Real vs Fake Labubu: The Details Most People Get Wrong

You’ve seen them everywhere. Those mischievous, serrated-tooth monsters dangling from designer handbags and perched on office desks. Kasing Lung’s creation has basically taken over the world, but with that massive popularity comes a darker side: the "Lafufu."

Honestly, the counterfeit market for Labubu is getting scary. Some of these fakes are so high-quality that even seasoned collectors can get tripped up if they aren't looking at the right things.

It's not just about a "vibe" anymore. You need a checklist.

The 9-Teeth Rule and Why It Matters

Most people will tell you to count the teeth. This is the baseline. A real Labubu—whether it's the Exciting Macaron series or the Have A Seat collection—must have exactly nine teeth.

But here is where the fakes have caught up. The "good" bootlegs now have nine teeth too. So, don't stop there.

Look at the blue line where the teeth meet the mouth. On an authentic piece, the teeth grow directly from that blue line. No gaps. No sloppy white paint bleeding over the edges. Most fakes have a tiny, millimetre-wide gap between the base of the tooth and the smile line. It’s subtle, but once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

📖 Related: Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking and Why Your Gut Is Usually Right

The QR Code Trap

Pop Mart has gotten pretty aggressive with their security features. Every box has a holographic sticker with a scratch-off section. You scratch it, you scan it, you’re good, right?

Not necessarily.

Scammers are now creating "ghost" websites. You scan the code, and it takes you to a site that looks like Pop Mart. It says "Authentic!" in big green letters. But if you look at the URL, it’s something like popmart-verify.net instead of the official fwsy.popmart.com or m-gss.popmart.com.

Pro Tip: If you scan a QR code and it doesn’t show "First-time inquiry," be very worried. If a code has been scanned 500 times, you’re looking at a copied tag from a genuine unit that’s been mass-printed onto fakes.

Real vs Fake Labubu: The UV Light Test

If you really want to know what's going on, you need a UV (blacklight) pen. This is the ultimate "gotcha" for counterfeiters.

On the newer series, like Have A Seat, Pop Mart hides a UV-reactive stamp on the right foot. When you hit it with a blacklight, a small Labubu silhouette should glow. Most fakes skip this entirely or use a generic fluorescent paint that looks like a blurry blob.

Also, check the nose. Under UV light, an authentic Labubu's nose often glows a specific fluorescent orange—sort of like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. The eyes and the smile line might also have a faint reactive glow. If your monster stays completely dark under the blacklight, it’s probably a "Lafufu."

Texture, Weight, and "The Squish"

Let's talk about the Exciting Macaron plushies.

Real ones are soft. I mean, really soft. The fur is dense and the stitching is hidden deep within the fibers. If you see visible, messy threads or a "seam" running down the middle of the face, that’s a red flag.

Then there's the weight. An authentic Macaron Labubu usually weighs right around 48 grams. Fakes often use cheaper, lighter stuffing or thinner plastic for the face, often dropping the weight to under 40 grams. It feels hollow. Cheap.

• The Feet: Authentic feet are flexible. You can rotate them 360 degrees, and they feel like a soft, high-quality vinyl. Fakes often have stiff, hard plastic feet that feel like they might snap if you twist too hard.
• The Face Paint: Look for the blush. Real Labubus have a soft, airbrushed gradient on the cheeks. Fakes often have "blush blindness"—harsh, solid circles of pink that look like they were applied with a stamp.
• The Tag: Version 1 (V1) typically had fabric tags. Version 2 (V2) moved toward a more plasticized, durable material. On a real V2 tag, the "E" in "THE MONSTERS" has a slightly curved bottom stroke. Many fakes use a standard, straight-edged font.

The "Trash Can" Detail

This is the kind of detail only obsessive collectors notice, but it’s remarkably consistent. On the back of the official box, there is a "trash can" recycling symbol.

On a genuine Pop Mart box, the arrows in that symbol have rounded corners. On almost every counterfeit box analyzed by experts like Daniel Gbenle, those arrows have sharp, square corners. It’s a tiny printing error that counterfeiters rarely bother to fix because they assume nobody is looking at the recycling logo.

Don't Get Fooled by the Price

If you see a Labubu Macaron for $15 on a random social media ad, it is fake. Period.

📖 Related: La historia de los 10 leprosos para niños: Lo que realmente enseña sobre la gratitud

These items are high-demand and often sell out instantly. Even the retail price is higher than that, and the resale market usually doubles it. If the deal feels too good to be true, you aren't getting a bargain; you're just buying a very expensive piece of scrap plastic.

Actionable Steps for Your Next Purchase:

1. Check the URL: Only trust verification results from fwsy.popmart.com.
2. Count and Inspect: Verify the 9 teeth, but specifically look for the "gap" at the blue line.
3. The Blacklight Check: Shine a UV light on the nose and the right foot to find the hidden silhouette.
4. Feel the Fur: If it feels scratchy or you see the "skin" through the fur, put it back.
5. Weigh It: If you have a kitchen scale, a real Macaron should be nearly 48g.
6. Record the Unboxing: Always film yourself opening the package from the moment you break the seal. This is your only leverage if you need to file a dispute with a platform like eBay or Shopee.

Authentic Labubus hold their value because of the craftsmanship and the artist's intent. While the fakes are getting better, they still can't replicate the soul—or the UV-reactive nose—of the real thing.