Latest news with #plushies
Daily Mail
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE McDonald's Australia to launch Squishmallows in surprise new Happy Meal range - including an exclusive new character: 'This is huge'
Wildly popular collectible toy Squishmallows have just been announced as the latest toy addition in McDonald's Australia Happy Meals. The fast-food giant confirmed in an announcement today that their signature kid's meal is 'about to get even happier with the launch of Squishmallows Happy Meals'. In huge news for fans of the toy collectibles, one of the 14 mini plushie characters in the Macca's Happy Meals range will be a world-first exclusive. The new Squishmallows Squad character set to debut is Halley, the Intergalactic Axolotl. Among the new collection are also two characters that will only be available in Australia and New Zealand: Avery, the green and brown mallard duck and Theotto, the Cthulhu monster with dragon wings. Collectors will be hoping to get their hands on all 14 Macca's Happy Meals Squishmallows characters, with some of the classic characters included in the collection set to feature exclusive new expressions. A full list of the characters is below. Among the collection are perennial favourite characters Rossi, the purple cheetah with pink spots and Charles, the winking green pickle with a moustache. Squishmallows are a current trending toy adored by the young and young at heart for their loveable personalities, whimsical design and ultra-soft feel. McDonald's Australia Marketing Director of Menu and Brand Amanda Nakad said they were excited to have secured a collaboration with the 'squishable plushies [that] are all the rage right now'. 'This limited-time Happy Meal brings a taste of the viral toy sensation to Macca's, with the first McDonald's Squishmallows Squad,' Amanda said. 'Whether you're joining the hunt to collect them all or just looking for a dose of happiness, there's a Squishmallow for every kind of fan with this new Happy Meal.' Toy manufacturer Jazware said it was notable that the McDonald's Squishmallows Squad would feature 'character favourites with unique, never-before-seen happy expressions'. Jazwares Executive Vice President of Brand and Marketing Gerhard Runken added that it was particularly exciting to debut the 'newest Squishmallow Squad member Halley, making the search exciting as ever for fans worldwide'. Squishmallows Happy Meals will be available with a choice of 3 or 6-piece chicken mcnuggets, a hamburger, cheeseburger or grilled chicken snack wrap. They're also served with a side of small fries or apple slices and a small drink. Each of the Macca's Happy Meals Squishmallows will also come with a scannable code to unlock an exclusive digital game featuring the lovable characters. They will be available nationwide from Thursday 29 May via drive thru, kiosk, front counter and the MyMacca's app - but only for a limited time and while stock lasts. Popular and collectible Squishmallows have soared in popularity since 2020 and are revered for being ultra-soft and comforting. An array of different types and sizes of Squishmallows are displayed here in a toy store Popular and collectible Squishmallows were first launched in 2017 and since 2020 have become a collectible toy renowned for being super soft, adorable and cute. The Squishmallows "characters" range from fruits to animals and come in a variety of different sizes, shapes, and colours – each with their own name, expression and unique personality. Squishmallows are made from ultra-soft Spandex and polyester material to give them a "marshmallow-like" feeling. The initial burst of popularity of these toys coincided with the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, with Squishmallows praised for providing comfort, thanks to their soft sensorial properties. The toy is also credited by some people for helping them cope with stress and anxiety. Like Beanie Babies did decades earlier, Squishmallows attract an enthusiastic community of collectors, particularly since certain exclusive characters are available in limited numbers or sizes. One of the rarest Squishmallows is Jack the Black Cat, which only has 500 in circulation. Rare and in-demand Squishmallows attract higher prices and are often re-sold online. There are numerous social media videos of Squishmallows collectors showcasing their toy haul. Celebrities like Charli D'Amelio and Lady Gaga are also reportedly amongst those that collect limited edition Squishmallows.
