Labubus are taking over. The small bag charms have had a lasting impact on buyers and their resellers.

But some still don’t know what a Labubu is. Labubus are blind box toys made and sold by Chinese-based company Popmart. The accessories have made their way onto students’ backpacks and belt loops. They were popularized on Tiktok for being near impossible to find and having high resale prices that get people excited to turn a profit. 

Their popularity has caused mixed opinions among students. Some see the toy as a fun accessory, uplifting an otherwise normal outfit or backpack, while others see Labubus as a waste of money, cashing in on people’s fear of missing out. 

“I saw them on TikTok, and I thought it was pretty interesting looking, so I wanted one,” sophomore Anna Boro said. 

Since the start of the school year, more and more Labubus have shown up on students’ key rings and backpacks. Their popularity has only grown but so have students’ opinions on these toys. The Labubu’s value isn’t just about its unique design.

 “I can bond with other Labubu owners and to help me make new friends,” Boro said. 

As the toy becomes harder to find, only being found in specialty stores where they’re rarely in stock, students are now selling Labubus to each other, attempting to turn a profit.

 “I bought a Labubu for $20 and sold it for $40,” sophomore Winston Smith said. 

Whether it’s for friendship, fashion or profit, Labubus have become a growing presence. While many are fans of Labubus, there are some who see their popularity as a negative.

 “They’re cool, but it feels like people are just buying them because they’re popular,” senior Halid Abdulsalam said. “It’s a waste of money. Some people just buy and buy.”

With the growing craze of Labubus, the concern of overconsumption rises. 

“I don’t like how they’re blind boxes,” Halid said. “I feel that it gives people an excuse to buy more.”

 Unlike most trendy products Labubus follows a blind box system, this gives the opportunity for people to buy the same product hoping for a better outcome, feeding into overconsumption and gambling-like tactics. For some students, Labubus represent a symbol for how overhype can push people to overspending without realizing it. 

While trending products are nothing new, Labubus seems to have a tighter hold onto their audience. Whether a person sees them as a fashionable collectible or views them as a problem for students’ wallets, it’s clear that students will still have them clipped to their backpacks and belt loops.