Experts issue urgent warning over Labubu trend
The sharp-toothed grinning toys have been inspired by the illustrated book series The Monsters, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, in which Labubus are a tribe of female elves.
The characters became the must-have item for thousands of young adults and teens after Lung partnered with the Chinese toy company POP MART in 2019, producing toys based on his creations.
But while the trend may seem harmless, it has raised eyebrows among mental health professionals - particularly as some fans admit to spending hundreds, even thousands, on the tiny toys.
From unboxing videos to elaborate displays, fans of the quirky creatures say they're a cute collectable item, but experts say there might be more going on under the surface.
Chartered clinical psychologist Tracy King, who has been tracking the rise of 'trinket culture' among younger generations claims it is a 'response to burnout and disconnection.'
King claimed the Labubu toy craze is not 'a shallow trend', but is actually a 'psychological response' to the unpredictable climate Gen Z are growing up in.
Speaking to Tyla, she explained: 'On the surface, they're fun and whimsical. But psychologically, they're deeply symbolic: these objects offer small, accessible moments of comfort, control, and identity in an unpredictable world.'
She claimed Gen Z don't have the same financial security as past generations with home ownership on the decline - leaving many young people feeling out of control. However, collectibles are 'something you can control'.
The psychologist went on to explain how, while previous generations were largely saving for mortgages and pensions, Gen Z are instead 'investing in now'.
Dr King said: 'They've watched global crises unravel with pandemics, recessions, the climate emergency—so the big life goals that guided previous generations often feel out of reach.
Dr King clarified that they are not collecting the toys 'out of immaturity' but instead is a 'form of emotional repair'.
She added: 'These soft, playful objects evoke feelings of safety, care, and nostalgia, things that might've been missing or cut short in early life. This is inner child work in action.'
Fellow psychologist and co-founder of US Therapy Rooms, Dr Daniel Glazer, agrees that the Labubu trend reflects deeper generational patterns.
He told the publication that Gen Z came of age during a time marked by economic instability and the pandemic, a period when traditional life milestones felt delayed or out of reach.
In response, many have turned to so-called 'micro-luxuries' like collectible toys, using small purchases to reclaim a sense of control and instant gratification in a world that often feels uncertain.
Limited edition versions of Labubu can fetch staggering prices on resale platforms, and online communities are flooded with users showing off entire shelves filled with dozens of the figures.
Meanwhile research psychologist Dr. Emma Palmer-Cooper warned Tyla that when collecting becomes obsessive, taking up too much space, money, or fostering unhealthy competition, it be harmful.
While collecting can support psychological needs, it may also become a form of avoidance, distracting from deeper emotional issues.
It comes after a one-of-a-kind Labubu doll sold for a staggering $150,000 (£112,000) at the Yongle International Auction in Beijing in June.
Most of the plush, furry dolls, which have big teeth and elf-like ears, are pocket-sized and cost around £39–£65.
The auction was the first to be dedicated to Labubu-brand products. Nearly 1,000 participants were bidding online or in person for at least one of 48 lots that were up for sale.
By the end of the auction, all of the Labubu collectibles were sold, racking in more than $500,000 (£372,000) in sales.
The auction house is now planning to hold more events dedicated to this toy brand due to the 'growing momentum of pop art in the auction market.'
These trendy dolls have taken the world by storm, and have featured as arm candy for A-listers like Rihanna, Dua Lipa, and Blackpink member Lisa.
Meanwhile brides in 2025 are updating the 'bouquet toss' ritual by throwing Labubu dolls at their single female friends in yet another sign of the growing obsession with these plush toys.
The long-held wedding ritual sees the bride throw her bouquet towards the women in attendance, with whoever catches it said to be the next to get married.
However, some newlyweds - presumably lucky enough to have a Labubu or two to spare - are ditching the flowers in favour of the viral bag charms that adult women can't seem to get enough of.
For instance, one Melbourne-based bride threw a Labubu keychain at her waiting friends at her wedding reception, as footage of the woman riling up the crowd before chucking the mystery box at them was shared online.