The Sun
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Fuming Love Island star ‘gets in fight' with ‘selfish' customer in Labubu shop over viral handbag charms
SINISTER smiling faces with serrated teeth, Teletubby-esque fluffy costumes and large, menacing eyes. You'd be mistaken for thinking they were the monster in a kids scary, but Labubus are actually the new plush toy that's taken social media by storm. 8 8 Labubu is a brand of plushies designed by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung and loved by celebrities like Dua Lipa and Rihanna. The brand made its debut in 2015, but skyrocketed in global popularity after hitting Pop Mart shelves in 2019. Pop Mart is a Chinese toy retailer, known for its collectible designer models that are often sold in a blind box format, meaning you don't know what you've got until you've opened it. After mammoth success overseas, the Labubu craze has now made its way to the UK. The first three months of 2025 were wildly successful for the brand, with Brits searching high and low to nab one of the quirky figurines. Since opening stores in London and Manchester over the last 12 months, Labubu dolls have become cult collectibles among grown British women. Yes, that's right. It's not just kids who love these dolls, but adults too. Labubus come in an array of vibrant colours, unique shapes and various sizes, spanning from plush toys to striking vinyl figures. They come as little toys you can hook on your handbag, as well as mega-sized figures and quirky home decorations. Love Island's Olivia Attwood is a huge fan of the viral toys. Chilling moment yobs steal £20k worth of Jellycats in bizarre night-time raid And a fellow contestant from the ITV dating show has now revealed she ended up "in a fight" with a woman over the sought-after plushies this week. Mal Nicol had queued up at Pop Mart in London to bag a Labubu for her 11-year-old cousin's birthday. But the TV star, who has two of the toys herself, was left fuming when a fellow customer cleared the shelf. Relaying the incident on TikTok, Mal said: "Did I really just get in a fight with someone at Pop Mart? Yes, I did. Yes, I did. "This b****, she bought five, she bought five. It's actually ridiculous. "This woman was like 37, which is fine. But if you're reselling them, f*** off. 8 8 8 "Young girls waiting in this queue, she buys them all. Buys them all so none of us can get them." She adds: "The worst bit is that in the line she's talking to the other girls [in the queue]...we all agree to buy like two each and she goes to one machine buys out four and then goes the other one and I think she would have genuinely bought more if we hadn't all said. "It's just principle, like how can you be like that? I was like, you're so selfish. You're so selfish, imagine doing that. "I just think it's so crazy. And then some people in the queue were like 'you're f***ing sick, you're f***ing disgusting' and I'm like, I know. "At the end of the day it is literally a toy for your handbag or whatever. "But this woman's reselling them." Mal's video has since racked up 440,000 views, with people left divided over the incident. Many social media users have agreed that the woman's actions were unacceptable. One said: "My friend was in queue, she was going to get one for her and one for me and some greedy pigs took all of them so no one else could have a look in." A second sympathised: "I feel sorry for the people that didn't manage to get these. Luckily got all three last month. But I can't understand why people get in fights for them." A third fumed: "Shocking that Pop Mart would even let her buy 5. Like you said there is kids waiting in line for them." "Omg I was in the queue not far behind and it was sooooo annoying. I didn't manage to get one", chimed in a fourth. And a fifth added: "I understand people want to make a quick buck but some things you just need to draw a line at." 8 Others, meanwhile, have insisted that the woman was entitled to clear the shelf and have been left stunned by the frenzy the toys have sparked. "Fully grown adult fighting over a kids toy is unbelievable", one sighed. A second echoed: "Why are people fighting over these weird happy meal looking toys, I can't understand it." A third claimed: "No one owes you or anyone else anything. If they wanna buy 5, then they can buy 5. It's the whole point of buying things." A fourth wrote: "Saying 'reselling' so confidently! Did she say she was reselling them? Or are you just assuming. Do better and go earlier and stop complaining." Meanwhile, a sixth said: "If I wanted 6 I would get 6, bigger issues in the world love." Pop Mart UK have since revealed they have "paused in-store sales" of Labubus. In a statement on Instagram, they said: "Due to the increasing demand for our beloved Labubus, we've seen a significant rise in customer turnout on restock days — with long queues forming outside our stores and Roboshops. "To ensure the safety and comfort of everyone, we will temporarily pause all in-store and roboshop sales of THE MONSTERS plush toys until further notice. "Please stay tuned to our social media and Discord for updates on upcoming releases. "Online drops will continue as usual, so keep an eye out for our announcement posts to know when the next one is happening. "We're working hard behind the scenes to improve the shopping experience both in-store and online. Thank you for your continued support, patience, and understanding." Where to buy Labubu and how much do they cost? Labubu dolls are still sold on Amazon and the Pop Mart website. A single model can cost anywhere from £13.50 to £211, depending on the rarity of the design. A blind box of six from Pop Mart will set you back a cool £105. The Monsters collection, which contains various series, has been widely sought after by devoted fans of the brand. Some of the collection's limited editions cost a whopping £211 for a toy that's 58cm tall, including the Angel In The Clouds design which features a white, fluffy suit and silver wings. The Have a Seat Series, which was released under The Monsters collection, is particularly big among British collectors. The summer-themed dolls come in pastel hues and possess accessories like sandcastles, ukuleles and mini radios. 8 There's also the Coca-Cola Series, which are vinyl figurines, and the Fall in Wild Series, which contains Labubu dolls dressed in wilderness-inspired outfits. The Fall in Wild vinyl plush doll retails at £79.50, while a small Coca-Cola figurine can be nabbed for £13.50 at Pop Mart. For Scottish Labubu lovers, the dolls are harder to locate, with only a select few stores selling them. One of those stores is Forbidden Planet, which has branches in Edinburgh and Glasgow and received its first shipment last Thursday. Bubble tea shop Cafe Kawaii in the capital also stocks the popular collectibles. Labubus in this shop can go for up to £45 depending on the price from their supplier, shipping, taxes, and duties. Both stores have limited sales to one per customer.
