Three Materials, Three Design Languages Custom souvenir projects often start with one question: which material should this product be made of? At TUOYUAN Crafts we develop made-to-order souvenirs in polyresin, soft PVC and metal, and the answer usually depends on the design, the retail function and the production budget of the project.

Soft PVC

Soft PVC products are molded from flexible material and work well with 2D or shallow-relief graphics: continuous outlines, zoned colors and raised rubber lines. They suit colorful, character-driven formats such as fridge magnets, keychains, coasters, bar mats, luggage tags and wristbands. The material feels soft and practical, and designs with clearly separated color areas are the easiest to produce reliably.

Polyresin

Polyresin is cast in molds and usually hand-painted. It supports sculpted volume, irregular textures and detailed three-dimensional forms such as figurines, miniatures, religious statues, snow globe bases and ornaments. Hand painting adds character – light brush strokes and reasonable variation are part of the finished look. Complex structures should be reviewed for part splitting, mold count and packaging drop requirements before quotation.

Metal (Zinc Alloy and Related Finishing)

Metal products – including zinc alloy die casting, stamping, polishing, plating and coloring – deliver defined outlines, metal finishes, openwork details and a premium feel. Common formats include badges, keychains, fridge magnets, bottle openers and commemorative coins. Pattern borders need enough metal line width, and small text and fine details should be checked for producibility at the actual product size.

Combining Materials in One Collection

Many coordinated collections combine materials: a zinc alloy magnet for premium detail, a soft PVC keychain for color and value, and a hand-painted polyresin figurine for sculpted display. Each material serves a different design goal while keeping one shared theme.

How to Choose

• Flat, colorful, character graphics at a practical price point – soft PVC;
• Sculpted volume, textures and hand-painted character – polyresin;
• Defined outlines, metal finish and premium detail – zinc alloy and metal finishing;
• Coordinated multi-product ranges – a combination of the above.