FAQ: How to Pick Lafufu

Welcome to Lafufu. Although it is officially an imitation Labubu Lafufu has gained its own spot in the market because of pop culture the original being out of reach and a little faux insanity. The purpose of this FAQ is to help you understand the market and enlighten you on what you are getting yourself into.

What is Lafufu and what are the differences with Labubu?

Labubu is the real deal. Labubu is an authentic licensed character of the Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung and is manufactured by the company Pop Mart which is located in Hong Kong. It is the original and premium product.

Lafufu also refers to the imitation or fake Labubu. Lafufu is fused from ‘La’ coming from Labubu and ‘Fufu’ coming from fake. These are made without authorisation and are made to imitate the popular designer toy but do so at a substantially lesser price and quality. It is interesting to note that the term has gained so much prominence that Pop Mart has sought to trademark ‘Lafufu’ as a defensive strategy.

Lafufu Phenomenon: Why would anyone opt for a Lafufu over a genuine Labubu?

Although Lafufu is a type of counterfeit product it has become successful and here's why:

Cost and Availability: Those who want an authentic Labubu figure especially popular plush versions like the Have a Seat plush will struggle to find one. Even the official sellers of Labubu lose the product and the secondary markets (resellers) will most likely sell them for a price 2 - 10 (even more than 10) times higher than the authentic Labubu. Lafufu is a cheap alternative for someone who just wants the character.

Anti-Establishment: Buying a Lafufu is viewed as a small protest against hype culture scalpers and brand premiums in some online communities. It allows a person to partake in the culture without feeding the price-gouging market.

Creative Freedom: Lafufu plushies are affordable and some believe that the lower price diminishes the expectations to create a masterful piece of art. The Lafufu is the perfect platform for customization painting and modding to their hearts' desire without the anxiety of ruining an expensive collectible.3. Why would the safety of Lafufu be a cause of concern?

One major cause for concern when buying a Lafufu is the safety of their production: Injuries can be a result of the unsafe conditions under which Lafufu are made. No Safety Standards are followed during Lafufu production. The materials used during the production are unregulated and could contain dangerous materials. The stuffing inside stuffed Lafufu could be made of dangerous or unclean materials. The chemicals used in the production of Lafufu could be cheaper and pose a greater health risk.

How can I spot a Lafufu if I'm trying to avoid buying one?

When trying to avoid the purchase of Lafufu the following signs can be indicative of a faux piece:

Check The Teeth: Authentic Labubu has a very strict requirement that the pieces contain exactly nine teeth. Lafufu are known for being incorrect on this count and almost never get the amount of teeth on the pieces correct tending to default to eight or ten.

Look At The Packagin: All authentic pieces have a very distinct packagin . In particular their holographic sticker is very easy to spot and is of a very high quality. If Packagin Iridescent Silver "POP MART" stickers are spotted on the packagin they are most likely a faux piece.

QR Code: Your sticker should have a QR code. When scanned it should take you to a Pop Mart verification page. If it takes you to a random page or a page full of random letters it is a fake product.

Anti-Counterfeit Code: To check the anti counterfeit code that you have to take a mini-program of WeChat called Pop Mart Service Center. In other countries the app may be called differently.

Check the Product Quality

Labubu has uneven fur lengths. Paint is applied sloppily so that there is excess paint around the features. Eyes and teeth are poorly defined.

Branding: there is a “POP MART” mark located usually at the bottom of the foot of the figure or at a sewn label.

If I decide to get a Lafufu how can I get the “best” one?

There is no official quality control system so it is all random. But there are ways to control it somewhat.

There is a cheap unlicensed product so do not set your expectations too high. Most importantly aim for the one that is “good enough” for your aim. For example a bag charm or a customizing project.

Study Reviews: Examine how reviews are given on Taobao AliExpress and Shopee. Reviews with photos and videos are always more credible than the seller's photos. Be careful on the reviews given on the face the teeth alignment and the quality of the fur.

Pay Attention To: Bad fakes are sometimes sold alongside poorly made fakes. Look through the reviews and see if there's a batch that has the correct painting and a full set of teeth (9). The good fakes are the ones that are most talked about in the forums.

Understand the Defaults: The photos will show common flaws like a bad eye and mouth alignment fur that is uneven a mouth that is misaligned and seams that show. Decide on which flaws are acceptable to you and which ones you cannot handle.

Be Careful of “Mid-tier” Pricing: Some sellers will price the Lafufus differently. A more expensive Lafufu may come from a better factory with better materials and quality control although this is not always the case. In the market this is what people call a “high-quality fake”.

Are there any legal issues surrounding the purchasing of Lafufus? 

Regarding the Buyer: In many jurisdictions buying a counterfeit product even though it undermines an illegal economy is not a serious offense. 

Regarding the Seller: Selling counterfeit merchandise is a blatant infringement of intellectual property rights (both trademark and copyright) and is a criminal offense. Customs and border control authorities prevent the sale and distribution of Lafufus by intercepting and removing them from the stream of commerce.

What’s the bottom line? Should I get a Lafufu?

The answer is up to you considering your financial capacity what you believe and your plans. 

If you want to preserve the value of your investment and support the creator of the Labubu and want a product (that is of guaranteed quality and reliability) that is made under quality control and are prepared to pay that investment then buy a Genuine Labubu. 

If you want to buy a cheap ornament that you are not concerned about losing or damaging and that you want to use as the starting point of a custom design project then you may buy a Lafufu. You do so knowing that it is a counterfeit of very poor quality likely to present health risks and that no value is added to the brand you are buying.