Pop Mart International Group has launched a copyright infringement lawsuit against Shenzhen-based Bambu Lab for running a platform that offers the design files of its signature toy Labubu.
The dispute centers on MakerWorld, a 3D-model platform run by Bambu Lab, where users have uploaded design files that allow others to print replicas of Pop Mart’s hit character Labubu, according to Caixin Global.
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Various Labubu soft toys from Pop Mart. Photo by ANP via AFP |
The case is expected to probe the unclear legal boundaries surrounding consumer 3D printing, particularly whether platform operators can be held responsible when users upload copyrighted designs for personal use.
Established in 2020, Bambu Lab has quickly become a major name in the desktop 3D-printing industry. Its MakerWorld community, introduced in 2023, now attracts nearly 10 million monthly active users.
While direct search results for Labubu have been removed from the platform, models based on other major global intellectual properties, including Pokemon and Hello Kitty, are still accessible.
Labubu, a plush toy portraying monsters of different shapes and appearances, rose to global prominence in 2025 and generated more than 30% of Pop Mart’s total sales revenue.
The toymaker has stepped up efforts to combat intellectual property violations, with China’s customs authorities reporting the seizure of 1.83 million counterfeit Labubu products in 2025 alone.
The lawsuit is not Bambu Lab’s first encounter with copyright litigation. In 2025, the studio behind the animation The Legend of Luo Xiaohei sued the company for allegedly “infringing information network dissemination rights.” The next court hearing in that case is scheduled for March 20.
Meanwhile, MakerWorld has also taken a firm stance against competing model-sharing platforms. In October 2025, it warned rivals of potential legal action, accusing them of hosting content allegedly taken from creators whose works were originally exclusive to MakerWorld.
