Newsletter just came:
News on the Tie Pilot and AT-AT driver kinda blows...paid for them 6-8 months ago and gotta wait upwards of 9 more? Sheesh...Least the trooper is on schedule.
(photos won't make the cut/paste
When working with a licensor, we have to follow their established procedures for product approval. Some things, like studio approval of an item for overall detail, are a relatively simple process which is essentially comprised of sending a product sample for review and comparison to an item in the Archives. If Lucasfilm representatives say it’s good, then we move forward in production. If it requires some changes, we need to update the product and then resubmit until it is approved. With other things, like enhanced safety testing, the process gets a bit more complicated.
Disney’s review process for product safety holds licensees to a very high standard. Testing of materials is both intensely thorough and time-consuming, checking for things like flammability, choking hazards, sharp edges, etc. To make things more complicated, testing cannot commence until final materials are submitted, and we are still waiting for certain high-quality fabric from overseas sources to arrive. As we have only just started working with the
Star Wars license last year, plus with the various internal processes above and beyond our experience with previous licenses, we have been re-working and revising our own processes to accommodate these requirements. The good news is that once we make it through an initial run of any particular product, subsequent runs should be much faster (but for early buyers who have waited longer, you still retain the better pricing!).
Here’s a list of the
Star Wars items we have currently in the works, as well as some information about their production status:
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Han Solo (Bespin) Premier Line: Patterns are complete and samples with test fabric are being produced to obtain better quotes on production in the USA. Believe it or not, while this seemed to be a “simple” project because of our background in soft goods, this turned out to be a very complicated costume simply because of the type of fabric (wool) and the color of the fabric which has been just as much a point of conjecture with the fans as during the approval process. After countless of samples being rejected, we finally reached out to have the actual material milled from scratch and sourced from Canada. Pant material is pending safety testing. The Premier Line customers will be receiving an additional “standard” run Han Solo jacket (made from a polyester/cotton mix) as a “mea culpa” for this project taking so long. It’s the very least we can do for a project that has taken us so far out of our promised delivery timeline. Current estimated delivery: January-March 2016
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Han Solo Holster Rig: Production complete. Pending safety testing and packaging. We’ve also taken the liberty of updating the Droid Caller. The caller is now full metal construction and will be provided at no additional charge to those who purchased the rig. Again, it’s the very least we can do for a project that has taken so long to deliver. Current estimated delivery: November 2015
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Luke Skywalker (Bespin): In production. Safety testing required. Current estimated delivery: September-October 2015
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Darth Vader (Premier and Standard): In production. Helmet and mantle (shown above with test packaging) pre-production samples expected within a week, followed by chest box and belt boxes. Some good news on this front: The chest box will be injected plastic (see packaging sample above). By going with injection, not only did we reduce the weight of the box (to avoid sagging issues) but we also provided a convenient battery box compartment. Secondly, each box will come with a preloaded light sequence for either
The Empire Strikes Back or
Return of the Jedi. With a simple button push, you’ll be able to choose your distinct preference. Packaging is being finalized. Safety testing required. Current estimated delivery: November 2015
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Snowtrooper: Prototype for coat awaiting approval, but pants approved. Fabric being sourced from the UK. Production to begin in about one month. Sculpts for all hard armor completed and pending approval before shipping to manufacturing facility overseas. Current estimated delivery: January-March 2016
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TIE Fighter Pilot: Jumpsuit is patterned and awaiting fabric approval. Hard parts are being digitally remastered for improved quality. Current estimated delivery: April-June 2016
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AT-AT Driver: Jumpsuit is patterned and awaiting fabric approval. Hard parts are being digitally remastered for improved quality. Current estimated delivery: April-June 2016
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Imperial Officer (olive and black) Premier: Wool being custom made in Germany. Material approved and now moving into an approximate 4-week production cycle. Then safety testing required. Current estimated delivery: December 2015
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Imperial Officer (olive and black) Standard: Blend material being custom made in Taiwan. Then safety testing required. Current estimated delivery: December 2015-January 2016
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Stormtrooper (Original Trilogy): A separate update was sent to buyers, but this project is on schedule! Some arm and leg pieces were adjusted for a better fit (shown here with black test plastic), with consideration to maintain the artifacts and overall shape that is true to the originals. Additionally, we have brought on
Star Wars renowned technical artists Chris Reiff and Chris Trevas to create the comprehensive and easy-to-follow Stormtrooper Kit construction manual! Current estimated delivery: November-December 2015
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Imperial Fleet Officer: As this is a variant of the black officer, previous items apply. The belt boxes have not yet started production, but the helmet bucks are in route to overseas facilities for initial pre-production. Current estimated delivery: March 2016
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X-wing Pilot: Jumpsuit is being patterned this week. After pattern approval, sizing prototypes will be sent to China for production. Safety testing required. Current estimated delivery: February-March 2016
Thank you again for your patience and continued faith in our efforts to bring more quality
Star Wars costumes to fans around the world. Whether you wear your costume once a year or every weekend, our goal is to bring you the very best.
Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, please let us know via
support@anovos.com!
Team ANOVOS
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