Teacher earns thousands of dollars every month customising Labubus with tattoos, piercings

Currently, Labubu-maker Pop Mart is valued at $55.5 billion — more than Barbie-maker Mattel ($5.92 billion) and Hasbro ($11.5 billion) combined. (Image credit: AFP)

A high school teacher in the US has gone viral for turning a niche toy trend into a thriving side business. Ellis Stephens, based in the Bay Area, has been earning thousands of dollars each month by customising Labubu blind-box toys with tattoos, piercings, and grillz (jewellery for teeth) — and reselling them for up to seven times their original price.

Stephens, who teaches full-time, began waking up at 3.30 am to work on the toys before school hours. A standard Labubu costs around $30 (approximately Rs 2,600), but once customised, Stephens is able to resell them for more than $200 (Rs 17,600). “I’m sitting back and I’m just hearing orders on my way go through. I would say this (trend) is crazier than Jordans,” he told Business Insider.

‘I need these!’: Stephens on sourcing toys for custom orders

Stephens says the resale market is competitive, and sourcing Labubus is a challenge. “I buy these on the street. It was really hard to get them and I had 70 orders and I’m like (to the Labubu sellers) ‘I need these! Please, whatever you need’,” he told the publication.

His customisations — which include miniature tattoos, piercings, and even grills — have made his creations stand out in a saturated market. The demand has turned his early-morning hobby into a profitable business, with orders pouring in from collectors across the world.

Labubu craze: blind boxes, celebrity hype, and resale frenzy

Labubu toys, made by Chinese company Pop Mart, are sold in “blind boxes” — meaning buyers don’t know which design they’ll get until they open it. This element of surprise, combined with celebrity endorsements and limited-edition releases, has created a fervent collector culture.

Prices for rare Labubus have skyrocketed. While standard versions retail for Rs 2,000–Rs 3,000 in India, special editions — including collaborations — can fetch Rs 12,000 to Rs 55,000 on resale platforms like eBay and StockX. A one-of-a-kind human-sized Labubu sculpture recently sold for $150,000 (Rs 1.2 crore) in Beijing, according to Yongle International Auction.

Celebrity endorsements and Pop Mart’s billion-dollar boom

The craze gained momentum after celebrities like Blackpink’s Lisa, Rihanna, and Kim Kardashian were seen with Labubu dolls. Lisa famously decorated her Christmas tree with them, further fuelling demand. Pop Mart, which began selling Labubus in 2019, doubled its revenue in 2024. As of August 2025, the company is valued at $55.5 billion — more than Barbie-maker Mattel ($5.92 billion) and Hasbro ($11.5 billion) combined.