Labubu: The Stuffed Toy That Broke the Internet (And the Shops)
Labubu. You might not know the name, but you’ve definitely seen the face.
Table Of Content
Shaggy fur. Spindly limbs. Crooked grin. Like a bunny, a goblin, and your sleep paralysis demon had a child and stuck it on a handbag.
This oddball collectible from Hong Kong has gone from niche art toy to TikTok’s latest obsession—and the UK can’t get enough. So much so that Labubu dolls were just pulled from UK shelves after viral demand sparked queues, fights, and full-on resale madness. All for a toy you can’t even pick yourself—each one comes in a blind box.
But here’s the real story: this isn’t just about a toy. This is about what virality looks like in 2025—how trends explode, how platforms shape obsession, and how reach behaves in the wild.
What Labubu Has That Your Content Doesn’t
Let’s get this straight: Labubu didn’t go viral because it’s conventionally cute. It’s weird. It’s chaotic. And that’s the point.
It stops the scroll.
In a landscape drowning in polished content and over-filtered trends, Labubu cuts through the noise by being unmistakably odd—and endlessly shareable. The kind of thing you send to a mate with a “wtf is this.”
That’s what the algorithm loves: content that sparks immediate, emotional reactions. In fact, one of Instagram’s most powerful signals in 2025 is “sends per reach.” If people are sending it to friends, it gets bumped up. If they’re ignoring it? It’s toast.
Labubu didn’t just get liked. It got sent. A lot.
Why Everyone’s Fighting Over Furry Goblins
Let’s talk chaos.
Across the UK, Pop Mart stores were swamped. People camped overnight. Security was called. Resellers scooped up boxes to flip them online at triple the price.
Why? Because scarcity + virality is the golden combo. Social platforms reward urgency, and Labubu played the game perfectly:
- Blind boxes meant you never knew which one you’d get—so you had to keep buying.
- Limited drops kept the pressure high.
- TikTok edits and influencer unboxings made it feel like everyone already had one.
Even people who didn’t want one… kind of wanted one.
We’re Not Just Consuming—We’re Curating
The way people are using Labubu is fascinating. It’s not about collecting anymore. It’s about aesthetic clout.
Labubus are now being clipped onto Hermès bags. Shared in fit checks. Styled in Instagram stories like a Y2K Tamagotchi rebrand.
And if you can’t get one? No problem—you can rent one. Fashion rental platforms like By Rotation are offering Labubus for £4 a day. Because nothing says status like a plush gremlin you don’t even own.
This is algorithm-driven identity. You’re not just buying a toy—you’re buying a content prop.
When Hype Turns Hazardous
Of course, viral culture has a dark side.
After a surge in popularity, safety concerns around overcrowding and aggressive reselling led to Labubu being pulled from Pop Mart stores across the UK. TikTok clips of people scrapping over boxes aren’t exactly a good look.
Worse still, the wave of counterfeit Labubus—known as “Lafufus” (yes, really)—has flooded marketplaces. Cheaper copies. No QR codes. No Pop Mart tags. No way of knowing what you’re actually getting.
Which, ironically, kind of mirrors the state of social media content right now: a lot of lookalikes, not much originality, and too many people chasing a moment instead of building a brand.
So What Can Creators Learn From Labubu?
Honestly? A lot.
Labubu is a masterclass in viral mechanics:
- Weird works. Safe doesn’t stop the scroll.
- Mystery sells. Blind boxes keep people hooked.
- Micro-trends move fast. Don’t sleep on “niche” culture—it becomes mainstream very quickly.
But also: not everything needs to go viral. What worked for Labubu won’t work for your business account or your educational carousel. And that’s fine.
The lesson? Understand the algorithm—but don’t build your entire strategy around chasing it. Instead, focus on connection, originality, and building a brand that outlasts the trend cycle.
Labubu Isn’t Just a Toy. It’s a Mirror.
This little gremlin has held up a mirror to how we scroll, share, and shape meaning in 2025.
So ask yourself: would your content make someone stop mid-scroll, nudge their mate, and say, “You need to see this”?
If not—it’s time to get weird.
Want help building scroll-stopping content that doesn’t rely on gimmicks?
Let’s chat about strategy, storytelling, and staying relevant in an algorithm-shaped world.
