Even Monsters Aren't Safe from Copycats

Labubu fever is everywhere, but with that popularity comes an influx of fakes. The quirky monster doll Labubu, popularised by the Chinese toy brand Pop Mart, is now at the centre of a growing counterfeit crisis.

Labubu is a brand of collectible plush toy monster elves created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and marketed and sold exclusively by China-based retailer Pop Mart.

Labubu rose to fame through social media buzz and endorsements from celebrity fans. The toy gained widespread attention in 2024 after a member of the South Korean pop group Blackpink was spotted with a Labubu keychain on her bag. This sparked a trend that quickly led to the doll’s growing recognition in Thailand and other parts of Southeast and East Asia.

Pop Mart has fueled the Labubu craze with themed collections and limited drops, creating a sense of exclusivity.

By 2025, Labubu had released over 300 different Labubu figurines, ranging in size and price from $15 for a three-inch vinyl figure to $960 for a 31-inch ‘mega’ edition. In June, a four-foot-tall (1.2 metres) mint- green Labubu was sold for $170,000 at the first official Labubu auction in Beijing.