In 2024, a seemingly innocuous plush toy has taken Singapore by storm, capturing the imaginations of collectors and casual shoppers alike. Labubu, a character born from the Chinese brand Pop Mart, has rapidly risen to fame in the island city-state, captivating hearts with its quirky design and a mysterious backstory. If you haven’t yet caught up with the craze, Labubu is a character from “Labubu and The Monsters”, a story series created by Hong Kong-born artist Kasing Lung.
Yet, as the demand for these endearing monsters grows, so too does a shadow of controversy, with counterfeit dolls, legal disputes, and customs violations now attached to this once-underdog toy.
The Rise of Labubu
Labubu is not just any plush toy; it’s a phenomenon. With its wide, innocent eyes and soft, plush form, Labubu quickly became a symbol of escapism for adults in Singapore, a city that prides itself on being a modern global hub. Pop Mart, a Chinese toymaker, has long been a champion of limited-edition collectible figures, but Labubu, which started as a smaller release, has grown into one of its flagship characters.
The toy’s popularity skyrocketed in 2024, thanks in part to social media influencers and celebrity endorsements, including the much-publicised involvement of Blackpink’s Lisa. Carousell’s 2024 Year-in-Secondhand insights also found that searches for ‘Labubu’ has dethroned ‘Taylor Swift’ to take fifth place among top searches. Singaporeans were also hunting down Labubu via Google searches (#3 Trending SG News, #10 Trending Searches) to find new ways to get their hands on any merchandise.
The combination of its adorable appearance and the allure of exclusivity has driven Labubu dolls to become coveted commodities. However, the demand has come at a cost. For many fans, the hunt for Labubu is as much about securing a rare item as it is about keeping up with the latest trend.
Counterfeits and Consumer Concerns
With the soaring popularity of Labubu, counterfeiters have quickly moved to capitalise on the craze. A recent case in Singapore highlights just how far some are willing to go to profit from the trend. A woman who transferred S$220 to an online seller for a first-generation Labubu doll was shocked when she suspected the item was a counterfeit. Despite confronting the seller, she was met with refusal to issue a refund. Her frustration led to a police report, underscoring the growing issue of fake Labubu dolls circulating in the local market.
The proliferation of counterfeit goods has raised concerns about the integrity of the local marketplace. While buyers might expect authenticity from an official source, the line between the genuine and the fake has become increasingly blurred, leaving many wondering how to distinguish between the two.
Labubu for PAP?
Given the doll’s popularity, PAP Sengkang team actually debuted the PAP Labubu doll during a senior citizen grocery drive! Sengkang West branch chairman Lam Pin Min shared photos of him posing with the doll in a Facebook post that day, calling the doll the team’s “latest and cutest volunteer”.
Legal Woes for Labubu Lovers
As if the counterfeit issue wasn’t troubling enough, legal complications have also emerged. Pop Mart, the creators of Labubu, have found themselves at the centre of several legal disputes in Singapore. Pop Mart’s Facebook post said it had discovered instances of unauthorised use of Labubu images by certain brands, including Recoil and Playmade, to promote their products, or use Labubu figurines as promotional items.
Pop Mart stressed that it does not have “any official licensed partners in Singapore” and is taking steps to ensure that their creations are only sold through official channels. For consumers, this means that those seeking genuine products must be diligent about where they shop and who they buy from.
To spot a fake Labubu, look for signs like low-quality packaging, suspicious QR codes, poor stitching, and cheap materials. Authentic Labubus come with official tags featuring the Pop Mart logo and are made from soft, high-quality plush with precise detailing. Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, as counterfeit versions are often sold at lower prices. There are now tons of websites out there that help new buyers discern if their product is genuine.
Customs Controversies: The Cost of Fandom
As the craze continues to grow, even Singapore’s strict customs regulations are struggling to keep up with the demand for Labubu dolls. In one highly publicised case, a woman arriving from London was fined S$5,000 and had over S$3,900 in Goods and Services Tax (GST) recouped after failing to declare the Labubu dolls she had brought with her. The hefty fine serves as a reminder of the need for transparency and the challenges posed by the rise of a toy culture that transcends borders.
Singapore Customs has made it clear that any items brought into the country must be declared, regardless of their value. For fans hoping to import Labubu dolls, it’s a stark reminder that the cost of fandom isn’t just about the price tag of the toys themselves—it also involves the regulations that govern their entry into the country.
The Bigger Picture: Labubu and the Singaporean Spirit
Labubu’s success in Singapore is more than just a toy trend; it’s a cultural moment. In a society where the lines between work and leisure are often blurred, Labubu has provided an outlet for people to embrace their playful side. But like any cultural phenomenon, its rise has been accompanied by growing pains. Whether it’s counterfeit goods, legal squabbles, or customs disputes, the toy’s journey has been far from smooth.
As Singaporeans continue to flock to shops and online platforms in search of Labubu dolls, the wider implications of the craze are clear. Whether the joy of owning a Labubu is worth navigating this maze of legalities and counterfeit goods remains a question only time will answer.
For now, Labubu’s place in Singaporean culture seems assured. The toy may be small, but the impact of Labubu is anything but.
