Latest news with #counterfeits
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Labubu underground: Lafufu makers defy Chinese authorities to feed the world's appetite for viral doll
Trolleys piled high with decapitated silicon monster heads, tattooed dealers lurking in alleyways, bin bags of contraband hidden behind shop counters: welcome to the world of Lafufus. Fake Labubus, also known as Lafufus, are flooding the hidden market. As demand for the collectable furry keyrings soars, entrepreneurs in the southern trading hub of Shenzhen are wasting no time sourcing imitation versions to sell to eager Labubu hunters. But the Chinese authorities, keen to protect a rare soft-power success story, are cracking down on the counterfeits. 'Labubus have become very sensitive,' says one unofficial vendor, in her small, unmarked, fake designer goods shop hidden on the 17th floor of a bland office building in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei district, an area known for cheap electronics. 'We don't dare to talk about it,' her colleague adds. Labubus, a furry bunny-eared elf sold by Chinese toy company Pop Mart, have gone viral this year. Touted by celebrities from Rihanna to Blackpink's Lisa, the 'ugly-cute' dolls have been so in demand that in the UK Pop Mart pulled the grinning monsters from all stores because of the risk of fights breaking out between customers. In the UK they retail for £17.50, while official versions in China sell for between 99 and 399 yuan (£10.30 – £41.40), with resale prices soaring much higher. The hype has been embraced by the Chinese authorities, who have hailed Pop Mart as the latest Chinese brand to gain popularity overseas, following the likes of the viral video game Black Myth: Wukong and AI company DeepSeek. In June, People's Daily, the Chinese Communist party's official mouthpiece, praised Labubus as representing the shift from 'Made in China' to 'Created in China'. 'Labubu's rise fuses China's strong manufacturing base with creative innovation, tapping into the emotional needs of global consumers,' the article said. Pop Mart's elevation to the status of national hero also appears to have motivated the authorities, in a country trying to shed its reputation for being a land of knock-offs, to aggressively crack down on fakes. In April, customs authorities in the eastern city of Ningbo intercepted a batch of 200,000 goods suspected of infringing Labubu's intellectual property, according to state media, with another sting last month catching over 2,000 fake goods. About 40km (25 miles) across town from the Huaqiangbei store, 59-year-old Li Yang* has never heard of a 'Labubu'. But she spends hours each day sitting on a low plastic stool in her high-rise apartment building slicing apart hundreds of moulded silicon monster heads that will later become Lafufus. Surrounded by piles of flesh-coloured components, Li and her neighbour, Wang Bi*, another stay-at-home grandmother engaged in the painstaking work, spilled out into the hallway of their apartments. 'Since we're staying at home, taking care of the kids, doing housework, we wanted to find some gig work,' Li says. Li didn't know where the monster heads came from or were sent back to. The boss of a nearby factory reported by Chinese media to be producing Lafufus flatly denied any involvement, despite the presence of a pile of suspiciously Labubu-like heads piled high in the hallway. 'China has never been so determined to fix IP [intellectual property] thefts, thanks to Labubu's contribution not just as a global bestselling toy but as a soft power tool,' said Yaling Jiang, a Chinese consumer trends analyst. 'Defending Labubu's IP is no longer just about business interest, but [about] national interest.' So the Lafufu market is going underground. Authorities in Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei recently said they would be inspecting vendors for 'counterfeit and shoddy' Labubus. But it doesn't take long to find a dealer. After a quick phone call made by one of the street-side vendors hawking fake designer bags and watches, a slight, tattooed man, his canvas tote bag dripping in cutesy furry keyrings, appeared out of nowhere. He led the Guardian into a busy shopping mall and over to a counter selling hairdryers and sunglasses. With a few furtive glances, the smartly dressed shop assistant whipped out a black plastic bag from behind the counter, full of Lafufus, for sale for 168 yuan (£17.40) each. Fakes likely come from a range of sources. But Li's business model works like this: every few days, a courier wheels over a trolley piled with bags stuffed with hundreds of moulded monster heads to Li's apartment building. The heads are moulded by a machine, but the act of splitting them into two, so that they can be stuffed and reassembled into a finished toy, is fiddly. It requires cutting along the curved edge of the toy's head by hand, using a sharp knife. So Li and her neighbours, all elderly women, are enlisted to slice the heads by hand, with the mystery factory paying them 0.04 yuan a piece. Every time the courier arrives, Li hauls down several large bags of split-open heads, and collects a new batch of elfin models, ready for dissection. One woman estimated she can cut through 800-1,000 heads a day, earning up to 40 yuan. None of the workers interviewed by the Guardian had any idea what a Labubu was. Wang was shocked to hear that the finished products, fake or otherwise, sold for several hundred yuan. But one person in the home factory knew exactly what the toys were. As Li's young granddaughter wandered into the hallway to find her grandmother inspecting a finished toy, she screamed: 'Labubu!'. *Name has been changed Additional research by Lillian Yang
