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I remember when "The Monsters Big Into Energy" series first dropped. We ordered a few cases for PopNya, and like with any new LABUBU release, there was a buzz. But I never would have guessed which one would cause a complete market meltdown. It wasn't the bold "Brave" or the cute "Healing." It was the little blue guy with a single tear. The Loyalty Labubu.
Suddenly, my inbox was flooded. "Do you have the sad blue one?" "How much for the crying Labubu?" It became a phenomenon. And with that phenomenon came a tidal wave of questions, insane prices, and unfortunately, a ton of fakes.
If you're here, you're probably trying to navigate that chaos. You've seen the listings, you've gasped at the loyalty labubu price, and you're wondering if it's even possible to get a real loyalty labubu without getting ripped off.
As someone who has held the real deal and a dozen knock-offs, let's cut through the noise. This is the playbook you need.
The Anatomy of a Hype Monster**
First, what even is this thing? The Loyalty Labubu is a plush keychain pendant from the POP MART series called "The Monsters Big Into Energy." It's not a vinyl figure. It came in a blind box, meaning you had a 1-in-12 chance of pulling it from a standard case. The retail price for one blind box was around $17.
Seventeen dollars.
I recently saw a confirmed sale on a secondary market app for $145. That's an 850% markup. It's wild.
So why this one? It's a perfect storm. The design is simple, relatable, and deeply emotive. That single tear and downturned mouth just hit different. It became a viral star on TikTok and Instagram, turning into a sort of emotional support accessory. Everyone wanted to hang the sad little guy from their bag. The "loyal" name, part of the labubu big into energy loyalty theme, just adds to the poetic appeal. It is a feeling. And in the world of designer toys, feeling sells better than anything.
This isn't the first time a specific Labubu has blown up. We saw a similar, though less intense, frenzy with some of the designs in The Monsters Pin for Love series, where certain letters became incredibly hard to find. But Loyalty took it to a whole new level.
The Real vs. Fake Gauntlet: Your Guide to Spotting a Counterfeit
This is the most important part of this entire article. Because of the insane demand, the market is absolutely swimming with fakes. They are getting better, but if you know what to look for, you can protect yourself. I've handled dozens of these, and the fakes always miss a few key details.
1. The Fur Texture Test
This is the first thing I check. A real loyalty labubu has a very specific fur. It's soft, but it has a slightly "matted" or "clumped" texture to it. It's not silky smooth. It's designed to look like a well-loved, slightly weathered monster.
* Fake Sign: The fur is either super slick and shiny, like cheap carnival prize plush, or it's overly coarse and scratchy. Run your hand over it. If it feels uniform and "perfect," be suspicious. The real one has character in its texture.
2. The Face Embroidery Deep Dive
The money is in the face. This is where most fakes fail. Get close and really look at the stitching.
* The Tear: On a genuine loyal labubu, the tear is a distinct, slightly raised embroidered teardrop. It's clean and defined. On fakes, it's often a flat, messy patch of blue thread. Sometimes it's not even a teardrop shape, just a small blue blob. * The Eyes & Mouth: The black embroidery should be tight, dense, and consistent. Fakes often have loose threads, inconsistent stitch density (you can see the blue fur underneath), and the placement can be slightly off-center, making the expression look "wrong." The authentic one looks sad; the fake one just looks poorly made.
3. The All-Important Tag Inspection
The paper tag and the fabric butt tag are your best friends. Counterfeiters almost never get these 100% right.
* The Paper Hang Tag: The real POP MART tag is made of thick, matte cardstock. The printing is crisp and high-resolution. Look at the font for "The Monsters" and the POP MART logo. Fakes use flimsy, slightly glossy paper, and the font is often a close-but-not-quite match. The colors might also be slightly washed out. * The Fabric Butt Tag: This is a huge tell. Flip the Labubu over and find the small white tag sewn into its seam. On a real one, the tag is silky, the text is perfectly printed (not embroidered), and the stitching that attaches it to the body is neat and tiny. On fakes, this tag is often made of a rougher, papery fabric, the font is blurry, and it's sewn on sloppily with thick, visible stitches.
4. The Hardware Check
Don't forget the keychain part! The labubu energy loyalty plush comes with a metal carabiner-style clip.
* Real Clip: The genuine clip has a satisfying weight to it. It's made of decent quality metal with a smooth finish and a springy, secure clasp. It feels substantial. * Fake Clip: The fake clip is the definition of cheap. It's lightweight, feels like aluminum, and often has a dull or tarnished finish right out of the package. The clasp mechanism feels weak and janky. I've had customers tell me the fake clips broke within a week.
If you're buying online, demand clear, high-resolution photos of all these things: the face, the fur up close, and both sides of both tags. If a seller refuses or provides blurry photos, walk away. It's not worth the risk.
Our Take: Is the Loyalty Labubu Worth the Insane Price?
Alright, real talk. Is this plush pendant worth over $100?
No.
Look, I love this design. It's a piece of designer toy history at this point. As a shop owner, the demand is great for business. But as a collector, I have to be honest. The price is pure hype. You are not paying for material quality or intrinsic rarity in the way you would for a limited-edition resin statue. You are paying for a social media trend.
The loyalty labubu price is a bubble. It might stay high, it might dip, but it's not a stable investment. My advice? If you absolutely love it, can't live without it, and have the disposable income, then go for it. But do it with the knowledge that you're buying the hype.
For everyone else, I'd honestly suggest exploring the rest of the LABUBU world. There are so many incredible designs that are just as creative and well-made that you can get for retail price. Don't let FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) dictate your collection. The joy of collecting is finding pieces that speak to you, not just the one piece everyone on TikTok has. You can find so many amazing figures if you take a moment to browse our full LABUBU collection and see what else Kasing Lung has created.
The "Big Into Energy" series itself has other bangers. I'm personally a huge fan of "Brave," the little red guy with the determined look. It's a fantastic design that gets completely overshadowed. Or "Healing," the pink one with the band-aid. They are just as well-made and carry their own unique charm, but you can find them for a fraction of Loyalty's price.
The Bottom Line on Your Hunt
Hunting for a Loyalty Labubu is a quest. It's a perfect example of how a simple design can capture the collective imagination and create a micro-economy all on its own.
If you decide to take the plunge, be a smart buyer. Use the checklist above to verify authenticity. Scrutinize every photo. Ask questions. Be patient and wait for a listing that feels right, from a seller with a strong reputation. Don't jump on the first one you see.
And if you decide the price is too crazy? That's a smart move, too. Your collection will be no less amazing without it.The chase is part of the fun, but the real joy is in the art itself. Don't let one sad little blue monster make you forget that.
*Disclosure: PopNya may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this page.
