China's Labour Rights Crisis Exposed: Workers Behind Labubus Toy Frenzy Face Exploitation and Abuse
A shocking investigation by China Labor Watch has revealed widespread exploitation of workers in the supply chain of Labubus, the popular Chinese toy brand that has taken the world by storm. The toys, which are expected to continue to grow in popularity in 2026, have generated billions of yuan in sales for Hong Kong-listed company Pop Mart in just the first half of 2025.
However, behind the scenes, workers at Shunjia Toys, a factory in south-east China's Jiangxi province that employs over 4,500 people and produces Labubus, are facing dire conditions. The investigation found that workers as young as 16 and 17 years old were being employed without proper protections under Chinese law, while others were forced to sign blank contracts with little understanding of their terms.
Workers were also subjected to unrealistic production targets, often working over 100 additional hours a month beyond the legal limit. With teams producing up to 4,000 Labubus per day, workers were expected to assemble these tiny toys for long hours at low wages, raising concerns about their physical and mental health.
The investigation highlights the challenges faced by Chinese companies pushing into international markets but struggling to meet higher standards for worker welfare. China Labor Watch's executive director Li Qiang stated that existing supply-chain oversight mechanisms are insufficient to identify and prevent labour issues in a timely manner.
To address these concerns, Pop Mart has vowed to strengthen its supply chain audit and oversight mechanisms, while conducting independent audits of its OEM partners. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to ensure workers' rights are protected, including establishing accessible grievance mechanisms and improving transparency around factory working conditions.
As the global demand for Labubus continues to soar, it is imperative that companies like Pop Mart prioritize worker welfare over profits. The fate of these young workers hangs in the balance, and it remains to be seen whether Pop Mart will follow through on its promises to address the grave concerns raised by China Labor Watch's investigation.
A shocking investigation by China Labor Watch has revealed widespread exploitation of workers in the supply chain of Labubus, the popular Chinese toy brand that has taken the world by storm. The toys, which are expected to continue to grow in popularity in 2026, have generated billions of yuan in sales for Hong Kong-listed company Pop Mart in just the first half of 2025.
However, behind the scenes, workers at Shunjia Toys, a factory in south-east China's Jiangxi province that employs over 4,500 people and produces Labubus, are facing dire conditions. The investigation found that workers as young as 16 and 17 years old were being employed without proper protections under Chinese law, while others were forced to sign blank contracts with little understanding of their terms.
Workers were also subjected to unrealistic production targets, often working over 100 additional hours a month beyond the legal limit. With teams producing up to 4,000 Labubus per day, workers were expected to assemble these tiny toys for long hours at low wages, raising concerns about their physical and mental health.
The investigation highlights the challenges faced by Chinese companies pushing into international markets but struggling to meet higher standards for worker welfare. China Labor Watch's executive director Li Qiang stated that existing supply-chain oversight mechanisms are insufficient to identify and prevent labour issues in a timely manner.
To address these concerns, Pop Mart has vowed to strengthen its supply chain audit and oversight mechanisms, while conducting independent audits of its OEM partners. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to ensure workers' rights are protected, including establishing accessible grievance mechanisms and improving transparency around factory working conditions.
As the global demand for Labubus continues to soar, it is imperative that companies like Pop Mart prioritize worker welfare over profits. The fate of these young workers hangs in the balance, and it remains to be seen whether Pop Mart will follow through on its promises to address the grave concerns raised by China Labor Watch's investigation.
I'm literally fuming about this! Like, how can a brand like Labubus get away with treating their workers like dirt?! 
16 and 17-year-olds working crazy hours for peanuts? It's insane! And the fact that they're being forced to sign contracts without understanding what they mean is just heartbreaking. I'm all for companies making a profit, but not at the expense of human lives and dignity 
. These poor kids working 100+ hours a week for like, pennies? It's insane! I mean, I know it's no surprise that big companies are only looking out for their own interests, but come on! 
They're basically treating these young workers like machines or something. And those blank contracts? Unbelievable 
. And we consumers, we're just so caught up in the hype of buying all these cute Labubus toys that we don't even care about where they come from or who's making them.
. We need to be aware of what's going on behind the scenes and demand better from companies like Pop Mart. It's time for them to prioritize those workers over profits! 
. We all know those cheap toys from Asian factories can't be made with good labor practices 
. It's just how the game is played, right? 
I'm literally heartbroken thinking about those poor Labubus toy factory workers! 16 & 17 yrs old working without proper protections? That's, like, totally unacceptable 
Pop Mart needs to really step up their game and make sure those workers are treated fairly 
. I hope they follow through on their promises, or I'll be super disappointed 
.
The sad reality is that we're witnessing a perfect storm of exploitation and abuse in the toy industry, and it's time for companies like Pop Mart to take responsibility and put people over profits.
gotta wonder how much money we're willing to pay for that cute little Labubus toy if it means exploiting poor kids like 16 & 17 year olds? 
We gotta hold these companies accountable for their actions. I'd rather pay more for my toys and support brands that care about their workers' rights than get a cheap deal at the cost of someone's well-being. 
Let's focus on more pressing issues... like how many Labubus we can buy before our toys start to break down and need replacement parts that are literally made by the same workers being exploited. Priorities, people! 
this is crazy I mean what even is the point of making billions if people are suffering like that? 
shouldn't we be worried about the toy manufacturers and their 'partners' instead of just buying stuff without thinking about who makes it 
anyway, good on Pop Mart for saying something about improving their supply chain audit, but yeah, words don't pay bills 
factory workers r like 16 & 17 yrs old?! 
unrealistic production targets? 100+ hrs a week?! 
low wages?! 
not just audit suppliers, but actually make changes 
prioritize workers' welfare over profits 
I mean, what kind of company expects its employees to work that much and still pays them low wages? It's just not right, you know? 
And it's not like they're even getting any benefits or breaks... it's just non-stop production all day, every day. 
I think Pop Mart needs to step up its game and make sure these workers are treated with respect and fairness. It's 2025, we should be able to expect more from our companies, right? 
and these production targets are ridiculous, who expects people to work over 100 extra hours a month without any proper compensation or support?