Labubus
The design of the collectible is easily recognizable: a keychain with a furry body that comes in a multitude of colors, complete with a mischievous grin. These details make up the image of Labubus, a blindbox collectible that has recently taken over the internet.
Designed by artist Kasing Lung, these collectables, sold through Pop Mart, have taken the world by storm due to exposure from celebrities and on social media platforms. Celebrities have pushed the toy through interviews as well as displayed them on bags in social media photos. Lisa from BLACKPINK, for instance, pushed the toy in in a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair. Meanwhile, on platforms like TikTok, people unbox the keychains and show off their own collections.
The prominence of Labubus has sparked mixed reactions, with some finding them ugly and others adorable. Regardless, there is no denying the hysteria surrounding them. Restocks of the collectables sell out in minutes and resellers jack up prices, sometimes to more than double their original $30 cost. One “life size” Labubu even sold for $170,000 at an auction in China, as reported by NPR in 2025.
Because of the trend people have found ways to capitalize off of the toy beyond reselling it. Fake Labubus are easy to find online for cheaper prices and some restaurants now provide food with a Labubu supplement, such as Sweet Dreams in Manchester, which sells Labubu Dubai chocolate covered strawberries. The toy has even found its way into school, with some students, and even staff, attaining their own.
Advanced Placement Calculus teacher Chung-Chiang Feng was recently gifted a Labubu by one of his students, which he now happily displays on the bulletin board in his classroom. His sister has also gifted him one.
“I didn’t know about Labubus until I went home this past summer and my sister got a blindbox from Pop Mart,” Feng said. “She asked if I wanted one and said my students may like it.”
Some are more invested in the online Labubu market, such as art teacher Jacquelene Lieberman, who runs her own Labubu-dedicated TikTok account with one of her daughters. There, she unboxes Labubus and resells duplicates. She stays up-to-date with Labubu restocks on Pop Mart and follows other accounts that resell the toys.
Sometimes, Lieberman brings her collection to school to show her students. The toys are dressed head-to-toe in outfits that she bought for them, complete with a moped that drives one around her classroom.
“My daughter and I love watching Labubu unboxing TikToks,” Lieberman said. “We thought they were the ugliest things we’ve ever seen. Every night we would watch people unboxing them, which led us to try and get one. We realized you can’t even get one without following the trends and TikTok lives.”
Despite the toys not being attached to any big name or designer, the recent craze driven by online algorithms has established Labu- bus as a desired commodity. Labubus have expanded far beyond blindboxes, collaborating with brands like Coca-Cola and Vans while being included in food items at restaurants and sold for high prices at art auctions.
Matcha
Matcha is a nutritious type of in Japan that can serve as a caffeine substitute for coffee. It contains various health benefits through vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. The tea has recently surged in popularity, commonly through its preparation as a latte with added syrups for additional sweetener.
A small community of matcha lovers on TikTok first prompted the widespread love of matcha. The drink then became officially mainstream when it hit popular coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts.
“It is more convenient to get matcha from Starbucks, but [it is so good that] if I really want to I will make the drive no problem. I have been looking into purchasing my own ceremonial grade matcha powder,” senior Taylor Case said.
People typically prefer to purchase ceremonial grade matcha directly from Japan due to its rich flavor and bright color. Matcha powders are known to be of greater quality when they are more pigmented.
“For a while I made my own matcha by whisking the powder in water and pouring it over milk, but the quality of the matcha was on the cheaper end,” Case said. “So I went back to buying [Starbucks Matcha] for convenience and quality.”
Due to the surge of people purchasing matcha, popular brands like Maryuku Koyamaen and Rocky’s Matcha are continuously sold out at rapid rates. Unfortunately, due to the 15% tariffs placed on Japan by the U.S., people have not been able to buy their matcha from traditional brands at their original prices.
People still purchase matcha despite the cost increase, though; instead of spending money on matcha at cafes, it has become quite common for people to make their own. To reduce the amount of money spent on ingredients, many people splurge on the matcha itself and make the rest of the ingredients — like cold foam, various syrups and additional food combinations — at home. Currently, making banana pudding and strawberry matcha is trending.
Matcha’s versatility has allowed it to become a profitable business, while remaining a nutritious drink loved by many.
