Labubu’s rise was a chain of events, not a single viral moment: artist Kasing Lung introduced the character in 2015, Pop Mart turned it into a collectible in partnership with him, and a plush keychain launched in 2023 gave fans a way to carry and show it. Celebrity posts, blind-box unboxings and collector communities then helped spread Labubu across social media. Reporting identifies these as contributing factors, not a proven single cause.
Where Labubu came from
Labubu began as a character in Hong Kong artist and illustrator Kasing Lung’s illustrated books. The books, introduced in 2015, drew on Nordic mythology and featured the pointy-eared, toothy creature as part of Lung’s wider Monsters world. It was a story character before it became a bag accessory or a highly visible collectible. The Associated Press traces that early history, while WIRED follows the character’s shift from illustration to toys.
In 2019, Pop Mart partnered with Lung to produce toys based on The Monsters intellectual property. The agreement helped bring Labubu to collectors in physical form; it did not create the character. Lung told WIRED: “I chose Pop Mart because we shared many of the same creative values, which is quite rare.”
Why the 2023 keychain changed the picture
The important product shift came in 2023, when Pop Mart introduced plush keychains with vinyl faces and limbs. Earlier figures could be displayed on a shelf; a plush keychain could also hang from a handbag, backpack or belt. That made Labubu both a collectible and a visible accessory, easy to incorporate into an outfit and photograph in everyday settings. AP and WIRED describe the keychain format as central to the character’s broader appeal.
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- POP MART THE MONSTERS Big into Energy Series-Vinyl Face Plush Blind Box: The blind box contains a random figure from a specific series. Each blind box only contains one figure. No one, including us, knows what's inside. This collection contains 6 blind box figures, one of them might be the secret edition.
- Random Design: Blind boxes are fully random and we cannot accept requests for specific items. There chances of getting the secret edition are usually 1/72. When purchasing the whole set, there will be no duplicates figures.
- Ideal Gift Choice: These figures are the perfect gift for any occasion, be it Children's Day, Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or New Years. A piece of art expressing deep feelings and complicated emotions, it's also a wonderful home decor gift for your family or friends.
- Materials and Safety: Standing 6.69 inches in height, each figure is crafted from premium materials including durable PVC plastic, ABS, and paper. Finished with non-toxic, odorless paint, our toys meet rigorous safety standards to ensure a safety for customers.
- Customer Services: If you receive a damaged item or encounter quality issues, please refer to the contact information on the product detail page, or scan the QR code on the store's homepage under the 'Help' section. We are committed to ensuring a satisfying customer experience.
Pop Mart’s head of IP licensing in the Americas, Emily Brough, described the shift to AP this way: “The character has evolved into a collectible and style symbol, resonating with fans who connect with its quirky aesthetic and unique backstory.” The charm’s appeal was not limited to its function: its odd, mischievous look stood out, while its backstory gave collectors something to identify with and discuss.
How celebrity attention and social media amplified Labubu
In April 2024, BLACKPINK’s Lisa posted Labubu merchandise on Instagram; AP also reports posts on TikTok. Her visibility gave the character a prominent pop-culture moment. Rihanna, Kim Kardashian and other public figures were also seen with the toys, extending their visibility as fashion objects. But celebrity attention is one part of the timeline, not a complete explanation for the trend: product design, unboxing content and fan activity were also at work.
The plush keychain suited social platforms because it could be shown in use. Fans could post a charm on a bag, share a collection or film a reveal. As more people saw Labubu in those contexts, it became recognizable beyond dedicated toy-collecting circles. CNA’s reporting on the trend includes academics’ interpretations of adult collecting, social identity and the appeal of sharing collectibles online.
Rank #2
- POP MART THE MONSTERS Let's Checkmate Series-Vinyl Plush Hanging Card: MORE TO LIGHT UP PASSION AND BRING JOY.
- Cute Size Toys: The height of each figure is 6.69 inches.
- Perfect Gifts for Girls or Boys: A collectible toy gift. Good for home decor, party favors, desk accessories, or inside cars. A piece-of-art expressing feelings and emotions. Great for sharing with family and friends.
- Non-toxic Material: harmless, and odorless PVC/ABS/NYLON/HARDWARE material. Lively and precise coloring. Smooth and high-quality surfacing.
- Customer Services: If you receive a damaged item or encounter quality issues, please refer to the contact information on the product detail page, or scan the QR code on the store's homepage under the 'Help' section. We are committed to ensuring a satisfying customer experience.
Why blind boxes make good online content
Many Labubu collectibles are sold in blind boxes: the packaging conceals which figure or design is inside. A purchase therefore comes with a reveal, creating a simple video structure—show the sealed box, open it, then react to the result. CNA’s interviewed marketing academics describe that sequence as particularly suited to short-form video and social sharing.
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The format can also encourage repeat purchases. A collector seeking a particular character or trying to complete a set may buy again without knowing which version the next box contains. That is a possible incentive built into the format, not a description of every buyer’s behavior, and the reporting does not establish that blind boxes cause addiction. Unboxing videos, rare pulls and collector discussions give fans a shared vocabulary and keep each reveal connected to a larger community.
