Where to Buy Labubu's in Dublin 2025

Julia Labedz
Jun 17
2 min read

Updated: Jul 15

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 Crampton Quay by Temple Bar 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!