Labubus, collectible little monsters with pointed ears and “cute-scary” smiles, have become a recent global pop phenomenon. Created in 2015 by designer Kasing Lung and produced by Chinese brand Pop Mart, these toys emerged quietly but took off worldwide in 2024 thanks to a combination of skillful marketing and fan passion. Today, huge lines form to purchase Labubus from London to Bangkok, sales are skyrocketing across multiple continents, and the character is already being compared to icons such as Hello Kitty in terms of universal appeal. Below, we investigate where Labubus are most popular, why they became a global craze, and the market and cultural trends surrounding them, including the influence of celebrities, brand collaborations, social media, events, and even their impact on the resale market.
The origins of Labubu and Pop Mart
Labubu was born as part of the “The Monsters” series conceived by Kasing Lung (Hong Kong, 1972) – also known as Lung Ka Sing, inspired by Nordic folklore and magical creatures. Initially launched by a small Hong Kong manufacturer in 2015, the character came to life in vinyl and plush toys. In 2018, Pop Mart (a designer toy company founded in 2010 by Wang Ning) licensed Labubu and began producing it on a larger scale, betting on the potential of Lung’s “ugly-cute” and charismatic design. Pop Mart had already achieved local success with Kenny Wong’s Molly figures; by signing with Lung, it added Labubu to its portfolio and launched the Labubu “The Monsters” line in 2019, exclusively in its stores. In the early years, Labubu sales grew modestly. However, Pop Mart invested in annual toy art exhibitions and partnerships with artists to generate new figures and limited series, paving the way for a possible hit. In 2020, Pop Mart went public on the Hong Kong stock exchange, highlighting the strength of the designer toy market in China. Labubu finally surpassed Molly as Pop Mart’s most popular IP (intellectual property), contributing significantly to the company reaching a market value of over $40 billion in 2025. Today, Wang Ning (CEO of Pop Mart) has seen his fortune jump from $1.8 billion in 2024 to over $21 billion in 2025, thanks in large part to the “Labubu fever.”
Key Markets and Regional Trends
Although it originated in Asia, Labubu’s popularity today is truly global. Below, we compare the key markets/regions and their trends related to the Labubu phenomenon:
Region/Country Popularity & Trends Notable Highlights
China (origin) Enthusiastic base since 2017; cultural phenomenon among young people. Home market and largest source of fans. Labubu has surpassed Molly in sales. Hot resale market: rare ¥99 editions resell for >¥2,000. Chinese authorities crack down on smuggling after seizing batches of up to 318 units from passengers.
Southeast Asia Widespread craze in 2024; fashion item and amulet. Thailand: Labubu went so viral that some attribute financial luck to its image, generating amulets and themed tattoos. Philippines: Media reported a “Labubu mania” with local celebrities joining in. Singapore: The figure even appeared at political events and cultural festivals, dividing opinions and attracting young people to temples.
Japan & East Asia Growing interest; sales control. Japan: Enthusiasts have embraced Labubu to the point that stores have limited sales to one unit per customer due to high demand. Japanese collectors embrace the “ugly-cute” trend. South Korea: Indirect influence via K-pop (Lisa from Blackpink). Hong Kong/Taiwan: Toy fair fans already knew Labubu before the global craze.
Europe (United Kingdom) Recent craze with queues and stock shortages. Sales in Europe jumped +600% in the first quarter of 2025. London: The launch of the Labubu 3.0 series (April 2025) saw huge queues and fans camping out. In the UK, the rush for toys caused fights in stores, forcing Pop Mart to temporarily suspend sales in the country in May 2025. Some European countries are having public debates: in Russia, lawmakers even proposed banning Labubu because they found it “scary” for children.
North America (US) Explosive growth, driven by Gen Z trends. In the US, Labubu sales grew +900% in the first quarter of 2025. New York saw long lines at Pop Mart/pop-up stores for the launch of the 3.0 collection. The craze was noted in youth trend reports: back in 2024, the newsletter After School highlighted Labubu as a cool bag accessory, catching the attention of Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Today, Labubu tops searches on Amazon and AliExpress in the US, and unboxing and comparison videos (original vs. fake) proliferate on American TikTok.