The video, posted on TikTok by one of the guests, showed them scrambling to get their hands on the toy while screaming in delight.
'Is it a 2025 wedding if there isn't a Labubu toss?' the caption read.
This isn't the only wedding that's featured a 'Labubu toss' in recent times; in fact, 3,235 miles away in Jakarta, another newlywed couple did the exact same.
In a video shared on TikTok, the pair can be seen throwing the tiny box into a sea of guests who all rushed to claim the Labubu doll.
The clip was posted by the bride's sister, who goes by the username @sellarmoonnn, as she revealed her 'boyfriend caught the Labubu toss' in the caption.
'Bouquet toss < Labubu toss,' she added.
Elsewhere, another bride seemingly decided to attach the lavender-coloured figurine to her wedding bouquet - before clarifying 'it's for the video'.
Krish Parathan, from Toronto, shared a video of a woman getting ready to tie the knot and captioned the clip: 'Your Labubu is the main character of your wedding bouquet.'
But the woman believed to be the bride later told people to 'calm down' while explaining that she did not walk down the aisle with the Labubu but simply posed with it for the video.
She wrote: 'Everyone calm down it's for video I didn't walk down the aisle with it.'
Not only have Labubus been thrown at guests and fastened onto bouquets, but guests have also offered the keyrings as a wedding gift to the bride and groom.
One such person, TikToker @babybalut, who attended a wedding in San Jose filmed herself running over to the happy couple with two mystery boxes as they each picked one.
'POV: You give Labubus as a wedding gift,' the caption read.
She was filmed running over to the happy couple with two mystery boxes as the bride and groom said which ones they wanted.
It comes after shocking footage of several men hurling punches at one another to secure Labubu dolls surfaced on social media.
The group had supposedly been trying to purchase some Labubu dolls at an outlet for Pop Mart, which makes the gremlin-like bag charms, in Stratford's Westfield shopping centre when the brawl ensued.
It is not the first time the Labubu plushies have sparked violence among fans of the furry fashion accessory, with one woman also telling the BBC she witnessed a fight between a worker and a shopper in the same store.
Pop Mart - a Chinese toy store for adults - has since announced it would be pulling all of its Labubu plushies from its 16 UK stores until June to 'prevent any potential safety issues'.
The company told the BBC this was 'not the kind of customer experience it aimed to offer' and promised the dolls would 'return to physical stores' next month as they work on a 'new release mechanism'.
But some devoted fans have reacted in fury to the company's decision to pull the toys, blaming them for causing 'hype' by only releasing a few dolls at a time.
Others have also complained of re-sellers making it increasingly difficult to purchase the dolls, which can be bought in-store or online for as little as £13.50, by selling them on second-hand sites for up to £600.
Ashley Bushey, 32, said she spent more than £1,000 on 13 Labubu toys and countless hours scrolling on TikTok Shop, Vinted and Facebook re-sale groups to expand her collection.
Miss Bushey, a Northamptonshire-based coffee shop supervisor, said she predominantly tunes in to Pop Mart's regular TikTok livestreams, which showcase the toys for fans to purchase.
'It's a battlefield. (Pop Mart) are live every day from 2pm to 7pm and I sneak out at work, like I'm always trying to score one on the (livestream),' she said.
She said she spends 'more time than I care to admit' finding Labubus, but added 'especially now, because they're so hard to get' after Pop Mart's decision to pause UK sales.
'I'm not even a big collector in the scheme of things. If you go into Facebook groups, I mean, some of them are insane,' she said.
Miss Bushey said she collects the '90s and early 2000s toys and started buying Labubus from Pop Mart's The Monsters series in December, describing them as 'so ugly that they were cute'.
All the Labubus in The Monsters collection are female, making male versions of the toys extremely rare.
The toy collector said she managed to find a rare male toy named Zimomo, which she bought for £200, but added that she had seen some limited edition Labubus listed at £600 on Vinted and eBay.
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