Chinese trendy toy maker Pop Mart's flagship original IP Labubu will enter the FIFA World Cup football matches in June, becoming the first Chinese trendy toy IP to appear at the tournament, the company told the Global Times on Wednesday.
The announcement came at the company's 2025 annual results briefing held on Wednesday. Pop Mart reported total revenue of 37.12 billion yuan ($5.16 billion) in 2025, up 184.7 percent year on year. This is not the first "breakthrough" achieved by Chinese original trendy toy IPs on the global stage in recent times.
In November last year, the company showcased multiple popular IPs including Labubu at the 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, becoming the first Chinese brand in the event's history to feature original, trendy toy IPs on a parade float. Labubu figures will also took part in events including the 100th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in the US at the end of the year.
Notably, Chinese trendy toy IPs have been expanding into cross-industry collaborations. Pop Mart plans to launch a range of IP-based small home appliances in April. In addition, the company is planning a Labubu film project co-developed with Sony Pictures, which is expected to be directed and produced by Paul King, the filmmaker behind the Paddington series and the box-office hit Wonka.
Chinese original IPs have recently continued to deliver strong results across diverse cross-industry platforms. Another Chinese original IP developer, Letsvan, has also been expanding cross-industry collaborations. On March 20, Letsvan integrated its flagship IP Wakuku into the runway of Beijing Fashion Week, blending trendy toy aesthetics with original apparel design.
The cross-industry initiatives by leading trendy toy brands align with the industry's shift from scale expansion to deeper IP monetization, serving as a key pathway for advancing toward globally recognized cultural symbols. Chinese market watchers noted these landmark breakthroughs show that China's trendy toy and cultural consumer brands are shifting from scale-driven growth to IP-led global expansion. This 'going global' momentum highlights growing maturity in creativity and suggests Chinese brands are increasingly capable of building cultural influence worldwide.
Leading companies' flagship IPs have attracted global consumer attention. Bloomberg reported on March 15 that Pop Mart characters such as Twinkle Twinkle, Skullpanda and Crybaby are drawing large crowds. On Chinese resale platform Qiandao, many of the character's toys trade above official prices.
In 2025, the designer toy segment totaled 87.97 billion yuan, surging 21 percent. Data from industry sources also predicted the sector's total value would reach 110.1 billion yuan in 2026.