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Labubu dolls: Navigating the world of collectibles and counterfeits

Various Labubu soft toys from Pop Mart. Labubu dolls are a creation of Dutch-Hong Kong designer Kasing Lung and wildly popular among youth and children. Image: Rob Engelaar / ANP MAG / ANP via AFP Labubu toys, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and sold by Chinese toymaker Pop Mart, have become a viral and profitable sensation around the world. Labubu dolls have taken over the globe, with many people wanting to get their hands on the squishy plush toy. The demand has opened a door for counterfeit products to flood the market. In May, retailer Pop Mart suspended in-store sales of Labubu toys amid rising concerns over public safety and staff threats, following reports of global thefts and queue violence tied to the sought-after collectibles. A woman holds a Labubu plush figure at the opening of Germany's first Labubu store in the Alexa shopping center. Image: Jens Kalaene/dpa Picture-Alliance via AFP Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Many of the fake Labubu's flooding the market have been deemed unsafe, according to Britain's Chartered Trading Standards Institute. 'Counterfeit Labubu dolls are poorly made and unsafe. Many contain small, detachable parts such as eyes, hands, and feet, which present a serious choking hazard to young children. Loose stitching and exposed stuffing further increase the risk of suffocation,' read the notice. 'Without proper safety checks, they may also contain toxic substances such as lead, harmful dyes, or banned plasticisers.' In just one month, over 2,000 Labubu's were confiscated from 13 retailers in North Tyneside, with further seizures in Greater Manchester, Humberside, North Somerset, and Scotland. Problems of counterfeiting and intellectual property (IP) infringement have become increasingly prominent as Chinese cultural and creative products gain growing influence in the world market. Image: Li He / XINHUA / Xinhua via AFP Jerry Burnie, Head of Toy Safety at British Toy and Hobby Association (BTHA), said: 'Counterfeit toys are a significant risk as they are unlikely to meet the strict toy safety standards required of the legitimate toy maker. 'When shopping for branded items, we would always recommend researching the toy brand and try to buy from the company directly or through a reputable retailer who you can easily return the product. 'If you are buying online, particularly through an online marketplace, then include the name of the toy company in the search and compare the listing against the toy company's own website.' Here is how you can tell if a Labubu is fake: Genuine Pop Mart Labubu dolls feature a holographic sticker, a scannable QR code linking to the official Pop Mart website, and (on newer editions) a UV stamp on one foot. Overly vibrant colours, poor stitching, or the wrong number of teeth (authentic Labubus have nine) are signs of a fake. IOL Lifestyle