Pop Mart sues Bambu Lab over user‑uploaded 3D models of hit “Labubu” figurine

The dispute

Pop Mart (泡泡玛特) has filed a lawsuit against Bambu Lab (拓竹科技) over alleged copyright infringement tied to user-generated files on the 3D-printing platform MakerWorld. It has been reported that models closely resembling Pop Mart’s signature “Labubu” figurines were previously available for free download on MakerWorld, enabling near-lookalike prints. Searches for “Labubu” on the platform now return zero results, reportedly after a content sweep.

Who’s involved and what’s next

According to corporate registry data on Tianyancha (天眼查), the plaintiff is Beijing Pop Mart Cultural and Creative Co., Ltd., and the defendants include Shenzhen Tuozhu Technology Co., Ltd. (Bambu Lab), Shenzhen Chuangke Shijie Technology Co., Ltd. (深圳创客世界科技有限公司), and Shanghai Lunkuo Technology Co., Ltd. (上海轮廓科技有限公司). The case—classified as a copyright ownership and infringement dispute—is scheduled to be heard on April 2, 2026. A person familiar with the matter told local media that Pop Mart’s legal team sent letters to Bambu Lab in May and October 2025 seeking to resolve alleged infringement; after talks reportedly failed, litigation followed.

Why it matters

Pop Mart is a leading Chinese designer-toy company known for blind-box collectibles across Asia; “Labubu” is among its most valuable intellectual properties. Bambu Lab, a Shenzhen-based 3D-printing unicorn best known in the West for its high-speed printers, operates MakerWorld, a global model repository and hobbyist community where most files are free. The clash highlights a familiar platform-liability dilemma for user-generated 3D content—platform or publisher? In China’s tightening IP enforcement environment, rights holders are increasingly pressing platforms to police uploads before they proliferate.

The broader picture

Separately, Bambu Lab is also entangled in another copyright-related case brought by Beijing Hanmu Chunhua Animation Technology Co., Ltd. (北京寒木春华动画技术有限公司), the rights holder of the animated franchise The Legend of Luo Xiaohei (罗小黑战纪); details have not been disclosed. The April hearing will be closely watched across the global maker community. Can open model hubs curb infringement without chilling innovation?