I still remember the feeling. A customer sent me a photo of the "Soymilk" Labubu they'd just bought from a random online marketplace. They were so excited. They'd gotten it for a "steal", about $40 when it was peaking at over $100 on the secondary market. But my stomach just sank. The color was a little too yellow, the eyes a little too far apart. It was a fake. Breaking that news to someone is the worst part of my job.
The "Big Into Energy" series has been a blessing and a curse. It brought so many new people into the world of LABUBU, but that massive hype painted a giant target on its back for counterfeiters. The demand completely outstripped Pop Mart's supply, creating a feeding frenzy on platforms like eBay, Mercari, and sketchy social media shops. And because the designs are relatively simple compared to, say, the intricate "Monsters Camping" series, fakers thought they could get away with it. And for a while, they did.
So, if you're trying to figure out how to tell if big into energy labubu is real, you need more than a checklist. You need a playbook. As someone who sources, inspects, and sells these figures for my store, PopNya, I've seen fakes that were shockingly good and fakes that were laughably bad. Here's my field-tested process for sniffing out a big into energy fake.
The Pre-Purchase Playbook: Don't Get Scammed in the First Place
The best way to deal with a fake is to never buy it. 90% of the battle is won before you even click "add to cart."
First, let's talk price. This is the biggest, reddest flag. A full case of 12 retails for around $170-$180. A single blind box is about $14-$15. If someone is selling a "confirmed" Soymilk or Chestnut for $30, you need to run. As of writing this, a real Labubu Big Into Energy Soymilk consistently sells for $80-$120 on the secondary market. Lychee is often $50+. If a deal seems too good to be true, it is. There are no secret, benevolent sellers out there giving away the most popular chase figures for a loss. They are selling you a fake.
Next, scrutinize the seller. Are their photos stolen from someone else's Instagram? Do a reverse image search. Are all their photos crisp, clear, and look like they were taken in the same place? That's a good sign. Do they have a bunch of other random, unrelated items for sale, or do they seem to specialize in designer toys? I trust a seller with 10 different Pop Mart series listed more than a seller with one Labubu, a used iPhone, and a pair of fake Nikes. Look at their reviews. Don't just look at the rating; read the negative comments. "Took long to ship" is one thing. "Item was a cheap fake" is another.
And a special warning: the Labubu vs Lafufu Big Into Energy confusion. This is a sneaky one. "Lafufu" is a completely different, much cheaper brand of toy that looks vaguely similar to Labubu. They have their own "Energy" series. Scammers will sometimes use photos of a real Labubu but put "Lafufu" in the description, or they'll list a Lafufu and hope you don't know the difference. Lafufu figures are not Labubu. They are not made by Pop Mart or Kasing Lung. They have zero collector value. It's a classic bait-and-switch.
The Unboxing Forensics: What to Do When the Package Arrives
Okay, so you took a chance, or you bought from a place you thought was reputable. The box is in your hands. Now you become a detective.
The Box: Your First Line of Defense
Forget just looking at the font. The counterfeiters have gotten pretty good at copying the graphics. You need to use your other senses. Pick up a real Big Into Energy box. The cardboard has a specific premium, matte feel with a slight texture. It's sturdy. Now, feel the big into energy labubu fake box. It often feels flimsy, slick, and cheap. The colors might be slightly washed out or overly saturated.
On a genuine Pop Mart box, this perforation is incredibly clean and precise. It tears open with a satisfying, straight rip. On many fakes, the perforation is jagged, uneven, or punches through the cardboard messily. It feels like it was made with a dull tool.
Also, check the anti-counterfeit sticker. The real ones have a QR code and a scratch-off panel. While fakers can replicate this, the printing on the fake stickers is often less crisp, and the QR code might not even scan properly.
The Foil Pouch & The Smell Test
You've opened the box. Now look at the foil pouch inside. A real one has a specific matte, almost velvety finish. It feels thick. Fake pouches are often thin, overly crinkly, and have a cheap, glossy sheen like a potato chip bag. The heat-sealed edges on a fake can be messy and uneven.
