In a moment of honesty, I’ll admit that I am late to the Labubu party, but I’m glad I’ve finally arrived. The small, toothy, gremlin-like dolls are everywhere right now. You might have turned your head after seeing one hang off a designer bag for the first time. Or maybe you raised your eyebrow as you scrolled social media, wondering why the fuzzy Nordic elves with mischievous smiles were infiltrating your screen.
Your reality and TikTok algorithm have not gone rogue. In fact, taking notice of these creatures just means that you’re one with society, because Labubu is indeed making her rounds with your favorite celebrities, influencers, and even your peers. For anyone who doesn’t know who Labubu is, here’s the lowdown.
Who is Labubu?
Labubu dolls debuted in 2015 as part of a children’s book trilogy, The Monsters, written by Kasing Lung. Lung was “inspired by Nordic mythology,” which explains the why these small characters are magical little gremlins. Initially, Labubu was a side character in the series who’d constantly get herself into trouble without actually trying to. She is known for trying to help others, but something always goes wrong instead.
But, ever since Lung signed a deal with the Chinese toy manufacturer, Pop Mart, in 2019, Labubu became the most popular character from the series. People took a liking to the character’s small, wooly build and sharp, villain-like smile (even I’m transfixed by them now).
The dolls are female, and despite her adorably sinister appearance, she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body. This was confirmed by Emily Brough, head of licensing at Pop Mart North America during any interview with The New York Times. She said that Labubu is “well-intentioned,” and that she only occasionally gets into trouble in an effort to spread joy.
Over the past few years, there have been over over 300 variations of Labubu. Each series release comes with a new set of dolls, all following a specific theme with different names and colors.
Why Is Labubu So Famous?
Labubu’s popularity really saw a rise in 2023 when Pop Mart released its first key-ring model of the creature. Since then, anytime Labubu has had a new line, the entirety of it is reportedly sold out online within 30 minutes.
The key-ring versions are especially sought after, mainly due to the current bag charm trend that involves accessorizing a tote, satchel, or purse with a cute key ring, or in this case, doll. Many major celebrities, including Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, BLACKPINK’s Lisa and Rosé, and Dua Lipa, have all been spotted with Labubu hanging off their designer bags.
When you get a Labubu box, you’ll receive figures with names that correspond to a specific theme. For example, the Labubu Macaron series has its characters named after different flavors: Soymilk, Lychee Berry, Green Grape, Sea Salt Coconut, Toffee and Sesame Bean. The colors somewhat match the fur (i.e. Green Grape is green, and Toffee is a light tan color), but sometimes that’s not always the case depending on the line.
Pop Mart has seen success in selling Labubu dolls as a “blind box” item, meaning that you aren’t aware of what version of Labubu is hiding inside your chosen box. The mystery of it all is what keeps the fan base engaged, as there’s an incentive to buy more boxes in hopes that you’ll land the Labubu doll you’re seeking.
Labubu Saw a Record Breaking Day on StockX
On April 25, a new Labubu line dropped: The Monsters Big Into Energy Series. The series consists of seven new Labubus, six of which are named after an emotion: Love, Happiness, Loyalty, Serenity, Hope, and Luck. The seventh one is a rare and secret version with black fur and rainbow teeth. If you buy a mystery box, you have a 1 in 72 chance to get this one.
Once again, the dolls were sold out in record time, but not just on Pop Mart’s digital forefront. Physical stores throughout the U.S. had long lines ahead of release day, and they too also had dolls sell out fairly quickly.
Even popular resellers like StockX experienced a monumental day during Labubu’s new 2025 launch. A rep from the brand told us that Labubu had a record-breaking performance day on marketplace reseller during release day, replacing the PS5 and the Barbie Signature LeBron James Doll as the top traded product in a given day.
Where to Buy Labubu Dolls
There’s no denying the brand’s popularity at this point—Labubu is here for the long run. The doll is primarily sold at its main retailer, Pop Mart, but you can also find versions of it on Amazon, StockX, and more. Check out a few of our favorite Labubu dolls, below.
For the Adventurers
For Holiday Lovers
An Original
New and Popular
Which One Will You Get?
Josiah is the Digital Content Producer for the commerce team at Popular Mechanics, Best Products, Runner’s World, and Bicycling Magazine. He also writes for “BIO Buys”—a column on Biography.com—giving readers the lowdown on what products their favorite celebs are using. In another life, Josiah was an editor at ThePioneerWoman.com, where he sharpened his expertise on all things lifestyle, food-news, and entertainment. Outside work related matters, he’s a fan of Studio Ghibli films, unimportant reality TV drama, and melancholy Lorde songs.