Labubu accused of exploiting workers

The China Labor Watch organization looked at working conditions in one of Labubu's factories in China. According to “The Guardian”, the results of a three-month investigation clearly indicated violations of employees' rights and lack of protection of minors. The toy manufacturer announces an investigation.

The investigation conducted by China Labor Watch covered the Chinese Labubu – Shunija Toys factory in Jiangxi province, which employs over 4,500 people. For three months, the organization talked to over 50 employees, including three minors, who were employed exclusively in the production of popular toys.

Labubu employees signed empty contracts

The findings of the CLW organization show that it was a routine practice when employing employees giving them empty contracts to signwhich did not indicate either the duration of the contract or the scope of duties, remuneration and social security. As reported by “The Guardian”, a group of 25-30 people was supposed to assemble up to 4,000 Labubu per dayand the China Labor Watch report also shows that employees often worked more than 100 hours more a month. Shunija Toys' official production capacity is 12 million Labubu per year, but at the end of last year plans were announced to increase production to 33 million.

Unprotected minor workers

The factory employed people between 16 and 18 years of age, which is allowed in China, provided that appropriate protection is applied, e.g. a ban on dangerous and strenuous work. During the production of Labubu, the scope of tasks of teenagers did not differ from that of adults, and as CLW points out, young workers did not understand the documents they were signing.

The owner of Labubu is investigating the matter

Pop Mart, the owner of Labubu, assures that the company takes the well-being of employees seriously and carries out systematic inspections in the supply chain, also by auditing companies. The company is investigating reports of employee abuse at Shunija Toys, which The Guardian has not been able to contact. In the first half of 2025, the profit of the Labubu manufacturer reached USD 636 million, and the company plans further expansion and, among others, introduction of miniature toys to the market.

Prepared by AD

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