The viral Labubu craze is everything that’s wrong with TikTok

I have a confession – I’m not immune to the beguiling temptress that is TikTok and all its brain rot goodness. But amidst the constant stream of viral memes, insufferable influencers, and TikTok trends is something much worse – the shameless flogging of stuff. From sticky bras to Stanley cups, there’s always some must-have product taking over my FYP, but the latest internet obsession is perhaps the most perplexing yet. Enter the humble Labubu.

A highly coveted collection of plush toy monsters, Labubu’s have taken over social media platforms, becoming one of the most sought-after accessories among Gen Alphas and Zers. While admittedly I’ve dabbled in the joys of collectable tat in my time, the great Labubu invasion of 2025 presents an interesting insight into the power product design, TikTok marketing, and our yearning for cult consumerist crap.

Labubus were first sported by celebrities such as Dua Lipa and Rihanna, before quickly spreading to TikTok, where influencer ‘unboxing’ videos started going viral. As more content creators hopped on the trend, more viewers began to buy up the boxes, creating a trickle-down effect that saw an uptick in sales. Of course, more buyers meant less stock, leading to a scarcity-powered buying hysteria among teens-to-twenty-something’s.