South China Morning Post
24-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Pop Mart sues 7-Eleven store owners in US, alleging Labubu trademark infringements
Chinese toymaker Pop Mart International is suing several 7-Eleven store operators in California for selling alleged counterfeits of its signature Labubu merchandise and infringing on its trademarks. Advertisement The group's Beijing, Singapore and US-based units, which hold the trademarks and copyrights, are seeking injunctions to stop 7-Eleven Inc and seven convenience store owners or franchisees from continuing to commit the offence, according to the July 18 complaint in a California district court. It is also seeking to disgorge their profits, punitive damages and costs of the lawsuit. Pop Mart confirmed the lawsuit on Thursday, without providing details on the timeline for the proceedings. 'Despite its rights and ability to control and exercise approval over franchisees, 7-Eleven has failed to utilise this control to prevent and stop the counterfeiting and infringement of Pop Mart's trademarks, trade dress and copyrights,' according to the complaint. 02:08 Labubu creator Kasing Lung shares the vision behind his unique plush toys Labubu creator Kasing Lung shares the vision behind his unique plush toys Pop Mart's Labubu dolls – mischievous, elfin figures with serrated teeth – have become a global sensation, helped by publicity generated by celebrity fans including David Beckham . Its success was also built on 'blind boxes' aimed at creating a sense of mystery, helping propel sales to more than US$1.8 billion globally in 2024.
South China Morning Post
19-07-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong customs ‘powerless to stop fake Labubu, Chiikawa toys without records'
Hong Kong customs has approached the trademark owners of popular brands Labubu and Chiikawa to establish records that will help combat counterfeits, with the Post learning the city currently has no way of cracking down on fakes featuring the characters. Advertisement The distributor of hugely popular doll Labubu, Pop Mart, and Nagano Co, the firm that registered the trademark for Japanese manga character Chiikawa, have not completed recordation procedures needed by the Customs and Excise Department to root out fakes, according to a source. A customs spokesman said the department had contacted the trademark owners. 'The department is greatly concerned about the matter and has proactively reached out to the relevant trademark owners for liaison and follow-up [action],' he said. The source said that trademark holders had a procedure to conduct with customs' Recordation Office so the department could investigate suspected piracy or counterfeiting activities and seize goods. Advertisement 'Customs cannot act upon any suspected fake dolls if there is no recordation with the department,' the source said.
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
From Prada to Samsung and Lego: Vietnam cracks down on fakes after US tariff threat
Vietnam is stepping up its fight against counterfeits and digital piracy after the United States accused the country of being a major hub for these illegal activities and threatened crippling tariffs, documents show. Among products that are subject to increased inspections at borders to ascertain their authenticity are luxury goods from Prada and Gucci owner Kering, electronic devices made by Google and Samsung, and toys from Mattel and Lego, according to a document dated April 1 from the customs department of the finance ministry. Consumer goods such as shampoos and razors sold by Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson products were also included in the list, the document showed. The crackdown focuses on imported counterfeits, not those that could be made in Vietnam, which are also of concern to the administration of US President Donald Trump A clampdown on the use of counterfeit software is also under way, according to a warning from inspectors at the Ministry of Culture sent on April 14 to a local company, whose name was redacted from the document. 08:13 After Vietnam threatened with 46% US tariffs, how will Hanoi strike a deal with Washington? After Vietnam threatened with 46% US tariffs, how will Hanoi strike a deal with Washington? The letter, it says, followed a complaint from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the industry's global trade association, whose members include Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe.