Now for my favorite and most reliable test: the smell.
Open the pouch. Take a sniff. A genuine Pop Mart figure has a very neutral smell. It just smells like... Nothing. Maybe a very faint, clean vinyl scent if you really try. A fake, however, almost always has a strong, sharp, chemical odor. It's the smell of cheap plasticizers and low-quality paint. It's unmistakable. If your Labubu smells like a dollar store toy, I'm sorry, but you probably have a fake. This detail alone has saved me from accidentally stocking fakes more times than I can count.
The Figure Itself: The Final Judgment
You've unboxed it. It passed the smell test. Now it's time for the final inspection. This is where the differences between big into energy labubu real vs fake become undeniable.
Weight, Feel, and Finish
A real Labubu has a pleasant heft. It feels solid and balanced. The vinyl has a beautiful, smooth matte finish that's soft to the touch. It doesn't feel like hard, cheap plastic. Fakes are often lighter, or sometimes oddly heavier if they use a different material mix. The finish is the biggest giveaway. Fakes are frequently semi-glossy or have a chalky, rough texture instead of that signature smooth matte. They just feel cheap.
The Paint and Details
This is where you need a good eye. Take "Soymilk" for example. The real one is a specific creamy, off-white color. Many fakes are either pure white or too yellow. The brown "splatter" on its ear is delicate and well-defined on the real one; on fakes, it can be a clumsy blob. Look for fuzzy lines where two colors meet, especially around the eyes and on the little teeth. Pop Mart's quality control is excellent; you shouldn't see significant overspray or sloppy edges.
Another thing I've noticed is the depth of the eyes. On a real Labubu, the black pupils are painted with a crisp, deep black. On some fakes, the black looks faded or slightly grey, and it might not fill the entire eye socket cleanly.
The Joints and The Card
Turn the head. A real Labubu's head moves with a smooth, satisfying resistance. It holds its position. A fake's head is often either wobbly and loose or stiff and squeaky.
Don't forget the accessories! Every box comes with a collector card and a little plastic character coin. The real card is printed on thick, high-quality cardstock with a slight texture. The image is razor-sharp. Fake cards feel like flimsy, cheap business cards. The colors are often off, and the text can be slightly blurry if you look closely. The same goes for the coin, real ones have crisp, defined molding; fakes have soft edges and visible seams. If you're new to collecting, I've written up a more general `[Fake Labubu Guide: How to Tell if Your Monster is Real (From a Seller's Perspective)]` that covers some of these basics in more detail across different series.
Real Talk: Is It Worth the Risk?
Honestly? No.
The counterfeit market for this series is so rampant and the fakes are getting so sophisticated that buying from an unverified third-party seller is a huge gamble. You might save $20, but you could end up with a worthless piece of plastic that has a weird chemical smell and supports art theft. The joy of collecting these little guys, for me, comes from appreciating the artistry of Kasing Lung and the quality that Pop Mart delivers. A fake just feels hollow. The popularity is wild, and I get why everyone is trying to get their hands on them, it's a phenomenon I've even written about before, exploring `[Why Is Everyone Drawing LABUBU?]` and what makes them so special.
As a seller, it's a constant battle to secure authentic stock. We have to go through official distributors, wait for allocations, and compete with everyone else. That's why the prices on legitimate sites might seem higher than that random Facebook marketplace listing. You're not just paying for the toy; you're paying for the guarantee that it's a real labubu big into energy. You're paying for the peace of mind that what you get is the real deal, straight from the source.
So my final advice is simple: be patient. Buy from official Pop Mart stores, authorized retailers (like us at PopNya, where you can `browse LABUBU figures` we've painstakingly verified), or highly-rated, long-standing secondary market sellers with a proven track record. Your collection, and your wallet, will thank you.
--- Disclosure: PopNya may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page.
