4 days ago
Labubu doll repair now a thriving business in THIS country amid rising demand for ‘toy doctors'; cost, more details here
Labubu dolls, which have gained traction in recent times as collectibles, have set off a thriving business for Chinese toy doctors. The ever-widening craze for plush Chinese toy has increased not only the market demand of new toys but also the need for repair of existing ones.
According to South China Morning Post, a Shanghai 'toy doctor' nicknamed Heartman fixed 100 Labubu toys in one month. He sought his wife's help when the demand for repairs surged beyond his capacity, prompting him to move to a bigger studio. As per the report, the repairs cost 10 per cent of the price of the toy.
In recent years, these toy doctors have grown in popularity by repairing vintage versions of toys but this Labubu fandom is one of the reasons for the boost to their careers.
Notably, an ordinary Labubu toy costs around ₹ 1200 (99 yuan or US$14). While Labubu dolls sell for hundreds of yuan in the second-hand market in China, rare versions may can cost up to thousands of yuan. On July 23, a limited edition Labubu toy listed on eBay sold for a whopping ₹ 9,15,134.64 ($10,585), becoming one of the most expensive Labubus to sell on the secondary market, Forbes reported,
Created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, Labubu is a character of The Monsters family. The origin of these plush dolls dates back to 2019 when Chinese toymaker Pop Mart began working with Lung.
The surge in sales of Labubu and its popularity was noted after South Korean K-pop group Blackpink's member Lisa Brasil openly expressed her love for the toy. Pop Mart's most popular series 'The Monsters' witnessed 726.6 per cent increase in revenue that reached ₹ 3,677 crore (or 3.04 billion yuan).