CTV News
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
This gremlin-looking toy from China is proving to be tariff-proof
A Bottega Veneta bag with Labubu bag charms during Paris Fashion Week on March 8. The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older. (via CNN Newsource) NEW YORK — Naomi Lin's favorite high-end accessory is wildly popular, an acquired taste, and shockingly resilient in the face of a tariff onslaught. No, it's not Manolos or the latest offering from Prada — it's a gremlin-like plush. It's a Labubu, a palm-sized Nordic elf with bright eyes, sharp teeth and puckish grin. Lin, a medical student in Nebraska, owns dozens — and the one attached to her Chanel bag is dressed to the nines in a tweed outfit, matching headband and a mini 'Chanel' purse. And Lin isn't the only one captivated by Labubus' ugly charm. Labubus are cute in the sense that they're soft, miniature and come in a range of costumes you'd dress your baby in — a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, or a tiny pair of denim overalls. But they have glowering eyes and a jagged, sharp-toothed smile from ear to ear, an unblinking stare that would terrify anyone who caught its gaze in the middle of the night. The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older, often hanging on handbags, backpacks and belt loops. People are flocking to shopping malls and waiting hours to purchase Labubus and their fellow creatures, who first appeared in 'The Monsters' storybooks in 2015, in mystery 'blind boxes,' meaning the buyer doesn't know which one they're getting in a given collection. Labubu with its own mini "Chanel" purse A Labubu with its own mini "Chanel" purse hangs from medical student Naomi Lin's Chanel handbag. (Curtesy Naomi Lin via CNN Newsource) The plushies' distributor, China-based toy company Pop Mart, is enjoying meteoric growth both in the mainland and abroad in the U.S.: In 2024, Labubus generated 3 billion yuan (US$410 million) of Pop Mart's 13.04 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) in revenue. Labubus and other figurines distributed by the company have so far proven resistant to the tepid consumer sentiment in the U.S. and the chaotic trade war between Washington and Beijing — and that growth hasn't slowed. But it's not just the size of the company's sales, it's their growth rate that's more impressive. Pop Mart's revenue outside China skyrocketed 375.2 per cent to 5.07 billion yuan ($703 million) in 2024, and Citigroup research estimated Pop Mart's revenue in America grew between 895 per cent to 900 per cent last year. Offline, Pop Mart's brick-and-mortar stores from Los Angeles to Paris to Bangkok have infamously long lines, especially when new products are released. The growth is also fueled by a plethora of other figurines — there's Baby Molly, Crybaby, Dimoo, Pucky and at least 30 more on the company's U.S. website. If you're lucky enough to snag a Labubu, they can cost up to $85. Resellers on StockX are upcharging into the hundreds of dollars. And their fans are willing to splurge. Lin shelled out hundreds and spent hours on a TikTok Live to secure a Zimomo, a 22-inch creature with a spiked tail. 'It's in high demand, so it would be on par with a luxury item,' Lin said. Labubus Lin said she orders outfits for her Labubus from AliExpress, or her sister crochets them by hand. (Courtesy Naomi Lin via CNN Newsource) Where does the obsession come from? Lin is not the only member of her family who is Pop Mart-obsessed. Her father, who bought Lin and her sister their first Labubus while visiting Taiwan, has a Crybaby plush on his suitcase. The meteoric growth of Pop Mart speaks to a larger history of Americans being attached to cute things from Asia (remember Hello Kitty?), Anne Cheng, an English professor at Princeton University, told CNN. Despite the push toward U.S.-made products and the proliferation of anti-Asian sentiment during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growth trajectory for these toys just keeps going. Cheng said there's always been hypocrisy in the U.S., where Asian people have faced bigoted stereotypes, but when the products they make 'come in little boxable, consumable small bits, then they're accessible.' The little gremlins, baby and creature keychains also offer a glimpse into luxury that is more attainable for most consumers. Celebrities have played a big role in making them a status symbol. K-pop megastar Lisa told Vanity Fair she got into blind boxes in early 2024 and 'spent all my money' while jet-setting to different Pop Mart locations around the world. Oh, and Rihanna has a Labubu too. Some Labubu collections are certainly reminiscent of past crazes. But compared to luxurious collectibles, like say, designer bags or watches, toys