Brazil & Latin America Emerging phenomenon via social media and e-commerce. Brazil: Labubu “became a social media craze” in 2025 and catapulted sales of collectible toys on AliExpress by +300% in 6 months. Even without official stores, demand is met by marketplaces (Shopee, AliExpress) and resellers (eBay, StockX). In recent months, Labubus were the number one item in searches/sales on AliExpress Latam. Magalu (a local marketplace) reported a 15-fold increase in Labubu sales in May compared to April. Brazilian influencers drove the trend with unboxing videos on social media. The popularity has attracted piracy: in shopping centers in São Paulo, counterfeits nicknamed “Lafufu” are already being sold for half the price of the original.
Caption: IP = intellectual property; Gen Z/Alpha = post-1995 generations; blind box = “surprise box.”
Factors Driving Global Interest
Collaborations with Famous Brands
Part of Labubu’s international appeal comes from exclusive collaborations that pair the doll with popular brands and franchises. In 2025, Pop Mart launched a Labubu × One Piece series, where the character wears costumes of characters from the anime One Piece (such as Tony Tony Chopper), including Mega Labubu editions measuring 35 cm and up to 70 cm tall. These cross-over releases attracted both designer toy collectors and anime fans, creating international hype and instant sales (the Mega Labubu 1000% pieces sold out with pre-sales limited to one per customer). Another notable partnership was Labubu × Coca-Cola: the Coca-Cola-themed collection became a hot item, with kits of 10 mini Labubus selling for R$ 708 (about US$140) in Brazil. In addition, Pop Mart has collaborative lines with pop culture icons (Disney, Sanrio, etc.) – although not necessarily involving Labubu, these partnerships increase the global visibility of the brand and, indirectly, its main mascot. The collaborations add exclusivity and collector’s value: limited or regional editions create urgency to buy and fuel the secondary market (fans around the world rush to get theirs before they run out). In short, collaborations with major brands and franchises have made Labubu ubiquitous in different niches of pop culture, from anime to soft drinks.
Influencers, Celebrities, and Pop Culture
Digital word of mouth and the endorsement of famous figures were key catalysts for the Labubu craze. Global celebrities spontaneously adopted the toy as a fashion accessory and item for social media posts, giving the little monster “cool” status. In 2024, Lalisa “Lisa” Manobal—member of the K-pop group BLACKPINK—began sporting her Labubus in photos and videos, even hanging them from luxury Louis Vuitton bags. This sparked a wave of imitation among millions of fans, especially in Asia. Around the same time, Thai princess Sirivannavari appeared in public with a Labubu attached to her Hermès bag, and Western icons such as Rihanna and David Beckham posted photos with Labubus on their social media accounts. Even the family of British soccer star David Beckham joined in on the fun as fans of the toy. These organic demonstrations—unpaid, but rather out of affinity—gave Labubu legitimacy and aspiration: it became an object of desire in the fashion world and among celebrities, compared by some to the Hello Kitty phenomenon in terms of cultural reach. In interviews, Lisa from BLACKPINK even declared herself “obsessed” with Pop Mart toys, illustrating their sincere engagement. This validation from influencers generated spontaneous media coverage and viral hashtags, expanding the audience beyond niche collectors and consolidating Labubu as a pop icon of this generation.
Exclusivity, Scarcity, and Collector Hype
Pop Mart’s strategy masterfully exploits the desire for exclusivity. Labubus are mainly sold in blind boxes—closed boxes where the buyer does not know which version of the doll will come. This surprise mechanism triggers the same excitement as a “raffle” in consumers, encouraging repeat purchases and exchanges between fans to complete collections. In addition, each Labubu series usually has super-rare “secret” or “hidden edition” figures, manufactured in limited quantities. For example, a “secret” edition sold for ¥99 (about US$70) reached a resale price of over ¥2,000 (~US$1,100) on the secondary market. Pop Mart also purposely limits releases—reducing new annual series and removing some from the line—to avoid saturation and keep the hype going. This planned scarcity creates a sense of urgency: fans line up at stores in the early hours of the morning or flood online pre-sales for fear of missing out. In April 2025, the launch of the Labubu 3.0 collection caused hours-long lines and sold-out stocks in London, New York, and Dubai on the day of its debut. In some markets, the situation got out of control—in the UK, there were shoving matches and fights over units, forcing the temporary suspension of sales to “ensure safety.” The practice of geo-limited releases (series sold only in certain countries or events) also increases covetousness among international collectors. Overall, the formula of scarcity has elevated Labubu from a simple toy to a sought-after collector’s item, fueling online trading communities and a thriving resale market, similar to what is seen with Supreme sneakers or Hermès Birkin bags in the fashion world. As one analyst points out, “the high price is the result of both hype and international fame” — a cycle where intentional rarity generates hype, which in turn justifies high prices.
