China’s Labubus are the must-have toy of the year. So are the fakes

Hong Kong and Beijing —

At a busy market in a small town of China’s Hebei province, Labubu is no longer the coveted collectible displayed in glass cases. Here, they’re treated like sweet potatoes or cabbages, dumped by the dozen into large plastic bags, or piled into car trunks waiting for sale.

These aren’t genuine Labubu – the Pop Mart dolls that have gained cult status in recent months – but “Lafufu,” a tongue-in-cheek nickname for a wave of knockoffs. Collectors have even coined playful variants like “Lagogo,” “Lababa,” and “Lapoopoo.”

Last month Pop Mart reported an astonishing near 400% increase in profits for the first half of the year. Despite warnings from multiple countries not to buy them, Lafufu sales have also surged, inspiring a flood of memes, funny clips, and unboxing