You finally got one. You spent weeks scrolling through TikTok, refreshing resale sites, and maybe even begging a friend in Thailand or Singapore to check the local Pop Mart for you. Labubu, the mischievous little monster with the jagged teeth created by Kasing Lung, has basically taken over the world. But now that the box is sitting on your desk, a nagging thought starts to creep in. Is it actually real?
Fake Labubus are everywhere. They are in night markets, on sketchy Instagram ads, and peppered throughout third-party marketplaces. Some are laughably bad. Others are so good they’d fool anyone who isn't looking at the fine details.
Knowing how to tell if my Labubu is real isn't just about protecting your wallet. It's about the community. It’s about making sure you’re supporting the artist and getting the quality you actually paid for. Honestly, there is nothing worse than paying "grail" prices for a piece of cheap plastic and faux fur that smells like industrial glue.
The Box Tells a Story (Usually a Shady One)
The first thing you’re going to touch is the box. Pop Mart has very high production standards. The cardboard should feel sturdy, not like a cereal box that’s been left out in the rain. Check the printing. On a genuine Labubu, the colors are vibrant and the lines are crisp. Fakes often have "blurry" edges or colors that look a bit washed out, almost like they were scanned from a real box and reprinted.
Check the logo. The Pop Mart logo should be perfect. Look for the registered trademark symbol. On many fakes, the font is just slightly off—maybe the "P" is a little too fat or the spacing between letters is uneven.
Then, look for the authenticity sticker. This is the big one. Most newer Pop Mart releases, especially the "The Monsters" series that Labubu belongs to, come with a QR code sticker that has a scratch-off coating. You scratch it, scan it, and it takes you to the official Pop Mart verification site.
But wait. Scammers are smart.
Sometimes they’ll link you to a fake website that looks like Pop Mart’s site and says "Verified!" check the URL. If it isn't popmart.com or a localized official domain, you're looking at a counterfeit. Also, if the scratch-off silver part looks like it was applied with a silver sharpie or doesn't scratch off cleanly, that’s a massive red flag.
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The Smell Test and the Feel
It sounds weird, I know. But sniff the toy.
A real Labubu might have a very faint "new toy" plastic smell, but it should never smell like a chemical factory. Counterfeit factories often use cheaper, unregulated plastics and glues that off-gas heavily. If you open the box and get hit with a wave of sharp, acrid chemical scent, something is wrong.
Touch the fur if you have one of the plush versions, like the wildly popular "Have a Seat" or "Macaron" series. Genuine Labubu plushies are soft. They have a specific density to them. The fakes often use a cheaper polyester that feels "crunchy" or excessively shiny.
Look at the face. The eyes are the soul of the monster. On a real Labubu, the eyes are perfectly set. They shouldn't be crooked. The paint on the teeth should be clean. On fakes, you’ll often see "overspill" where the white paint of the teeth bleeds onto the brown or colorful skin of the face.
The joints are another giveaway. If it's an action figure or a vinyl with moving parts, the movement should be smooth. Fakes often have joints that are either incredibly stiff or so loose the figure can't even stand up.
The Card and the Accessories
Inside the box, you’ll find a character card. This is another area where fakes fail. The card stock on a real Pop Mart product is thick and often has a nice matte or textured finish. Fakes use thin, glossy cardstock that feels like a cheap business card.
The printing on the card should match the figure exactly. Sometimes, counterfeiters use the wrong card for the wrong figure, or the colors on the card are drastically different from the toy itself.
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Check the "feet." Most vinyl Labubus have branding on the bottom of their feet. It should say "Pop Mart" and "Kasing Lung" or "The Monsters." The engraving should be deep and clear. If the text is shallow, blurry, or missing entirely, you've got a fake.
Why Pricing is the Ultimate Reality Check
If you see a "The Monsters - Fall Wild" Labubu for $15 on a random website, it is fake. Period.
Labubu is in high demand. Even the basic blind boxes retail for significantly more than that, and the resale market is even higher. Nobody is selling a genuine, sought-after Labubu at a 70% discount out of the goodness of their heart.
The secondary market is where most people get burned. If you’re buying on platforms like eBay, Mercari, or Depop, look at the seller's history. Do they have 500 of the same "rare" Labubu for sale? That’s impossible for a legitimate collector or small-time flipper. That’s a distributor for a factory in a region known for producing "reps."
Verification Apps and Community Knowledge
There are apps and communities dedicated to this. On platforms like Facebook or Discord, there are entire groups of "The Monsters" collectors who can spot a fake from a single photo of the stitching.
If you're still asking yourself how to tell if my Labubu is real, take high-quality photos in natural light. Front, back, feet, and the box. Post them in these enthusiast groups. These people live and breathe Pop Mart. They’ll notice if the ears are 2mm too short or if the fur pattern is upside down.
Also, look at the weight. Some collectors even weigh their figures. Because fakes use different plastics, they often weigh significantly less (or occasionally more, if they’re weighted with cheap metal) than the official version.
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A Quick Checklist for the Skeptical Collector
- The QR Code: Does it lead to the actual
popmart.comdomain? - The Stitching: On plushies, is it neat? Fakes often have loose threads or visible seams.
- The Eyes: Are they symmetrical? Is the "sparkle" in the eye in the right place?
- The Box Art: Is the printing crisp or does it look like a low-res JPEG?
- The Seller: Are they an authorized retailer or a reputable collector with a history?
What to Do if You Bought a Fake
First, don't panic. It happens to the best of us. If you bought it through a platform like PayPal, eBay, or a major credit card, you have protections.
Document everything. Take photos of the fake next to photos of a real one from the official Pop Mart website. Point out the discrepancies. File a "not as described" claim. Most of the time, these platforms side with the buyer when it comes to counterfeit goods.
Don't send the item back unless the platform forces you to; often, shipping counterfeits is actually against postal regulations, and you shouldn't be responsible for the return shipping costs of an illegal fake.
Finding Legit Sources
The best way to avoid the headache is to buy from the source.
- Official Pop Mart Stores: Physical locations or their official website.
- Roboshop: Those giant yellow vending machines you see in malls.
- Authorized Retailers: Big names like Mindzai, StrangeCat Toys, or Myplasticheart.
- Official TikTok/Instagram Shops: Only if they are the verified Pop Mart accounts.
Buying Labubu should be fun. It’s a whimsical, weird little creature that brings a bit of chaos to your shelf. Don't let the stress of fakes ruin the hobby. By checking the box, verifying the QR code, and being realistic about the price, you can build your collection with confidence.
Go through your current collection right now. Check the feet. Scan the codes if you still have the boxes. Once you see a real one and a fake one side-by-side, you'll never be fooled again. The weight, the texture, and the "vibe" of a real Labubu are just something a counterfeit factory can't quite replicate perfectly yet. Stay sharp and keep hunting those secret pulls.