Dear Lego,

[Aanchir]

I don't think being in Denmark plays a role in things considering the figures themselves were made in China. Some people are simply a bit more fussy about these things. They are likely noticing things about their figures that you simply haven't payed close attention to. As mentioned by several others; it's not like these figures are rubbish. They just aren't quite up to LEGO's normal standards. The plastic is slightly translucent at the edges and the finish is a bit softer when compared to your standard minifig. The differences are quite minor so many fans may not notice it but it is definitely there. If you don't notice the difference, don't let it bother you. I suspect LEGO is banking on the fact that most people won't be able to see any difference between these figures and the standard minifig. In a few years I figure all figures will be like these.

Or, as I suggested, some people might not have these problems, even if others do. Quality issues are often a variability issue rather than a universal one, with bad figs getting past quality control by some fluke. And bear in mind that quality control is usually done by testing a random sample, not by testing every fig individually (that would be exhaustive and prohibitively expensive), so perhaps the random selection hinted at a much smaller and less widespread problem then there actually was. I don't have the numbers on how many figs are lower quality than usual, but I'm confident that they're not all like that based on how many accounts I've heard of them having regular quality.

This isn't to say that all of the reports of low-quality figs are perfectly legitimate, as I'm certain at least some people are treating minor faults as major ones, just as others are perceiving those minor faults to be inconsequential. But we can't judge all the figs based on just a few accounts, and I've heard enough to indicate that there is a range of variability in these figs, with some being of questionable quality and others being of the same quality that we perceive as normal.

And in a few years, all figs will probably not be like those. LEGO certainly didn't intend to reduce the quality of these figs, and any differences in parts produced in China result from the Chinese facilities being newer and less thoroughly tested.

Alternatively, it's possible that LEGO is trying to develop a better plastic. A recent copy of the LEGO employee newsletter that I picked up during an unscheduled stop at the Enfield, Connecticut office's lobby indicated that yes, LEGO has changed their plastic formula many times in the past. It's only natural that some of those changes would end up with unexpected consequences, and since LEGO has consistently put recent changes to the test in the new Chinese factory (the removal of neck prints, the new version of the arm mold, and the introduction of parts with very many surfaces printed like the Toy Story figs), it's no wonder that people start attributing any changes, bad or good, to that facility.

Considering LEGO probably intends to take complete ownership of the Chinese facilities in the long run, and considering that I know of very few quality issues in LEGO that weren't resolved a few years down the line, the quality of figs coming from those facilities is bound to improve.

[CP5670]

There is one area where the factory is doing better than its regular counterparts - and that's in the printing.

Yes, I think the Chinese factory is said to be where they have their more advanced printing machines, so many parts requiring detailed prints come from there.

This isn't to say that all of the reports of low-quality figs are perfectly legitimate, as I'm certain at least some people are treating minor faults as major ones, just as others are perceiving those minor faults to be inconsequential.

What is a minor or major fault depends entirely on one's point of view. The original brick opacity problem 3 years ago was blindingly obvious to me, as stark as the difference between Lego and Megabloks, but I've met people who couldn't see the difference even after I showed it to them in person. There is probably a range of good and bad parts as you say, but the main point here is that some people simply notice things that others don't.

Considering LEGO probably intends to take complete ownership of the Chinese facilities in the long run, and considering that I know of very few quality issues in LEGO that weren't resolved a few years down the line, the quality of figs coming from those facilities is bound to improve.

This might have been possible in 2007, when the problems related to the use of clear ABS pellets first appeared, but I can't see it happening today. By now it is clear that very few people have taken notice of these issues. TLG has no incentive to spend money on improving the quality if people can't tell the difference.