How Do You Make Mannequins?
A mannequin that is used to represent your newest fashion line cannot simply be “vaguely human shaped.” The mannequin must be as accurate as possible if you want your clothes to look their best, which will ultimately increase the likelihood that you will sell them.
Your clothing should therefore fit and hang off the mannequin as it would on a real person—or at the very least, someone with the same physique as the mannequin. Therefore, creating mannequins calls for more expertise and understanding than you might imagine.
However, how are mannequins actually built and what materials are used to make them? Before we respond to those inquiries, let’s quickly review the origins.
A synopsis of mannequin history
The word “mannequin” basically means “little man,” as in “manikin,” and it is thought that the first mannequins appeared in France in the 15th century. They used to serve as models for the newest styles, just like they do now.
The earliest full-sized mannequins were created in the middle of the 18th century using wickerwork. Papier maché, wood, wax, polyurethane, and plaster are just a few of the materials that have been used over the years, each with unique benefits and drawbacks. Some are more flexible, some are lighter, and some are more long-lasting and robust.
However, the majority of mannequins nowadays are constructed from plastic or fiberglass. Both of these have the benefit of being lightweight, which lowers costs and facilitates transportation. Let’s examine each type in more detail.
Mannequins made of fiberglass
The most costly option is fiberglass; some pieces can run into the thousands of pounds each, but you get as natural a figure as you could hope for. Naturally, only the highest echelons of the fashion industry typically use those premium fiberglass mannequins.
Building a clay figure onto a wire framework is the first step in creating a high-quality fiberglass mannequin, which can take more than a month to complete. This original mold is used to create subsequent molds, first of plaster and then of fiberglass, to create the final production model. The molds will be progressively refined at each step to remove any imperfections until the finished, ideally incredibly lifelike, version is produced. The actual mannequins used in-store will be cast using this last mold.
Fiberglass mannequins are lightweight and incredibly realistic, but they may not be as durable as other materials.
Mannequins made of plastic
The most common type of mannequins found in typical high street stores are made of plastic and come in a wide range of styles. They are manufactured similarly to fiberglass ones, with the shop mannequins being cast from a mold that is created. Compared to their fiberglass cousins, plastic mannequins are typically more resilient but less lifelike.
Sustainable mannequins
Mannequins constructed of biodegradable materials that won’t contaminate our soil for future generations are becoming more and more popular.
