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Counterfeit “Lafufu” Dolls Outpace Labubu as Pop Mart Tightens Authentication

Pop Mart now employs QR codes to verify genuine Labubu dolls in markets overrun by proliferating Lafufu knockoffs.

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A Labubu doll at the host stand of a restaurant serving dessert in the shape of a Labubu monster figurine in Moscow. Photo: Reuters

Overview

  • Pop Mart rolled out QR-code scanning and UV-reactive seals in mid-2025 to help collectors distinguish authentic Labubu blind-box toys from inferior Lafufu counterfeits.
  • Knockoff “Lafufu” dolls have proliferated in markets lacking official Pop Mart outlets, such as India and New York City’s Canal Street, where they are embraced for their ironic appeal despite inferior materials.
  • The company has pursued trademark filings for “Lafufu” and launched legal actions against sellers—including a recent lawsuit against 7-Eleven—for distributing fake Labubu merchandise.
  • Genuine limited-edition Labubu collaborations continue to command five-figure prices on secondary markets, with a Labubu x Vans plush selling for $10,585 on eBay and other variants fetching up to $170,000 at auction.
  • Pop Mart’s Labubu franchise drove its 2024 revenue to $1.8 billion and is projected to boost first-half 2025 profits by 350 percent, underlining persistent global demand despite counterfeit challenges.