Pop Mart's IP Offensive Shields Labubu Brand Amid Global Counterfeits

Pop Mart has shifted from toy maker to IP enforcer, deploying lawsuits, customs seizures and court victories to defend Labubu as a luxury-style collectible. The company’s campaign includes a July 2025 trademark suit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against 7-Eleven Inc. and several California franchisees, and a September 2025 U.S. Customs and Border Protection seizure in Seattle of over 11,000 knockoffs described as “Lafufus,” with an estimated value of more than $500,000.

That legal posture sits on a large portfolio and formal protections. By 2024 the company “held over 1,200 trade marks, 1,600 copyrights and 45 patents,” and Pop Mart owns trademark registrations for the LABUBU wordmark and a LABUBU composite mark as well as copyright registrations for original Labubu artwork, blind boxes, packing bags and the dolls themselves. Mathys-squire concluded that “Pop Mart displays a robust, multi-layered approach to their IP, encompassing copyright, trade marks, and patents, demonstrating an understanding that design and branding are both highly valuable assets.”

The commercial stakes are high. Pop Mart’s blind-box model “built around scarcity helped Pop Mart’s profits soar by 400 percent this year, boosted by an even more lucrative secondary market where resale prices have effectively pushed Labubus into the luxury goods category.” That elevation helped push Labubu into mainstream fashion moments — a social post pairing Labubu with Louis Vuitton by Lisa of Blackpink is cited as the turning point that sparked celebrity posts from the princess of Thailand, Rihanna and David Beckham — and underlies collaborations such as a MOYNAT line of Labubu-adorned handbags that “became available on the 11th of October” and a UNIQLO clothing line launched “on the 18th of September” under licensing agreements to ensure Pop Mart is remunerated and the image is not misused.

Enforcement has been detailed and evidence-driven. Pop Mart’s July 2025 complaint alleges multiple 7-Eleven stores sold counterfeit Labubus with identical or nearly identical trademarks, trade dress and packaging and attaches photographic and video evidence, social media posts and receipts from undercover purchases; the company seeks injunctive relief, punitive damages and legal costs and asserts 17 causes of action. Knobbe analysts framed the legal work as part of activating “existing enforcement infrastructure” including customs partnerships to counter transnational knockoffs.

Courts have sided with the company in novel settings. Abounaja reports that “in a recent lawsuit, a court ruled in favor of Pop Mart against a defendant selling 3D-printed Labubu replicas. The court affirmed that both the unauthorized distribution and online dissemination of the copyrighted designs constituted infringement. This case sets a critical precedent for protecting IP in the age of digital fabrication, where a single file can lead to mass counterfeiting.” The same analysis catalogues odd unauthorized uses, noting that “in Singapore, a confectionery started selling ‘ang ku kueh’ (sweet dumplings) shaped like Labubu, and a restaurant sold chocolate buns resembling another character from ‘The Monsters’ series.”

Legal protection is not just about takedowns; it is tied to market management. Knobbe warns that “oversaturation of the Labubu market, and the general cycles of consumer spending, have led to a 14.3% price decrease in the latest Labubu drop,” and concludes that enforcement also serves to preserve product integrity and consumer safety: “Ultimately, the battle against counterfeiting is more than protecting profits, it is about preserving the integrity of art and ensuring consumer safety.” A Feb. 27, 2026 analytical piece framed these moves as central to defending Labubu’s brand value, showing how Pop Mart’s IP offensive has become a core business tool as the collectible navigates celebrity fame, luxury partnerships and a global counterfeit market.