Free Malaysia Today
13-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
Vietnam steps up fight on imported counterfeits amid US tariff talks
The US raised concerns about the ongoing sales of fake luxury goods in malls and online, highlighting Vietnam's role in production. (EPA Images pic) HANOI : Vietnam is stepping up its fight against counterfeits and digital piracy after the US accused the country of being a major hub for these illegal activities and threatened crippling tariffs, documents reviewed by Reuters show. Among products that are subject to increased inspections at borders to ascertain their authenticity are luxury goods from Prada and Gucci owner Kering, electronic devices made by Google and Samsung, and toys from Mattel and Lego, according to a document dated April 1 from the customs department of the finance ministry. Consumer goods such as shampoos and razors sold by Procter & Gamble and Johnson and Johnson products are also included in the list, the document showed. The crackdown focuses on imported counterfeits, not those that could be made in Vietnam, which are also of concern to the administration of US President Donald Trump. A clampdown on the use of counterfeit software is also underway, according to a warning from inspectors at the ministry of culture sent on April 14 to a local company, whose name was redacted from the document seen by Reuters. The letter, it says, followed a complaint from the Business Software Alliance (BSA), the industry's global trade association, whose members include Microsoft, Oracle and Adobe. A person familiar with the matter said similar letters have been sent to dozens of companies since the start of April. Vietnam's finance and culture ministries and the customs department did not reply to requests for comment, nor did any of the mentioned companies. A spokesperson for BSA said it has for years urged Vietnam to monitor and take action against the unauthorised use of software. Vietnam's recent moves are part of an array of measures taken or pledged by the Southeast Asian export-reliant industrial hub to persuade the Trump administration to reconsider punitive tariffs. Vietnam faces duties of 46% on exports to the US, its largest market, if confirmed in July after a global pause. Vietnam and the US began informal talks to avoid tariffs well before Trump announced global 'reciprocal' duties on April 2. Enhanced protection of intellectual property, including the fight against counterfeits and digital piracy, is among the issues being discussed with the US in ongoing tariff talks. Also under discussion are the reduction of Vietnam's big trade surplus, the fight against trade fraud such as illegal transshipment, and lowering tariff and non-tariff barriers for US businesses, according to a person briefed on the matter. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh last month instructed officials to strengthen the fight against trade fraud, 'especially regarding the origin of goods, counterfeit goods.' The measures are meant to please Washington but some may irk China, which is the main source of Vietnam's imports. 'Notorious markets' Despite enhanced controls on imported counterfeits, fake luxury goods targeted by the authorities were on display last week at Saigon Square Shopping Mall in Vietnam's business hub Ho Chi Minh City. The mall is on the list of 'notorious markets for counterfeiting' published in January by the US trade representative. 'They are not authentic and are made in China,' said an attendant in one of the stalls in the market, referring to Prada wallets and bags she's selling. She noted counterfeit Prada belts, also available at her stall, were made in Vietnam. The person declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the subject. Calls to Saigon Square went unanswered. Its website says the mall offers 'imitations of famous brands at low prices'. The USTR removed a Vietnamese marketplace at the border with China from its latest watchlist published in January after a crackdown by local authorities. It praised Vietnam's efforts to combat illegal practices, but also expressed concerns over continuing online sales of counterfeit products and Vietnam's role in producing fakes. The Vietnamese platform of Singapore-based e-commerce giant Shopee remained a major hub for the sale of counterfeits, the USTR said. 'As more brands have shifted production from China to Vietnam, stakeholders report that Vietnam has become a key manufacturer of counterfeit products,' the USTR said in a separate report published in April. The USTR and Shopee did not reply to requests for comment. To improve copyright protection Vietnam is planning to set up specialised courts 'to fulfil Vietnam's commitment… to strictly enforce intellectual property rights' and attract foreign investment, according to a draft law reviewed by Reuters scheduled to be approved by parliament in June.
