Toy of the Year

The highly coveted Toy of the Year award celebrates all aspects of toy design and production. Manufacturing quality, design, popularity and packaging are all taken into consideration.

This is a DTA board voted award.

Artist of the Year

This award will be presented to the artist that has captured the hearts of his or her fan base over the past year. The award is open to any artist who has taken part in the Designer Toy community during the eligibility period.

This is a public voted award.

Brand of the Year

The Brand of the Year award celebrates the one designer toy company whose product releases during the eligibility period has been outstanding. Quality of product, quality of releases, events and promotion are just some of the aspect that are considered with this award.

This is a DTA board voted award.

Outstanding Production

This award celebrates the achievement of one particular toy product released during the eligibility period, whose manufacturing value shows a meticulous attention to detail. This award takes into account the overall product quality, including the sculpt, material choices, paint applications and packaging design.

This is a DTA board voted award.

Break through Artist

This award celebrates the new kid on the block, or the hard-working underdog, who has risen from the ground up during the eligibility period. Their struggle and dedication will be honored in this category. Criteria for this award include an increased fan base and visibility, outstanding product releases throughout the past year.

This is a DTA board voted award.

Lifetime achievement

This award will be presented to the individual who has shown long-term dedication, inspiration and effort to the Designer Toy industry. There are a lot of unsung heroes out there, and its our hope, that this award will go some way in making sure these people get the recognition they deserve.

This award is not open for public entries; a short list will be created by the DTA, voted on by the DTA Board and awarded as a special

Best Blog

With so many great toy blog sites out there, this award singles out the website that has done an outstanding job bringing intelligent and informed reporting to the Designer Toy niche. As organizer of the awards, Clutter has recused itself from this category.

Podcasts, video blogs, and other news outlets will be considered for this category.

This is a Community Choice-voted award.

Fan Favorite

Chosen by the community, the Fan Favorite award celebrates the toy that most captured the public's attention and imagination during the eligibility period. This one is up to the fans!

This is a Community Choice-voted award.

Best Customizer

This award celebrates outstanding achievement within the thriving base of active customizers, artists that re-purpose existing products and transform them into individually expressive design objects. Concept, execution, materials, paint applications and overall attention to detail are considered in this category.

This is a DTA board voted award.

Best Online Toy Store

This award celebrates outstanding achievement by an online retailer that specializes in Designer Toys. Criteria includes range or selection of products, presentation, ease of use and customer service.

This is a Community Choice-voted award.

Best Toy Store

This award acknowledges a brick-and-mortar store in the Designer Toy niche for its outstanding activity in the past year. Knowledgeable staff, range or selection of products and presentation are taken into consideration in the judging process.

TThis is a Community Choice-voted award

Best Mini Series

Whether a platform toy release or an originally sculpted series, this category acknowledges excellence in 2 to 5 inch mini figures. Judging gives consideration to manufacturing process, design, packaging and innovative use of the size limitations.

This is a DTA board-voted award.

Best Self Produced

Not every artist waits for a manufacturing company to come along and pick up their designs. Some hit the ground running and self produce their own figures. All media will be considered (wood, paper, vinyl, resin, etc), as long as the product is fully fabricated by the artist.

This is a DTA board-voted award.

Best Collaboration

The award acknowledges an excellent and innovative collaboration: between artists, between a brand and an artist, between an artist and a gallery, etc.

This is a DTA board-voted award.

Best Collection

The Best Collection award celebrates the toy collector who has the sickest, dopiest, varied and most insane collection.

This is a Community Choice-voted award.

Best Licensed Product

This category celebrates an outstanding product release that is derived from an officially licensed entertainment property - film, television, etc. - and that incorporates elements of Designer Toy culture.

This is a DTA board voted award.

Best Toy from a Comic

Comics are often a primary source for amazing toy design. This category celebrates a product released within the eligibility period that incorporates elements of Designer Toy culture - style, sense of artful interpretation, limited edition run, etc.

This is a Community Choice-voted award.

Best Plush Design

Snuggly and cute or devilishly devious, this category awards the most innovative plush product from the Designer Toy market. Product design, materials, durability and execution will be considered in the judging process.

This is a DTA board-voted award.

Best 1/6th Scale

1/6 scale toys, aka 12 inch figures, are a style all their own in the toy world, usually featuring lifelike attention to detail, custom tailored apparel, impeccable accessories and a wide range of pose ability. This category acknowledges excellence in a Designer Toy released in the past year that uses the 12-inch - 1/6 scale format.

This is a DTA board-voted award.

Best DIY Platform

Platform toys are one of the industries greatest additions, allowing artists from every walk of life to use the form as a canvas. This category celebrates a DIY platform toy actively sold during the eligibility period and that has become an important platform for customizing.

This is a Community Choice-voted award.