Labubu Toy Trend Raises Environmental and Safety Concerns

After months of influencing, you finally fall susceptible to one of the hottest item crazes–Labubus. Created by Kasing Lung in 2015 and gaining popularity ten years later in 2025, Labubus are small elf-like fuzzy figurines that come in blind boxes, typically in a series of six, including one secret you could unbox, making seven.

But your purchase of this item may be a contributor to the downfall of Earth’s environment.

The craze started in the beginning of 2025 and is slowly fading away, contributing to the overconsumption and environmental issues of the planet as well, as being a hazard for young children.

As a statement, Labubus contain PVC, known to have severe ecological and health implications. Additionally, synthetic fabrics used in plush toys such as Labubus worsen environmental degradation through intensive manufacturing practices. 

According to OneStep ESG, consumer behavior significantly drives the environmental impact of collectible toys. The psychology of blind-box purchasing exploits the excitement and anticipation associated with unknown outcomes. This strategy encourages overconsumption, with collectors frequently buying numerous boxes to complete sets or acquire rare items. Social media heavily encouraged the spread of purchasing these items.

“I’m not thinking, ‘oh, I’m buying this because it’ll make me feel so cool.’ It’s just because I see it and other people have it and I’m like, ‘Oh, I’m really gonna like this.’ And then it turns out I don’t. And I think that’s part of the influence of trends–for a lot of people, they’re not doing it to be popular; they’re just doing it because they think if everyone else likes it, I’ll like it,” junior Cecilia Bealer said.

As a result of the trend, Labubu fakes (known as Lafufus) are emerging as an alternative to the expensive Labubus. These Lafufus are posing risks to younger audiences as they are small enough for a child to fit inside of his or her mouth and block the airway. There have also been reports of Lafufus that break apart easily, releasing small parts that can become choking hazards to young consumers.

Although any product could break apart easily or cause airway blockage, this situation has become so important and widespread that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (UPSC) has warned consumers not to buy these knockoff products and to stop using them immediately.

“I think it’s dumb, and I think people should move on from it. It does not do any good for society, so just get rid of them or forget about them overall.” senior Jarielle Guerrier said.

Ultimately, the current trend of the Labubu stuffed animal is damaging to the Earth’s environment, as the mass production of the item is leading to significant waste around the planet–the typical results of a short-lived trend. On top of this, duplicated fakes of this product pose a risk towards younger audiences, as the fakes are poorly assembled, resulting in pieces falling off without difficulty. Although initially it may seem exciting to hop on a new trend, it can end up being damaging the environment and younger audiences as time passes.