that cost an average of $20 to $40 are not as expensive, and in uncertain times, people are looking for affordable indulgences. People are 'looking for a fix and looking for anything to bring them joy,' said Ali Domrongchai, a food editor in New York City who just received her first Labubu as a gift this past year. Blind boxes are nothing new. The idea of buying something without knowing precisely what the package contains has driven many a craze, from baseball cards to video games. And the toy collective fanatics echo the Beanie Baby mania of the '90s, or what it felt like checking which McDonald's Happy Meal you got. Consumers who spoke to CNN all compared the immediate joy of opening a blind box to the high of gambling. China was so concerned about addiction that in 2023, it introduced strict regulation banning the sale of mystery boxes to children under 8 years old and requiring guardian consent for children who are older. 'It plays into your desire for collecting things, then you keep buying them,' Cheng said. Are Labubus recession-proof? Pop Mart, like the majority of the toy industry, will almost certainly be impacted by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war with China. The U.S. and China reached a 90-day truce this month, when the U.S. lowered its 145 per cent tariffs on most Chinese imports to 30 per cent, and China reduced its 125 per cent retaliatory tariffs to 10 per cent. On its FAQ page, Pop Mart said that it will cover tariff-induced costs and that 'customers will not be required to pay any additional customs fees.' But its latest release in April, a tie-dyed line of pastel-colored Labubus, cost $27.99 – $6 more than the previous one. CNN has reached out to Pop Mart for more details on how it plans to cover those tariff fees. Citigroup said it expects the company to accelerate diversifying its supply chain and raise prices in the U.S. market, or prioritize expanding in other countries. In the meantime, Pop Mart's stock, listed in Hong Kong, has been outperforming Tencent and Alibaba since the year began. Where there's a trend, there's a dupe For those who can't get their hands on a real Labubu, there are knock-offs — often called lafufus or fauxbubus — but they'll often have lower-quality fur or a slightly misshapen smile. Fake Labubus Fake Labubus, also known as Lafufus. (Courtesy Naomi LIn via CNN Newsource) And blind boxes aren't exclusive to Pop Mart. Cute, kitschy items are a staple of East Asian culture, and Asian discount stores like Miniso and Daiso, which combined have hundreds of locations in the U.S., sell highly coveted blind box toys for under $5. And the bigger the market gets, the more likely it is that competitors will arise in China, the Citigroup analysts warned. And Lin's Labubu, for the record, is not decked out in real Chanel. The toy's outfit is from AliExpress, a source of cheap accessories for many Labubu fans. Domrongchai, the food editor in New York City, has been tuned into the hype: Her octogenarian great aunts have Labubus attached to their Louis Vuitton purses. And on a trip to visit family in Thailand last year, she visited 'almost every mall in Bangkok' with her younger cousin to scour for the famous plush. But it was nowhere to be found, and $40 dollars for a toy is 'an ungodly amount' for Thailand. Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there's always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side. When a CNN reporter, a self proclaimed Sanrio and Miffy fan, confessed she found the monsters more unsettling than cute, Domrongchai was quick to encourage her: 'They're not that scary. They're silly guys. Look, you need to spend some time with them.' Article by Ramishah Maruf.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
This gremlin-looking toy from China is proving to be tariff-proof
Naomi Lin's favorite high-end accessory is wildly popular, an acquired taste, and shockingly resilient in the face of a tariff onslaught. No, it's not Manolos or the latest offering from Prada — it's a gremlin-like plush. It's a Labubu, a palm-sized Nordic elf with bright eyes, sharp teeth and puckish grin. Lin, a medical student in Nebraska, owns dozens — and the one attached to her Chanel bag is dressed to the nines in a tweed outfit, matching headband and a mini 'Chanel' purse. And Lin isn't the only one captivated by Labubus' ugly charm. Labubus are cute in the sense that they're soft, miniature and come in a range of costumes you'd dress your baby in — a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, or a tiny pair of denim overalls. But they have glowering eyes and a jagged, sharp-toothed smile from ear to ear, an unblinking stare that would terrify anyone who caught its gaze in the middle of the