Business booming for makers of realistic baby dolls

South Africans producing and selling realistic baby dolls, called "reborns", for thousands of rand, are battling to keep up with demand for their wares, The Star reported on Thursday. 

   

Doll artist Romie Strydom, based in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, recently sold a hand-cast silicon lifelike baby doll for R200,000 to a buyer in the United States.

   

Eva Topham, who imports doll-making kits, said it was difficult to keep up with demand. Since starting her import business last year, Topham  now employed two helpers. 

   

According to the report, those ordering the dolls and kits were often adult women, who were either unable to have children or who had lost a child. 

   

"We can order 'profile' kits. Many [clients] order these, which are handmade to replicate their own baby."

   

She said many of her clients even had fully equipped nurseries for their "reborns". 

   

Some of the dolls were fitted with apparatus to simulate heartbeats and breathing. 

   

The creators of the "reborns" did not consider them dolls, but artworks. 

   

-Sapa