Britons have gone wild for collectable toys over the decades, with Pokémon cards, Tamagotchis and Funko Pops capturing the hearts of children and adults alike.

Now there’s a new kid, or monster, on the block that has flooded social media – the Labubu. 

Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung introduced the character in a picture book in 2015, before launching Labubu toys with Chinese toy company Pop Mart four years later.

It wasn’t until 2024 when they were catapulted into the mainstream, after a Korean pop star was spotted with a Labubu keychain. 

Celebrity endorsements from the likes of Rihanna and rapper Central Cee have pushed demand even higher.

Why are these fluffy monsters so popular, and is it worth buying a Labubu now to sell as a collectable in the future?

Monster craze: Labubus are selling out as collectors go crazy for the grimacing toys

Why is there so much hype about Labubus?

Labubu toys have long had a cult following in Asia, but social media has gained the brand global fans.

The grimacing toys aren’t the average collector’s item, but they have quickly become the latest accessory for fashionistas.

Part of their appeal is their wearability as key chains, another is that they are sold in ‘blind boxes’ – which means you don’t know which character you get until it’s unwrapped.

After collecting the more common colourways, like green and lychee, collectors look for limited edition Labubus and the very rare ‘Chestnut Cocoa’.

Pop Mart’s UK website had sold out of all Labubus at the time of writing, despite twice-weekly stock drops which are ‘chaos’ according to fans.

This perceived scarcity has created a booming resale market, where people are paying well over the odds for the monster toys, which generally retail between £17.50 and £30.

In some cases, sellers on StockX are asking for as much as £350 for a rare Labubu. On Ebay, some Labubu toys are selling for over £40.

This Is Money columnist and collectables expert Dan Hatfield compares the Labubu hype to other toy trends like Jelly Cats and Beanie Babies.

‘There’s a hype that’s created by very clever marketing people who make others believe that these items are highly collectable, highly desirable, and they can be in the short term.

‘As soon as we get trendsetters adopting them, you’ll find that everyone else follows so. Limited runs also help, following the playbook of Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch Dolls as well. 

‘So this isn’t a new phenomenon and it’s certainly not going to be the last time that we see items like this explode onto the market.

‘We’re a nation of collectors. What us Britons do best is queue and collect, so it’s a perfect combination for us.’

Future goldmine? Collectors may have to wait quite some time for Labubus to go up in value, according to expert Dan Hatfield

Are Labubus a good investment?

If you’re still not convinced by the not-so-cuddly toys as a fashion item, could they be a good investment opportunity?

Hatfield doubts the current Labubu hype is sustainable, which will have a knock-on effect on immediate reselling prices.

‘I think that we’ll see sharp falls in the next five or six years, just purely because it can’t be sustained. 

‘The company will have to keep reinventing to maintain sales. Like with Beanie Babies, eventually that bubble does burst.’

However, further in the future, prices might start to creep up again, depending on how many Pop Mart produce.

If you’re willing to gamble on the value of Labubus rocketing in 20 or 30 years, there are a few things to consider.

As with other collectables, you’ll want to look at limited edition releases and keep the packaging intact.

‘Ultimately, what do we do with toys and items like this? We play with them, so a lot of them are going to be damaged and destroyed,’ says Hatfield. ‘The smaller the amount produced, the higher the potential future value.’

It means that buying a run-of-the-mill Labubus won’t necessarily mean you’re sitting on a gold mine in a few decades.

‘Popular doesn’t equate to high value. The more popular a product is, the more of them will be on the market and therefore have less value.

‘What are the least popular of the dolls? Which are the ugliest and least loved right now?

‘If you get your hands on those and they’re probably going to skyrocket in the future.’

If you’re keen to get your hands on a Labubu, beware that fakes are already flooding the market, with some fraudsters selling what Labubu enthusiasts dub “Lafufus”.

Collectors often make gambles on what will be of value in decades to come, but Hatfield says that generally, zeitgeist items do well.

‘Nostalgia is big business and it’s going to continue to be as the world evolves and moves at a quick pace. 

‘We’ll always want to anchor back to a time that’s familiar to us. 

‘We’ll want items we can look back on and go, “That was 2025,” and Labubus are the item of 2025.’

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