Social Media, Fan Community, and Media
Without social media, Labubu would hardly have reached the corners of the world so quickly. Platforms such as TikTok and Instagram have been the stage for an explosion of related content: fans make unboxing videos showing the excitement of opening blind boxes, display their collections, and even compare the original Labubu with counterfeits in minute detail, teaching how to check seals and finishes. On TikTok, the toy art aesthetic gained popularity among Gen Z, with the hashtag #Labubu reaching millions of views (enthusiasts showing off the doll in creative settings or as an outfit accessory). On Instagram, Labubus appear in photos of fashionistas and influencers, often hanging from designer bags or decorative shelves, racking up likes. E-commerce platforms themselves promote the product on social media: AliExpress ran Labubu ads targeting Brazilian audiences on Instagram and Facebook during 2024/25, following the peak of interest.
The collector community also organizes itself online, Facebook groups, Discord/Reddit forums, and Twitter hashtags, where members exchange tips on where to find certain editions, trade duplicates, and share the joy of new acquisitions. This sense of global community reinforces engagement: “People easily find others with similar interests online to discuss and share photos, receiving many likes or even trading their toys,” explains a marketing researcher. Thus, each new post feeds the algorithm and attracts more curious people to the trend.
The international press has noticed the Labubu phenomenon, which in turn feeds back into its fame. Financial outlets highlight Pop Mart’s surprising performance, “stock soars 450% thanks to Labubu doll,” headlined Bloomberg. The New York Times and Vogue Business published articles explaining “how these little elves became a global sensation.” Even official bodies joined the conversation: China’s People’s Daily said that the Labubu fever is “unprecedented” and that the character already surpasses Hello Kitty in online search popularity in 2025. On the other hand, there was controversy in the media: authorities in Russia and Iraq raised concerns about the toy’s “demonic” appearance, claiming (without scientific basis) that it could scare children or be a bad influence, even proposing local bans. This news ended up giving Labubu even more visibility, showing that a cute little 10 cm monster managed to spark global cultural debates.
Recent Events and Exhibitions
Labubu’s rise was also reflected in events and fairs around the world. Pop Mart organizes annual large designer toy conventions called POP Toy Show, which bring together fans and artists. In 2024, the company took the event to cities such as Shanghai and Singapore, with stands dedicated to Labubu and exclusive launches for visitors. These shows often attract “insane crowds,” with lines to buy special editions and autograph sessions with designers. In Singapore (August 2024), for example, Pop Mart set up a month-long pop-up store in a shopping mall, selling exclusive Labubu merchandise and hosting workshops to engage new fans.
In the West, Pop Mart has expanded its physical presence with store openings and pop-ups. In early 2024, the company opened two stores in Los Angeles (USA), including a flagship store in Century City, celebrating with opening events and themed giveaways. In Europe, the brand held pop-ups in London and Paris to launch new series, the global launch of Labubu 3.0 in April 2025 was accompanied by synchronized events in these capitals, generating the aforementioned lines of costumed fans and local media coverage.
Labubus also made an appearance at pop culture fairs: at Tokyo Comic Con 2024, there was a Pop Mart booth displaying a giant Labubu; at Thailand Toy Expo 2025, the doll was one of the most sought after by visitors, reflecting its regional popularity. In addition to trade shows, there were themed exhibitions: art galleries and stores created special window displays dedicated to Labubu. In Beijing, a life-size Labubu (about 1.5 meters tall) was auctioned in 2025 as a piece of art, fetching an impressive US$150,000, a sign that the toy had transcended its mere status as a children’s item, becoming a cult object for wealthy collectors.
Another curious event occurred in the United Kingdom: after the confusion in British stores, Pop Mart announced that it would resume sales of Labubu in June 2025 with a system organizing queues and possibly tickets to avoid further turmoil. In other words, even the sales logistics became an “event” to be carefully managed, given the demand. In Brazil, although there are no official events, the craze manifests itself in informal gatherings of collectors and in the aforementioned rush to online marketplaces, especially during promotions (such as AliExpress’s “Mid-Year Festival” in June, which highlighted Labubu as a star product).