night. The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older, often hanging on handbags, backpacks and belt loops. People are flocking to shopping malls and waiting hours to purchase Labubus and their fellow creatures, who first appeared in 'The Monsters' storybooks in 2015, in mystery 'blind boxes,' meaning the buyer doesn't know which one they're getting in a given collection. The plushies' distributor, China-based toy company Pop Mart, is enjoying meteoric growth both in the mainland and abroad in the US: In 2024, Labubus generated 3 billion yuan ($410 million) of Pop Mart's 13.04 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) in revenue. Labubus and other figurines distributed by the company have so far proven resistant to the tepid consumer sentiment in the US and the chaotic trade war between Washington and Beijing — and that growth hasn't slowed. But it's not just the size of the company's sales, it's their growth rate that's more impressive. Pop Mart's revenue outside China skyrocketed 375.2% to 5.07 billion yuan ($703 million) in 2024, and Citigroup research estimated Pop Mart's revenue in America grew between 895% to 900% last year. Offline, Pop Mart's brick-and-mortar stores from Los Angeles to Paris to Bangkok have infamously long lines, especially when new products are released. The growth is also fueled by a plethora of other figurines — there's Baby Molly, Crybaby, Dimoo, Pucky and at least 30 more on the company's US website. If you're lucky enough to snag a Labubu, they can cost up to $85. Resellers on StockX are upcharging into the hundreds of dollars. And their fans are willing to splurge. Lin shelled out hundreds and spent hours on a TikTok Live to secure a Zimomo, a 22-inch creature with a spiked tail. 'It's in high demand, so it would be on par with a luxury item,' Lin said. Lin is not the only member of her family who is Pop Mart-obsessed. Her father, who bought Lin and her sister their first Labubus while visiting Taiwan, has a Crybaby plush on his suitcase. The meteoric growth of Pop Mart speaks to a larger history of Americans being attached to cute things from Asia (remember Hello Kitty?), Anne Cheng, an English professor at Princeton University, told CNN. Despite the push toward US-made products and the proliferation of anti-Asian sentiment during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growth trajectory for these toys just keeps going. Cheng said there's always been hypocrisy in the US, where Asian people have faced bigoted stereotypes, but when the products they make 'come in little boxable, consumable small bits, then they're accessible.' The little gremlins, baby and creature keychains also offer a glimpse into luxury that is more attainable for most consumers. Celebrities have played a big role in making them a status symbol. K-pop megastar Lisa told Vanity Fair she got into blind boxes in early 2024 and 'spent all my money' while jet-setting to different Pop Mart locations around the world. Oh, and Rihanna has a Labubu too. Some Labubu collections are certainly reminiscent of past crazes. But compared to luxurious collectibles, like say, designer bags or watches, toys that cost an average of $20 to $40 are not as expensive, and in uncertain times, people are looking for affordable indulgences. People are 'looking for a fix and looking for anything to bring them joy,' said Ali Domrongchai, a food editor in New York City who just received her first Labubu as a gift this past year. Blind boxes are nothing new. The idea of buying something without knowing precisely what the package contains has driven many a craze, from baseball cards to video games. And the toy collective fanatics echo the Beanie Baby mania of the '90s, or what it felt like checking which McDonald's Happy Meal you got. Consumers who spoke to CNN all compared the immediate joy of opening a blind box to the high of gambling. China was so concerned about addiction that in 2023, it introduced strict regulation banning the sale of mystery boxes to children under 8 years old and requiring guardian consent for children who are older. 