Highly realistic baby dolls have become a global phenomenon, with collectors shelling out for luxury baby gear and doting on ...

Daniela Baccan, co-owner of a reborn doll shop in Campinas, Sao Paulo, said dolls sell from 700 reais ($124) to nearly 10,000 reais (nearly $1,800).

The average cost of a reborn doll is $250, but silicone dolls, which feel the most lifelike, start at $1,000 and can go up to $4,000 or $5,000. One of Maria Trigg's reborn dolls. Coly Trigg/TikTok ...

To some, the dolls, known as reborn dolls, provide comfort, escape or just plain fun. But politicians across Brazil have tried to pass bills banning the dolls from public spaces.

Home Culture & Life under the radar Brazil's reborn dolls craze The 'hyper-realistic' babies soaring in popularity in South American nation have spawned controversy ...