Where to Buy Labubu's in Dublin 2025

Julia Labedz
Jun 17
2 min read

Updated: Jun 24

It’s fluffy. It’s a little ugly. It clips on perfectly to your handbag - few collectibles have crossed so many borders, both cultural and literal, as Kasing Lung’s snag-toothed sprite, Labubu.

Released in 2019 by Chinese designer-toy powerhouse Pop Mart, the palm-sized monster has Gen-Zers queuing for blind boxes - yet tracking down an authentic Labubu on Irish soil can feel impossible. Here’s your up-to-the-minute guide.

1. Forbidden Planet Dublin

If you’re visiting the capital, Forbidden Planet on Dawson Street remains the steadiest (if still sporadic) source of Pop Mart stock. The cult-comics retailer receives small, allocated drops of Labubu blind boxes and the occasional 37 cm plush; staff report every batch selling through within hours. Your best tactic is to:

Follow their Instagram Stories for restock alerts.
Arrive early - queues form before opening on release days.
Bring cash-plus-card; some limited editions are capped at one per customer, and the basement can have spotty connection for contactless.

2. Pop-Ups - Watch Arnotts Henry Street

Ireland still lacks a dedicated Pop Mart flagship, and the company’s global store map lists the Republic as “coming soon” rather than confirmed. That said, summer 2025 introduced a tantalising stop-gap: a Pop Mart vending machine (dubbed a “Robo Shop”) on the first floor of Arnotts, Dublin 1, complete with snaking queues of thirty-somethings reliving Beanie-Baby flashbacks. Stock is refreshed unpredictably, so treat it as a bonus rather than a guarantee.

3. Ordering from Across the Irish Sea

Until Pop Mart opens an Irish warehouse, most collectors supplement local hunts with online orders:

Route	Pros	Cons
Pop Mart UK Webstore	Official stock, fixed RRP	£-€ exchange + shipping; customs if over €150
ForbiddenPlanet.com	Ships to Ireland, occasional Labubu bundles	Drops announced with little notice
Designer-toy specialists (e.g., OneKickIreland, TofuCute)	Curated selections	Smaller allocations, higher markup

Always factor VAT and import duties when the basket total (item + shipping) clears €150.

Dodging the “Lafufu” Trap

Because demand outstrips supply, entire Telegram groups are dedicated to exposing counterfeits, nicknamed “lafufus.” Telltale red flags include:

Teeth count: authentic Labubu has exactly nine fangs.
Paint tone: Pop Mart uses a soft peach base; neon pink or orange suggests a fake.
Packaging: real blind boxes carry Pop Mart’s silver hologram and a QR code that scans to the company’s authenticity app.

If a price seems too good to be true, or a seller won’t provide close-ups, assume lafufu and walk away. Or give in - no one counts teeth anyways…right?

Tips for First-Time Hunters

Budget realistically. Standard blind boxes retail around €17–€25 in-store; limited plush versions are near €40.
Swap, don’t scalp. Dublin’s anime conventions (DCC, Eirtakon) host trade tables where doubles can be exchanged at cost.
Store them correctly. Ireland’s humidity can yellow vinyl; keep figures in a polybag with silica gel if you plan to display later.

Pop Mart’s European roadmap hints at a flagship opening once logistics for VAT-inclusive pricing stabilise. Until then, Forbidden Planet remains Labubu lovers first port of call, and vigilance your best defence against lafufus. Happy hunting!