'It plays into your desire for collecting things, then you keep buying them,' Cheng said. Pop Mart, like the majority of the toy industry, will almost certainly be impacted by President Donald Trump's trade war with China. The US and China reached a 90-day truce this month, when the US lowered its 145% tariffs on most Chinese imports to 30%, and China reduced its 125% retaliatory tariffs to 10%. On its FAQ page, Pop Mart said that it will cover tariff-induced costs and that 'customers will not be required to pay any additional customs fees.' But its latest release in April, a tie-dyed line of pastel-colored Labubus, cost $27.99 – $6 more than the previous one. CNN has reached out to Pop Mart for more details on how it plans to cover those tariff fees. Citigroup said it expects the company to accelerate diversifying its supply chain and raise prices in the US market, or prioritize expanding in other countries. In the meantime, Pop Mart's stock, listed in Hong Kong, has been outperforming Tencent and Alibaba since the year began. For those who can't get their hands on a real Labubu, there are knock-offs — often called lafufus or fauxbubus — but they'll often have lower-quality fur or a slightly misshapen smile. And blind boxes aren't exclusive to Pop Mart. Cute, kitschy items are a staple of East Asian culture, and Asian discount stores like Miniso and Daiso, which combined have hundreds of locations in the US, sell highly coveted blind box toys for under $5. And the bigger the market gets, the more likely it is that competitors will arise in China, the Citigroup analysts warned. And Lin's Labubu, for the record, is not decked out in real Chanel. The toy's outfit is from AliExpress, a source of cheap accessories for many Labubu fans. Domrongchai, the food editor in New York City, has been tuned into the hype: Her octogenarian great aunts have Labubus attached to their Louis Vuitton purses. And on a trip to visit family in Thailand last year, she visited 'almost every mall in Bangkok' with her younger cousin to scour for the famous plush. But it was nowhere to be found, and $40 dollars for a toy is 'an ungodly amount' for Thailand. Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there's always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side. When a CNN reporter, a self proclaimed Sanrio and Miffy fan, confessed she found the monsters more unsettling than cute, Domrongchai was quick to encourage her: 'They're not that scary. They're silly guys. Look, you need to spend some time with them.' 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CNN
17-05-2025
- Business
- CNN
Labubu: The gremlin-looking doll from China is proving to be tariff-proof
Naomi Lin's favorite high-end accessory is wildly popular, an acquired taste, and shockingly resilient in the face of a tariff onslaught. No, it's not Manolos or the latest offering from Prada — it's a gremlin-like plush. It's a Labubu, a palm-sized Nordic elf with bright eyes, sharp teeth and puckish grin. Lin, a medical student in Nebraska, owns dozens — and the one attached to her Chanel bag is dressed to the nines in a tweed outfit, matching headband and a mini 'Chanel' purse. And Lin isn't the only one captivated by Labubus' ugly charm. Labubus are cute in the sense that they're soft, miniature and come in a range of costumes you'd dress your baby in — a jack-o-lantern for Halloween, or a tiny pair of denim overalls. But they have glowering eyes and a jagged, sharp-toothed smile from ear to ear, an unblinking stare that would terrify anyone who caught its gaze in the middle of the night. The impish yet cute plushies are a global sensation among Gen Z and even those older, often hanging on handbags, backpacks and belt loops. People are flocking to shopping malls and waiting hours to purchase Labubus and their fellow creatures, who first appeared in 'The Monsters' storybooks in 2015, in mystery 'blind boxes,' meaning the buyer doesn't know which one they're getting in a given collection. The plushies' distributor, China-based toy company Pop Mart, is enjoying meteoric growth both in the mainland and abroad in the US: In 2024, Labubus generated 3 billion yuan ($410 million) of Pop Mart's 13.04 billion yuan ($1.8 billion) in revenue. Labubus and other figurines distributed by the company have so far proven resistant to the tepid consumer sentiment in the US and the chaotic trade war between Washington and Beijing — and that growth hasn't slowed. But it's not just the size of the company's sales, it's their growth rate that's more impressive. Pop Mart's revenue outside China skyrocketed 375.2% to 5.07 billion yuan ($703 million) in 2024, and Citigroup research estimated Pop Mart's revenue in America grew between 895% to 900% last year. Offline, Pop Mart's brick-and-mortar stores from Los Angeles to Paris to Bangkok have infamously long lines, especially when new products are released. The growth is also fueled by a plethora of other figurines — there's Baby Molly, Crybaby, Dimoo, Pucky and at least 30 more on the company's US website. If you're lucky enough to snag a Labubu, they can cost up to $85. Resellers on StockX are upcharging into the hundreds of dollars. And their fans are willing to splurge. Lin shelled out hundreds and spent hours on a TikTok Live to secure a Zimomo, a 22-inch creature with a spiked tail. 