Labubu evolved from storybook character into a collectible franchise

On June 9, 2023, POP MART released LABUBU Time to chill-Vinyl Plush Doll at 14.9 inches; on October 26, 2023, it followed with THE MONSTERS - Exciting Macaron Vinyl Face Blind Box at 2.36 inches. POP MART’s release trail shows a character that moved from a displayable vinyl plush into blind boxes, pendants, and oversized statement pieces, which changes how you hunt, what you display, and what you can realistically afford to chase.

Start with the character, not the hype

Labubu begins with Kasing Lung, who was born in Hong Kong in 1972 and started collaborating with How2work in Hong Kong in 2011 as an illustrator. His first illustrated book in Chinese, My Little Planet, was published in Taiwan in 2013, and Labubu first appeared in 2015 as part of The Monsters story series.

The first official releases already split the hobby in two

Time to chill is made of PU, PP, and Polyester, with dimensions of 7.1, 6.3, and 14.9 inches, which is a clear signal that this is not a tiny bag charm. This is a displayable plush, the kind of piece that sits on a shelf, desk, or studio corner and reads more like decor than pocket carry.

Just a few months later came THE MONSTERS - Exciting Macaron Vinyl Face Blind Box. It comes in ABS and PVC at 2.36 inches, which puts it in the classic blind-box lane: small, collectible, randomized, and built for the chase. One branch is about shelf presence and tactile display; the other is about surprise pulls, duplicates, and trading toward a full set.

For new collectors, that difference is not cosmetic. A 14.9-inch plush and a 2.36-inch blind box do not behave the same in a collection, the same in shipping, or the same on a resale listing. If you know which branch you are looking at, you know whether you are buying for display, completion, or trade stock.

2025 is when the ecosystem really widens

By 2025, the format range becomes much broader. THE MONSTERS - Have a Seat Vinyl Plush Blind Box is 8 x 7 x 15 cm, which keeps it in a midsize plush blind-box format rather than a tiny accessory. THE MONSTERS Big into Energy Series-Vinyl Plush Pendant Blind Box is 17 cm tall, which pushes Labubu into wearable territory and makes it feel closer to a bag companion than a desk piece.

The line also swings bigger. THE MONSTERS - I FOUND YOU Vinyl Face Doll is a 14.9-inch item, while THE MONSTERS Let’s Checkmate Series-Vinyl Plush Doll reaches 37 cm, which is firmly in statement-piece territory.

THE MONSTERS Hair Salon Series appears on POP MART’s U.S. collection page, and the search trail also turns up Labubu-linked collaborations with Coca-Cola and Hello Kitty & Friends.

The market frenzy changed buying behavior

The collector culture around Labubu is no longer quiet or niche. Long lines formed outside toy stores, online sellouts happened within minutes, and resale listings hit double or triple the original price. That is the practical reality behind the scramble: if you are waiting for a drop to sit around, you are usually already late to the official sale window.

A $30 Labubu doll became an international status symbol and brought in $423 million for Pop Mart in the prior year. Pop Mart’s Labubu-related product sales hit $670 million in 2025, a figure higher than iconic U.S. toy lines Barbie and Hot Wheels. POP MART’s 2024 annual results also showed revenue above 13 billion RMB.

For collectors, that changes the hunt. Retail access matters more, restocks are watched harder, and the difference between a core drop and a side collaboration can mean the difference between a fair shot and a resale trap. The market is large enough now that being precise about the line name, size, and format is not pedantic, it is how you avoid paying status-symbol prices for the wrong version.

How to read the release trail like a collector

The simplest way to onboard into Labubu is to sort releases by what they actually are, not just by the character on the box.

• If you want the original shelf-friendly feel, look at the larger plush dolls like Time to chill or Let’s Checkmate.
• If you like the chase and trade culture, blind boxes like Exciting Macaron and Have a Seat are the core format.
• If you want something you can actually carry, the pendant line gives you that wearable category.
• If you want context, track the themed sub-series and collaborations, because they show where the character is being pushed next.