At three weeks old, a baby’s fingers are still curled into a fist so tight you have to peel them open to clean between them. Those deep creases at the wrist, the toes that fan out when you stroke the sole: by three months, most of it has softened away. A hand and foot cast freezes that shape in three dimensions, and that’s the reason so many Singapore parents book one in the first weeks, often as a full-month gift from grandparents.
Below are the studios doing it in Singapore, what they charge, and how to make the session go smoothly with a baby who has opinions about being held still. It’s one more item on a first-month list that probably already includes registering your baby’s birth and working out where to get free diaper samples.
Expect to pay from about $180 for a single cast and $250 to $600 for a framed pair or family set, and book it before your baby is three months old if you want the tight newborn curl.
Most studios come to your home. A well-fed, sleepy baby makes the best model, and the moulding material sets in under a minute per hand.
How casting works
The artist presses your baby’s hand or foot into a soft, skin-safe moulding compound, usually alginate, the same seaweed-based material dentists use. It sets in about 30 to 60 seconds, well within a sleeping baby’s patience. The mould is then filled with casting stone or resin, cured, cleaned up by hand and finished in a colour of your choice, typically white, silver, bronze or gold. The finished cast is mounted in a frame, often beside a photograph and a name plate. Turnaround is usually two to four weeks.
Alginate is non-toxic and washes off with water. Reputable studios use fresh material for every baby and never use hot-setting compounds on skin.
Baby casting studios in Singapore
Prices below are the latest each studio has published or quoted. Casting is a craft business and packages change, so confirm the current price and what the frame includes before you book.
Best Imprezzione
The longest-running name in the business. Established in 1992, Best Imprezzione describes itself as the first sole designer and producer of hand and foot imprint portraits in Singapore. Its showroom is at The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Road, #04-07, and it offers home appointments for the imprint itself. Published package prices include the Love Design with one handprint and one footprint at $257, an 8R square frame with two footprints at $244, and a four-cast design at $564. Instalment plans are available. WhatsApp 9848 2699 or call 6338 6181.
B&G Lifecasting
One of the best-known 3D life casting brands here, with a studio in Orchard and a catalogue that runs from single-baby casts to sibling, family and full statue casts. Its most-quoted starting price is $308 for a pair of hands or feet, painted silver or gold and mounted with custom text. If you don’t have a photo for the frame, the studio has arranged a complimentary shoot at its sister photo studio. Enquire through lifecasting.com.sg.
3DPortrait
A home-visit service using natural, baby-safe materials, with the pitch that the moulding happens on your sofa in a few minutes. Frames range from minimalist to ornate, and casts can be paired with your baby’s photo and engraving. Its published price for a pair of hands and feet has been $355 including frame and delivery. Contact info@3dportrait.sg.
Precious Casting
A home-based service across Singapore that has long been the budget-friendly option, with packages from about $180 and casts painted silver or gold, ready for collection or delivery in one to two weeks. It also casts children and adults, so parent-and-baby hand sets are possible.
Popcornz Life Casting Studio
A newer studio offering newborn life casting sessions. Worth a look if you’d like a studio setting and a more sculptural finish. Check its current packages directly.
DIY casting kits
Kits on Lazada and Shopee cost about $30 to $60 and come with alginate powder, casting stone and a small frame. They work, with two honest caveats: your first attempt on a wriggling baby will probably have a missing fingertip or an air bubble, and the finish won’t match a studio’s hand-cleaned cast. Buy two kits if you go this route, and treat the first as practice.
The best age to do it
Newborn to three months captures the curled fist and the creased wrists that parents love most. From four to six months the hand opens, which makes a cleaner open-palm cast and works well for a “family hands” set. After about a year, a foot cast is easier than a hand cast because toddlers grab the material.
Some studios do the moulding while the baby sleeps on your chest, a trick most parents wish they’d known before session one.
Making the session easy
- Feed first. A baby fed 20 minutes before the appointment is calm and often asleep. If feeding is still a battle in these early weeks, one of the lactation consultants in Singapore can help you settle into a rhythm you can plan a session around.
- Book a home visit if the studio offers one. No car seat, no waiting room.
- Trim nails the night before so the cast shows the fingertips cleanly.
- Skip lotion that morning. Oily skin makes the mould slide.
- Decide the finish in advance. Silver and bronze hide small imperfections better than white.
- Ask what happens if a cast fails. Good studios re-mould free of charge on the day.
What to check before paying a deposit
- What material touches the skin, and whether it’s fresh for each session
- Whether the price includes the frame, name plate and photo mounting, or only the cast
- Turnaround time, and whether they’ll show you the raw cast before finishing
- Whether siblings or parents can be added to the same frame later
- Recent photos of finished work, not catalogue images
Common questions
How much does baby hand and feet casting cost in Singapore?
From about $180 for a single cast with a basic frame, $250 to $360 for a pair of hands or feet in a framed display, and $500 or more for family sets and four-cast designs. DIY kits cost $30 to $60.
Is casting safe for a newborn?
Yes, when the studio uses alginate, a skin-safe, seaweed-based moulding compound that sets at room temperature in under a minute and washes off with water. Ask what material is used and whether it’s fresh for each baby.
What’s the best age for baby hand casting?
Newborn to three months for the tight curled fist. Four to six months for an open hand. Feet cast well at any age.
Do casting studios in Singapore do home visits?
Most do. Best Imprezzione, 3DPortrait and Precious Casting all offer home appointments, and B&G Lifecasting works from its Orchard studio.
How long does a cast take to be ready?
Usually two to four weeks, depending on the finish and framing. Precious Casting has quoted one to two weeks.
Can I cast my baby’s hand with mine?
Yes. Parent-and-baby and family hand sets are popular and offered by most of the studios above. The adult hand is moulded the same way.
Booking the session
The window is short, so get the appointment in the diary before your baby hits three months, ask for a home visit, and time it right after a feed. Budget $250 to $360 for a framed pair from a studio, or spend $40 on a kit if you can live with a slightly wonky thumb. Before you pay a deposit, pin down the material, what the price covers and what happens if the first mould doesn’t take. Ten years from now, nobody in your family will remember what it cost, only that those tiny fingers are on the wall.
More keepsake ideas
- The best family photographers in Singapore
- Newborn photography ideas you can do at home
- Breast milk jewellery: what to know before you order
Prices are as published or last quoted by each studio, and Best Imprezzione’s are from its own website. Confirm current packages before booking.