'It's in high demand, so it would be on par with a luxury item,' Lin said. Lin is not the only member of her family who is Pop Mart-obsessed. Her father, who bought Lin and her sister their first Labubus while visiting Taiwan, has a Crybaby plush on his suitcase. The meteoric growth of Pop Mart speaks to a larger history of Americans being attached to cute things from Asia (remember Hello Kitty?), Anne Cheng, an English professor at Princeton University, told CNN. Despite the push toward US-made products and the proliferation of anti-Asian sentiment during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growth trajectory for these toys just keeps going. Cheng said there's always been hypocrisy in the US, where Asian people have faced bigoted stereotypes, but when the products they make 'come in little boxable, consumable small bits, then they're accessible.' The little gremlins, baby and creature keychains also offer a glimpse into luxury that is more attainable for most consumers. Celebrities have played a big role in making them a status symbol. K-pop megastar Lisa told Vanity Fair she got into blind boxes in early 2024 and 'spent all my money' while jet-setting to different Pop Mart locations around the world. Oh, and Rihanna has a Labubu too. Some Labubu collections are certainly reminiscent of past crazes. But compared to luxurious collectibles, like say, designer bags or watches, toys that cost an average of $20 to $40 are not as expensive, and in uncertain times, people are looking for affordable indulgences. People are 'looking for a fix and looking for anything to bring them joy,' said Ali Domrongchai, a food editor in New York City who just received her first Labubu as a gift this past year. Blind boxes are nothing new. The idea of buying something without knowing precisely what the package contains has driven many a craze, from baseball cards to video games. And the toy collective fanatics echo the Beanie Baby mania of the '90s, or what it felt like checking which McDonald's Happy Meal you got. Consumers who spoke to CNN all compared the immediate joy of opening a blind box to the high of gambling. China was so concerned about addiction that in 2023, it introduced strict regulation banning the sale of mystery boxes to children under 8 years old and requiring guardian consent for children who are older. 'It plays into your desire for collecting things, then you keep buying them,' Cheng said. Pop Mart, like the majority of the toy industry, will almost certainly be impacted by President Donald Trump's trade war with China. The US and China reached a 90-day truce this month, when the US lowered its 145% tariffs on most Chinese imports to 30%, and China reduced its 125% retaliatory tariffs to 10%. On its FAQ page, Pop Mart said that it will cover tariff-induced costs and that 'customers will not be required to pay any additional customs fees.' But its latest release in April, a tie-dyed line of pastel-colored Labubus, cost $27.99 – $6 more than the previous one. CNN has reached out to Pop Mart for more details on how it plans to cover those tariff fees. Citigroup said it expects the company to accelerate diversifying its supply chain and raise prices in the US market, or prioritize expanding in other countries. In the meantime, Pop Mart's stock, listed in Hong Kong, has been outperforming Tencent and Alibaba since the year began. For those who can't get their hands on a real Labubu, there are knock-offs — often called lafufus or fauxbubus — but they'll often have lower-quality fur or a slightly misshapen smile. And blind boxes aren't exclusive to Pop Mart. Cute, kitschy items are a staple of East Asian culture, and Asian discount stores like Miniso and Daiso, which combined have hundreds of locations in the US, sell highly coveted blind box toys for under $5. And the bigger the market gets, the more likely it is that competitors will arise in China, the Citigroup analysts warned. And Lin's Labubu, for the record, is not decked out in real Chanel. The toy's outfit is from AliExpress, a source of cheap accessories for many Labubu fans. Domrongchai, the food editor in New York City, has been tuned into the hype: Her octogenarian great aunts have Labubus attached to their Louis Vuitton purses. And on a trip to visit family in Thailand last year, she visited 'almost every mall in Bangkok' with her younger cousin to scour for the famous plush. But it was nowhere to be found, and $40 dollars for a toy is 'an ungodly amount' for Thailand. Even for those who have managed to avoid the pull of the devilish smirk of a Labubu, there's always a growing fan base attempting to turn them to the dark side. When a CNN reporter, a self proclaimed Sanrio and Miffy fan, confessed she found the monsters more unsettling than cute, Domrongchai was quick to encourage her: 'They're not that scary. They're silly guys. Look, you need to spend some time with them.'
