A common custom mascot material is sculpted or vacuum sealed foam. To find out if foam mascots are right for you, we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons based on the knowledge we’ve gathered from our 45 years of experience creating mascots.
“How much does a mascot cost?” is the most common question we get when people are starting their mascot journey. In general, we like to break custom mascot pricing into three distinct categories, (a) basic mascot costumes, (b) common mascot costumes, and (c) complex mascot costumes. In this blog we will break down each category, and what price bracket to expect to pay for each type.
A mascot is a creative way to advertise your brand, interact with your community, and have some fun. However, the process of purchasing a custom mascot can seem daunting, and having a wide range of mascot pricing only adds to the complexity of your mascot purchase. Generally, custom mascot prices range from $4,000 to upwards of $10,000 and beyond. Factors that contribute to the broad range of mascot prices include differing levels of customization, construction methods, and the price of materials.
| Type of Mascot Costume | Mascot Cost Price Range |
|---|---|
|
Basic Mascot Costumes |
$4,000 - $6,500 |
|
Common Mascot Costumes |
$6,500 - $10,000 |
|
Complex Mascot Costumes |
$10,000+ |
Before we begin, it would be a mistake for us not to address the mascots you can find in the $200 – $2,000 price bracket. Mascot costumes that fall in this category are usually mass produced overseas. These prices are certainly a tempting option, but please understand that you will likely be sacrificing:
Typically, basic mascot costumes are characters that are very popular or simple. As such, they are usually easier and faster to produce, allowing for a lower price. Examples of characters that are common and simple to produce are:
As you may notice, the mascot heads of the tigers and lions are very similar in nature but are still unique. This is because we have several pre-molded heads of this type in inventory, and we only have to make minor changes to them in order to fit the client’s needs. You may also notice a similar fur quality between mascots. Just like with the pre-molded heads, we keep standard fur and colors in our inventory at all times. Simply put, leveraging our stock and pre-existing molds will keep your costs down.
Customization: Basic mascot costumes are unique to your organization, but the more simple your mascot, the more affordable it will be. Specific color matching, specialized fur, and mascot accessories are extras that will add on to your price.
Materials & Construction: Let your mascot vendor know ahead of time what events your mascot will be attending, and what actions you expect the costume to do. This will allow your vendor to use the correct materials and stitching patterns to best meet your expectations.
Future Customizability: You can always return to your vendor later on to purchase accessories or get your mascot retailored. The purchasing of custom jerseys, shoes, hats, and cooling systems are some of the most common upgrades to a basic mascot costume.
Bulk Ordering: You may have noticed some very complex looking mascots in our above slideshow. In low number, these costumes would be more expensive. However, these brands ordered in bulk. Bulk mascot orders reduce your cost per mascot dramatically. Most mascot vendors should be able to cut costs and provide you a discount on bulk orders, as it allows them to stockpile material and develop a repetitive assembly process.
Purchasing a more basic mascot costume does not make it any less than one of the more expensive and customized mascots. In fact, one of the most famous mascots on social media is a very simple mascot costume. Brigham Young University’s Cosmo Cougar is a very simple mascot in its design, but check out what he can do!
Common mascot costumes are tailor-made and handcrafted from the head to toe. This category of mascot is by far the most popular and where our average mascot prices falls under. For a typical mascot costume, the cost will be between the price range of $6,500 – $10,000. In this category, the price comes from the level of detail and attention given to the costume. When purchasing a mascot in this price range, you should expect the following:
Simply put, you are paying for a more unique mascot costume. Attention to detail is the driving factor behind mascots in this price range. Take a look at some examples of this below:
These mascots are all unique in their colors, furs, and structure. None of these examples were based off of a previously made mold. The human costumes may all seem similar, but in reality each head and body is completely custom. Mascots in this category often have muscle suits, body pods, and accessories, which contributes to their cost.
Customization: One of the biggest advantages if you decide to purchase a common mascot costume, is the high level of customization. Expect to be able to customize your mascot’s head, feet, outfit, colors, and even add custom branding and logos to your mascot.
Materials and Construction: Your common mascot costume will often include custom and specialty furs and patterns.
Brand Consistency: A good mascot manufacturer will be able to match Pantone colors, branding, and add special patterns.
Functionality & Fit: Going with a common mascot ensures that you will have the perfect fit and best functionality possible. Whether your mascot is highly active, works in intense heat, or requires a taller than average performer, your mascot vendor will work with you to create the most ideal mascot for you.
Additional Accessories: Common mascot costumes usually have a variety of add-ons. These could include cooling systems built into the costume, additional clothing, and custom-printed t-shirts and baseball caps. For more details on what mascot accessories Olympus Mascots provides, check out our blog on mascot accessories.
Custom Props: Turn anything you are crazy enough to imagine, into a custom prop for your mascot.
Special Effects: Bluetooth® speakers, light shows, moving parts – these are all possibilities for a technologically advanced mascot, but come at a great cost.
Specialized Fabrics: Materials such as leather, Ultrasuede, spandex, custom-printed fabrics, and other specialty materials can turn your custom costume or mascot accessory into a work of art.
These mascot costumes are top of the line, and are extremely difficult to replicate. These mascots are sure to not only turn heads, but steal the show. Here are some examples that are on the edge of what’s possible:
One of the most difficult things to do with these mascots is balance the weight. Many of these costumes can end up very top or front heavy. In order to compensate for this, advanced harnessing within the costume is utilized. A great example of advanced harnessing can be found in many of the baseball racers we produce. These top heavy mascot costumes are expected to be able to run, a movement that involves lots of back and forth and side to side. A motion that can be extremely taxing on the mascot performer if not balanced correctly:
After looking at the broad custom mascot price range, you’re left with a lot to consider. Understand that mascots are an investment, but they are an investment in community engagement, brand marketing, and organization identity. Fill out the form below to get a better idea of what your mascot’s cost might look like. A quote is 100% free and there is no obligation whatsoever.
A common custom mascot material is sculpted or vacuum sealed foam. To find out if foam mascots are right for you, we’ve compiled a list of pros and cons based on the knowledge we’ve gathered from our 45 years of experience creating mascots.
Fundraising for a High School Mascot
School Mascots can make a huge difference in a school’s spirit and can create lifelong memories for students over the years. But purchasing a mascot can be scary, especially when looking at prices. That’s why you need to consider the price of a custom mascot, the reasons you should get one, and importantly, how you can fundraise for your very own custom mascot costume!
Mascot heads are the most difficult portion of a custom mascot costume to clean. However, it’s important to keep your mascot head clean and well-sanitized to ensure your mascot performer’s health and safety and your costume’s longevity. If you’ve been struggling with how to clean your mascot head, check out this mascot head cleaning guide!
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