The main ingredients in a typical PVC formulation are PVC resin, plasticizer, heat stabilizer, lubricant and pigment. About 60% of a PVC formulation is resin, which is usually a fine white powder, like flour. The remaining 40% consists almost entirely of plasticizer, which is usually a clear, viscous liquid. 1-2% of the formulation is heat stabilizer, .15 to .6 % is lubricant, and pigment comprises an even smaller percentage. There are other minor ingredients that may also be used, but these are the main ones.

These ingredients are mixed together and the solid particles of resin become coated with liquid plasticizer. This mixture is injected into a molding machine and heated which caused it to solidify. Heat stabilizer is added to protect the PVC from heat degradation during the molding cycle. The lubricant is added to foster the easy release of the finished PVC from the molding machine. Pigment is added for color - titanium dioxide is most commonly used for white, the color Smurfs are usually molded in.

PVC is a popular material used in manufacturing a very wide variety of toys and other items including windows and fencing, medical supplies and household items of all kinds. It easy to work with, can exhibit a wide range of physical properties depending on how it is formulated, and it's cost can be adjusted by substituting lower or higher quality ingredients in the formulation. Manufacturers have many options to choose from when formulating PVC; there are many hundreds of grades of PVC resin to choose from, at least 800 plasticizers, multiple heat stabilizers, etc. Some formulations are very high quality and will produce PVC that is very heat/light stable, impervious to microbial attack, etc. and these formulations will be more expensive. Other, cheaper formulations will be more susceptible to degradation over time. These formulations are more likely to be used in items that are disposable or otherwise expected to have a short useful life. When the formulation is for a toy, top quality and longevity are not primary concerns - formulary changes that would produce a higher quality, more stable PVC would also raise manufacturing costs. This is unpractical for a toy expected to be played with for a few years at most, and so a formulation is made that strikes a balance between quality and cost. As a result, the PVC used in many collectible toys can degrade over time.

Smurfs are a prime example of a collectible PVC toy. Although Smurfs are made and marketed as a toy, they are the most highly collected of all PVC figurines, and some pieces command prices of $1,000 or more. It is not unusual for collectors to have valuable pieces that are five, ten, or twenty years old and getting older. Because the toys were never intended to be around that long, collectors may begin to see problems in their Smurfs such as brittle and cracking PVC, yellowing, and staining. These problems arise as a result of the formulation of the PVC used, and also because of the special nature of PVC and its components. Proper care and preservation of Smurfs should be a priority for anyone interested in preserving their value as a collectible!