Labubu is one of the most counterfeited designer toys in the world, and the fakes have gotten better every year. The early ones were easy — dull fur, wonky eyes, obviously wrong colors. The current generation copies the packaging, the holographic sticker, and even the QR code.
We're a POP MART retailer, so counterfeits are our problem too. We bought fake samples offline specifically to photograph them next to authentic units. What follows is what we found, organised the way it actually matters: by series.
Start here: the rule that beats every checklist
Why the series matters
Most authentication guides give you one list and imply it works everywhere. It doesn't. POP MART changed packaging, tagging, and anti-counterfeit features between generations, and the counterfeiters adapted differently to each one.
| Series | Format | Most reliable tell |
|---|---|---|
| V1 — Exciting Macaron (2023) | Vinyl face + plush body | Box title font colour, plus fur and proportion quality |
| V2 — Have a Seat (2024) | Vinyl face + plush body, seated | Face stitching detail and the white QR wash tag |
| V3 — Big Into Energy (2025) | Vinyl plush pendant | Holographic stripe pattern and print texture — checkable without opening |
If you don't know which series you're looking at, start with our Complete Labubu Collector's Guide, which walks through every series in order.
V1 — Exciting Macaron (vinyl face series)
What an authentic V1 looks like
- Colour: well balanced and evenly distributed, with no smudges and no missing print.
- The whites are not pure white. Authentic V1 white areas carry a slightly off-white, creamy tint. A bright, clinical white is a warning sign.
- Proportions: natural body shape, arms and legs properly aligned.
- Fur: fluffy with genuine loft; colours look vibrant and accurate rather than washed out.
- Packaging: plastic wrapping clean and neatly sealed; wash tags and stamped logos crisp and correctly placed.
The box title font — the fastest V1 check
On the printed box, an authentic V1 uses a red and white title font. Counterfeits we sampled used a black title font. This is the single quickest thing to look at in a listing photo.
V1 red flags
- Fur looks flat and less fluffy; colours dull or slightly off-hue.
- Body proportions awkward or misaligned.
- Plastic wrapping feels cheap, with uneven seams.
- Wash tags and stamps blurry, misplaced, or missing entirely.
V2 — Have a Seat
Sealed box
- Plastic wrap is intact with no bulging. (Store-pickup units occasionally have slightly imperfect wrapping, but this is rare.)
- Print colours are normal — neither too dark nor too light. Off-register or oversaturated printing is a warning sign.
The plush itself
- Authentic plush is very round and smooth, with clean stitching on the face.
- The embossed stamp is clear and cleanly pressed, not shallow or smeared.
- The wash tag is a white label with a QR code. Very old batches may lack it, but those are rare now — assume it should be present.
The face is the giveaway. Even the best counterfeits we handled still looked subtly wrong in the facial details — spacing, symmetry, the line of the mouth. If something feels off about the face and you can't say why, trust that instinct and check everything else carefully.
V3 — Big Into Energy (authenticate without opening the box)
V3 is the series most people are buying right now, and it is also the one you most often have to judge from a sealed box. These five checks all work on the packaging alone.
1. Laser holographic pattern
✅ Authentic: under light, the holographic area resolves into diagonal reflective stripes.
❌ Fake: under light it appears as solid patches with no stripe pattern.
2. Print quality and box feel
✅ Authentic: the front printed design has a raised texture, with clear extended lines from the transparent coating around the edges. The box feels sturdy and the colour carries a slightly yellowish tint.
❌ Fake: the box colour reads whitish, with no raised coating texture anywhere on the panel.
3. Font colour
✅ Authentic: font colour is grey, printed clearly.
❌ Fake: font is blue.
4. Side panel character guide
✅ Authentic: exquisite print craftsmanship; the characters have an overall darker tone. Lucky's belly reads whitish.
❌ Fake: rough craftsmanship; characters look overall brighter. Lucky's belly reads bluish.
5. Side panel QR code — and the trap inside it
✅ Authentic: the font stays grey. After you scratch off the coating, the four sets of numbers sit very tightly together and print clearly, surrounded by rectangular reflective anti-counterfeit markers.
Quick reference: what to check, by series
| Check | V1 Macaron | V2 Have a Seat | V3 Big Into Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price far below market | Fake | Fake | Fake |
| Box title font | Red/white = real, black = fake | — | — |
| White areas creamy, not pure white | Yes | — | — |
| Face stitching and symmetry | Yes | Strongest tell | — |
| White wash tag with QR | Newer batches only | Yes | — |
| Holographic diagonal stripes | — | — | Strongest tell |
| Raised print coating texture | — | — | Yes |
| Verification URL is fwsy.popmart.com | — | — | Yes |
Where counterfeits actually come from
Fakes are not evenly distributed across channels. In descending order of risk: unvetted social-media shops, then general resale marketplaces where anyone can list, then established resale platforms, then independent retailers, then the official store. We wrote an honest breakdown of every channel — including where buying from a shop like ours is the wrong call — in Where to Buy Blind Boxes Online in 2026.
What to do if you think you received a fake
- Photograph the packaging before you open anything else. Outer wrap, all box panels, the holographic area, and the QR panel. Once the packaging is gone, most of your evidence is gone.
- Photograph the figure itself — face straight on, wash tag, and any embossed stamp.
- Contact the seller immediately with those photos, before disposing of anything.
- If you paid via PayPal or card, you have a third-party dispute process. Open it if the seller stops responding.
If you bought from us and believe an item is not authentic, email support@didapop.com within 14 days with those photos and we will verify with our supplier and replace or refund. Every Labubu we ship is sourced through POP MART's official channels.
Related reading
- The Complete Labubu Collector's Guide: V1, V2, V3 and every series explained
- Labubu Size Guide: how big is every Labubu?
- Where to Buy Blind Boxes Online in 2026
- Is DidaPop legit? An honest look at authenticity and shipping
Browse authentic stock in our Labubu collection, or watch us open boxes live on TikTok @didapopblindbox — packaging detail is much easier to judge on video than in a listing photo.