Secondary Market, Prices, and Shortages
With demand far outstripping supply, a heated global secondary market for Labubus has formed. Collections sold out in stores appear hours later on resale sites, often at a significant premium. In Hong Kong and mainland China, “everything Labubu disappears from the shelves,” and informal resellers charge multiples of the original price for rare figures. One report cited that a secret figure purchased for ¥99 can fetch more than ¥2,000 (US$180) on the collectors’ market. In the international market, platforms such as eBay, StockX, and Mercado Livre display Labubus at inflated prices; in Brazil, a basic Labubu that costs ~R$100 abroad is offered for R$300–R$500 at local resellers.
This price surge has led to questionable practices: there have been cases of “smurfs” (people sent to buy the maximum number of units allowed and resell them) and even smuggling. Chinese authorities, for example, have seized hundreds of Labubus brought in illegally from abroad by travelers trying to profit from the price difference. The logic behind this is that, in some countries, Labubu may cost less due to favorable exchange rates or local discounts, allowing for arbitrage: one passenger was caught bringing 94 dolls in his suitcase to resell in China at a high margin. Customs in China has stepped up enforcement, although experts point out that it is difficult to completely prevent the entry of some items for personal collection.
In Europe, there was an explicit shortage: in the United Kingdom, after the incidents, Pop Mart imposed limits of one Labubu per customer and halted sales to try to cool tempers. In Asian countries such as Japan, stores had already adopted this quantity restriction for the same reason. The deliberate shortage fuels the cycle of appreciation: items such as the golden Labubu (commemorative edition) are auctioned in closed groups for thousands of dollars.
In the US, where the resale culture is strong, some rare Labubus have become investment assets for “flippers”, people who buy with the intention of reselling quickly at a profit, similar to the phenomenon with sneakers and Pokémon cards. However, Pop Mart seeks to balance the situation so as not to alienate casual consumers.
In statements, Pop Mart acknowledged the “pressure” in the secondary market and signaled that it will gradually increase production of popular lines without compromising quality or rarity. Still, analysts say that supply control is part of the charm: “the price increase involves hype and international popularity”, factors that Pop Mart certainly watches closely. After all, the buzz in the resale market ends up attracting even more media attention and curiosity from new customers, feeding back into Labubu’s success.
Conclusion
In just a few years, Labubu has gone from an obscure character to a global collecting phenomenon, symbolizing the ability of made in China pop culture to conquer the world. Its success is due to a combination of charismatic design (its “mischievous but cute” appeal that appeals to all ages), narrative and community (fans connect emotionally and share online), commercial strategy (blind boxes, limited editions, and smart marketing), and a touch of viral luck (spontaneous endorsement by major influencers). In terms of reach, Labubu is already being talked about as a potential “next Hello Kitty”, even surpassing Sanrio’s kitten in online trend metrics.
Regionally, popularity varies: in China, it is a source of national pride and the subject of constant hype; in Southeast Asia, it has become a fashion item and even mystical; in the West, it has become a cult curiosity sought after by stylish young people and collectors. The economic impact is remarkable: Pop Mart tripled its profits and saw its shares rise nearly 600% in one year, demonstrating the power of designer toys. On the other hand, challenges exist, maintaining longevity of interest (Hello Kitty has built a 50-year legacy; Labubu is still in its early chapters). Pop Mart will need to innovate so that Labubu is not just a passing fad, but a lasting character with new stories, products, and perhaps media expansion (cartoons? games?).
For now, however, “Labubu mania” continues unabated: fueled by exciting collaborations, viral posts, and the contagious joy of collecting. It is a phenomenon that reflects modern consumers’ search for emotion, exclusivity, and community connection in their hobbies. In short, Labubu is not just a vinyl toy or stuffed animal, it is a symbol of how captivating design combined with strategy and luck can break down cultural barriers and conquer shelves (both physical and virtual) around the globe. As one expert noted, Pop Mart “is telling a Chinese success story without even mentioning China”, focusing on universal emotions and creativity. Only time will tell if this story will continue in the coming years with new chapters of success, but for now, the little sharp-toothed Labubu has bitten its way into the pantheon of global collectibles.
