Labubu fever may have taken over the world but this is hardly the first time a toy has led to a worldwide obsession .The popular designer toy Labubu, created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung in collaboration with collectible toy brand Pop Mart, is instantly recognizable thanks to its furry body, wide eyes, and trademark mischievous grin.
An authentic Labubu typically retails for around $39.99 or ₹4,000, so be cautious if you come across one priced suspiciously low, as it may be a fake. There are also other signs you can look out for to identify counterfeit Labubu dolls.
Pop Mart is enjoying a major windfall. The Chinese company, known for catering to collectors and influencers, announced this week that its profits for the first half of the year are projected to soar by over 350% compared to the same period last year thanks largely to the runaway success of Labubu. With this achievement, Pop Mart joins a select group of brands that have managed to tap into the cultural moment, drawing in massive crowds eager to snag the latest must-have collectible.
Here are some toys which led the consumer base into a buying frenzy in the past.
Cabbage Patch Kids
These soft-bodied dolls with chubby faces and yarn hair stormed into homes in the 1980s, coming with adoption papers that made them feel special. At their peak, more than 90 million were sold worldwide, with frenzied parents lining up at stores to grab one.
Created by Xavier Roberts and originally distributed by Coleco, the dolls were revived in 2004, hoping to ride the nostalgia wave along with other ’80s hits like Care Bears, Strawberry Shortcake, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Today, they’re commemorated at BabyLand General Hospital, a museum in Cleveland, Georgia, and they were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2023.
Beanie Babies
In the mid-1990s, Beanie Babies became a sensation. These under-stuffed plush animals, sold for around $5, came with Ty Inc. tags bearing unique names and were released in limited runs, fueling a collector’s craze. Many people saw them as investments, trading and selling them with the hope of future profits—some even succeeded. Ty Warner, the creator, became a billionaire in just three years. But his legacy was tarnished when he pleaded guilty to tax evasion in 2014 for hiding at least $25 million in Swiss accounts. Though he avoided prison, he received two years’ probation.
Tamagotchi
First launched in Japan in 1996 by Bandai, the Tamagotchi offered a virtual pet experience without the real-world mess. Shaped like a small egg, the digital toy required users to feed, discipline, and entertain their digital creature—or risk its virtual death. It quickly became a global craze in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2013, the brand was revived as a mobile app, recreating the nostalgic experience. It earned a spot in the World Video Game Hall of Fame in May.
Fidget Spinners
In 2017, fidget spinners became the unexpected hit of the year. These small spinning gadgets weren’t the product of a major toy brand, didn’t debut during the holiday rush, and weren’t backed by flashy marketing. Instead, they spread like wildfire through social media.
Originally used by children with autism or attention disorders to stay focused, the toys became mainstream and flooded classrooms and workplaces. Mass-produced—mostly in China—by various companies, they were initially promoted as concentration tools, but many schools eventually banned them, citing them as distractions.