Why adults collect and display Labubu
Labubu fits a broader interest in “kidulting”—adults buying products traditionally associated with childhood—and in using possessions to signal taste or belonging. CNA’s expert interviews connect the trend to social identity as well as the pleasure of collecting. A charm on a bag is both a toy and a visible personal choice; a collection can also become a subject for conversation and online exchange.
Rank #3
- POP MARTTHE MONSTERS ROCK THE UNIVERSE Vinyl Plush Doll: MORE TO LIGHT UP PASSION AND BRING JOY.
- Cute Size Toys: The height of each figure is 14.57 inches (37 cm).
- Perfect Gifts for Girls or Boys: A collectible toy gift. Good for home decor, party favors, desk accessories, or inside cars. A piece-of-art expressing feelings and emotions. Great for sharing with family and friends.
- Non-toxic Material: harmless, and odorless PVC/ABS/NYLON/HARDWARE material. Lively and precise coloring. Smooth and high-quality surfacing.
- Customer Services: If you receive a damaged item or encounter quality issues, please refer to the contact information on the product detail page, or scan the QR code on the store's homepage under the 'Help' section. We are committed to ensuring a satisfying customer experience.
The adult-toy market figures reported by AP provide context, not a measure of Labubu’s own sales. Circana data cited by AP says U.S. consumers aged 18 and older drove more than US$800 million in year-over-year growth in the toy market in 2024. In the first quarter of 2025, adults accounted for US$1.8 billion in U.S. toy spending, 12% more than in the same quarter a year earlier. Neither figure isolates Labubu.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the sales figures do—and do not—show
Pop Mart’s growth makes the collectible’s commercial context clear, but company-wide results should not be mistaken for Labubu-only sales. AP reported that Pop Mart recorded RMB 13.04 billion (about US$1.81 billion) in revenue in 2024, more than double the previous year. The same report said the company’s plush-toy revenue grew by more than 1,200% in 2024 and represented nearly 22% of overall revenue. That category includes plush toys beyond Labubu.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFor the six months ended June 30, 2025, Pop Mart reported unaudited consolidated revenue of RMB 13.876 billion, up 204.4% year over year. In the same period, overseas segment revenue was RMB 5.593 billion, compared with RMB 1.037 billion in the comparable 2024 period. Pop Mart defines overseas operations as countries and regions outside mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. These are company figures, not Labubu-specific totals. Pop Mart’s company website publishes its corporate announcements.
Rank #4
- POP MART THE MONSTER PIN FOR LOVE SERIES - Vinyl Plush Pendant blind box (A-M): The blind box contains a random figure from a specific series. Each blind box only contains one figure. No one, including us, knows what's inside. This collection contains 14 blind box figures, one of them might be the secret edition.
- Random Design: Blind boxes are fully random and we cannot accept requests for specific items. There chances of getting the secret edition are usually 1/168. When purchasing the whole set, there will be no duplicates figures. However, if you order multiple single boxes, there is possibility to get duplicates.
- Ideal Gift Choice: These figures are the perfect gift for any occasion, Christmas, Halloween, Thanksgiving, or New Years. A piece of art expressing deep feelings and complicated emotions, it's also a wonderful home decor gift for your family or friends.
- Materials and Safety: Standing 4.13 inches in height, each figure is crafted from premium materials including durable PVC plastic, ABS, and paper. Finished with non-toxic, odorless paint, our toys meet rigorous safety standards to ensure a safety for customers.
- Customer Services: If you receive a damaged item or encounter quality issues, please refer to the contact information on the product detail page, or scan the QR code on the store's home page under the 'Help' section. We are committed to ensuring a satisfying customer experience.
Other Labubu-related estimates measure different things. WIRED reported about US$425 million in revenue for The Monsters franchise in 2024 and about US$670 million in Labubu sales during the first six months of 2025. The latter is a reported estimate; Pop Mart’s cited interim results disclose overall and segment revenue rather than a separate Labubu figure. Those estimates should not be combined with Pop Mart’s company totals or plush-category revenue as if they were the same measure.
Scarcity, sellouts and resale
Reports in 2025 described short supply, sellouts, queues and resale markups as demand grew. WIRED also reported that Pop Mart expanded plush production and offered presales. The company’s reported explanation was that buyers mistook supply constraints for scarcity marketing; the available reporting does not establish that Pop Mart deliberately engineered scarcity.
Resale prices and availability depend on the release, seller and date. For example, Vogue reported in April 2025 that Labubu was the top collectibles release on StockX at that time, with an average resale price of US$208 against a US$168 retail price for the release it cited. That is a dated snapshot, not a current price guide or a figure that applies to every Labubu.
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The short version of Labubu’s rise
Labubu moved from an illustrated character to a Pop Mart collectible, then gained a particularly shareable form in the 2023 plush keychain. Lisa’s posts in April 2024 and other celebrity sightings helped broaden its visibility, while blind-box reveals and fan-made content gave people repeatable ways to engage with it online. Collecting, fashion and community reinforced one another. The evidence supports that combined explanation—not the idea that one celebrity, one product or one company tactic alone made Labubu a phenomenon.
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