spend for making the molds, the resin's price, my tools. I was lucky enough to find a job that leaves me enough time to work on my dolls with a pay high enough for me to pay for both my rent and food ! Not everyone has this chance.

When you buy a recast, you steal from the artist or the company who created the original one. You're not "advertising" their dolls, you're not "showing them respect". You get their work, they get no money for it.

Do you REALLY think this is fair ?

You might be thinking "Oh but I'm only one person, I don't think buying ONE recast will really hurt the artists and companies !" You're wrong. If you buy a recast, do you think the guy who made the fake doll will tells himself "Okay, I made one person happy and I made some money ! Time to stop and get an actual honest job !" ? No, he will go "Hey, people are buying stuff I didn't had to put any effort into ! I can make TONS of money this way !" and he will make more copies.

The people you're stealing from may have families. They may have a rent to pay, or a car, even pets they need to feed. If they spend so much time on making beautiful dolls only to see their work stolen away by a thief, they won't be able to keep on making them. They will have to give up and find another job.

You're not only one person. When you knowingly buy a recasted doll, you become one of THEM. And when companies and artists will stop making bjds, you'll be responsible.

tl;dr : Don't have the money ? Don't buy the doll.