The success of Labubu figures has spawned a significant parallel market. Collectors have even invented a word for these copies: "Lafufu." The good news is that a fake can almost always be spotted with the naked eye, provided you know where to look. Here are the six checks to perform before buying — these are the ones we apply ourselves before every shipment.
1. Count the teeth: nine, no more, no less
This is the fastest and most reliable test. An authentic Labubu has exactly nine sharp teeth, aligned in a single upper row, visible when the mouth is open.
Counterfeits almost always get this detail wrong: eight, ten, or eleven teeth. The workshops that copy the figure often work from photos, and the number of teeth is the first thing that gets lost when a mold is recreated by hand.
2. Scan the authentication QR code
Since January 2024, every Pop Mart figure has come with an authentication QR code card slipped inside the inner box. When scanned, it queries the Pop Mart authentication server, which indicates whether it is the first scan or a code that has already been activated.
The pitfall to be aware of: if you open a new box and the code comes up as "already activated," there are only two explanations. Either the box was opened before you by a reseller, or the figure is a copy. In either case, it is not a new, sealed product.
3. The holographic sticker on the packaging
Official boxes feature a holographic sticker whose colors change when tilted. Copies use a metallic flat color that does not react to light — or they don't include one at all.
Also, look at the general finish of the cardboard: authentic Pop Mart packaging is matte, in muted tones. Copies almost always lean toward colors that are too bright, too saturated, on a shinier surface.
4. Weigh the sealed box
A sealed box of a standard vinyl figure weighs between 78 and 84 grams depending on the character. Below 75g or above 88g, be suspicious.
This check has become particularly useful since the appearance, in early 2026, of a series of copies that consistently weigh around 71g: their resin core is hollow, which is immediately noticeable by hand, even without a scale.
5. Examine the paint edges
On an authentic figure, the paint stops cleanly at the intended boundaries. On a copy, it bleeds over: marks on the teeth, smudges in the whites of the eyes, or overflow into the crevices of the face.
This is a flaw that is difficult to correct in unofficial production, as it requires piece-by-piece quality control that copy workshops do not have.
6. Beware of the price
An authentic Pop Mart standard series blind box retails for around 12 to 20 dollars. A significantly lower price, especially from an unknown seller or via a social media profile, is the easiest warning sign to spot.
Conversely, a much higher price does not guarantee anything either: speculative resale of rare editions exists, and some sellers charge collector prices for a piece that is not one.
The blind box format: what you are really buying
A blind box, by definition, does not let you choose the color: the box randomly hides one of the characters in the series. This is the very principle of the format, and it is what makes it interesting for collectors.
Practical consequence for returns: once the box is opened, the surprise is gone and the item can no longer be returned. With us, returns remain free within 30 days as long as the box is intact and sealed.