A collectible toy craze from China has grabbed the D.C. area. Labubus — small, toothy figures with a goblin-like grin — are popping up in local shops and collector circles, drawing attention far beyond their playful appearance.
The wide-eyed toys have become the latest must-have accessory, with resale prices soaring and collectors chronicling their hunts on TikTok.
“The Labubu craze [is] maybe a result of the whole kind of summer season, and, you know, it’s a little bit silly and cute, and it’s an accessory,” Cristel Russell, a professor of marketing at Pepperdine University, told The Washington Times. “It’s also something people talk about. So it has a lot fun to it and also that hedonic element. It’s not a super rational thing.”
D.C. fans looking to score the widely sought toy can find vending machines at malls in Bethesda, Tysons and Springfield, according to Axios.
“Wow, did not think