Pop Mart’s Swift Legal Action Against Labubu Counterfeits Highlights Importance of Early Trademark Protection

Pop Mart’s Labubu dolls rapidly became one of the internet’s most coveted collectibles, but the surge in popularity was quickly met with a wave of counterfeit figures. These knockoffs, colloquially dubbed “Lafufu” by collectors, proliferated across online marketplaces and physical retail outlets, eventually appearing in unexpected venues such as 7-Eleven stores in California.

In response, Pop Mart filed suit against several California 7-Eleven franchisees in 2025, alleging the sale of counterfeit Labubu figures infringing both its trademarks and copyrights. Within weeks, the US District Court for the Central District of California granted a federal temporary restraining order halting further sales while litigation proceeded.

The speed of this ruling initially appeared extraordinary. However, it reflected years of prior legal groundwork laid by Pop Mart before Labubu’s global rise. This preparation proved essential in an era where social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram can catapult products to worldwide fame almost overnight, compressing the timeline between success and imitation.

Counterfeiters now exploit viral demand within days, manufacturing and distributing lookalikes rapidly. Legal experts anticipate a sharp rise in online intellectual property infringement, especially as artificial intelligence accelerates the scale and speed of such attacks.

This evolving landscape means trademark protection must begin well before infringement is detected. Registration, monitoring, and enforcement have become continuous processes aimed at early threat identification and swift action to minimize damage.

Pop Mart’s litigation also revealed how courts recognize the commercial reputation built through modern channels. The Central District of California found Pop Mart likely to succeed on trademark counterfeiting and copyright claims, rejecting defendants’ arguments that the products were merely unauthorized distribution rather than counterfeits. The court acknowledged the harm to both consumers and Pop Mart’s goodwill, emphasizing that trademark law protects newly established reputations as robustly as century-old luxury brands.

Notably, Pop Mart also moved to register “LAFUFU” as a trademark after fans coined the nickname for counterfeit figures. This defensive registration aimed to prevent counterfeiters from appropriating the unofficial label as a competing brand.

The Labubu case illustrates a broader shift in brand protection strategy. Trademark registration does not guarantee success but provides the legal foundation necessary to enforce rights when success arrives. Registered trademarks unlock remedies unavailable or difficult to obtain otherwise, including counterfeiting claims, customs enforcement, and effective marketplace takedowns.

This pattern is evident across consumer brands. Luxury fashion houses have long protected distinctive names, logos, and product features, as seen in Christian Louboutin’s red sole trademark litigation. More recently, Lululemon’s lawsuit against Costco over alleged “dupes” highlights disputes focusing on the boundary between inspiration and protected brand identity.

In all cases, success attracts imitation, and the brands best positioned to respond are those that secured their rights before their value became apparent.

The key takeaway from the Labubu dispute is that trademark protection can no longer wait until a brand achieves success. Popularity and imitation now emerge almost simultaneously, making early preparation commercially essential. This preparation includes selecting distinctive names, securing registrations, monitoring for misuse, and acting promptly when infringement arises.

Modern intellectual property practice reflects this integrated approach. Firms like Trama combine trademark monitoring with enforcement strategies ranging from cease-and-desist letters and marketplace takedowns to opposition proceedings and litigation, helping brands identify and mitigate risks before they escalate.

In today’s fast-paced economy, the moment a product becomes highly sought after may also be when counterfeiters strike. The businesses best equipped to defend their brands are those that built strong legal foundations well before infringement began.