Psychologists have issued a warning to anyone that owns a Labubu doll.
If you have been living under a rock, the latest Gen-Z crase seems to be the fluffy and slightly ugly dolls, known as Labubu dolls. The cool kids seem to be attaching them to their bags and clothing, collecting different ones and exchanging them with their friends.
‘Trinket culture’ seems to be alive and well and let’s be honest, it’s not exactly a new trend – beanie babies, i’m looking at you.
Daniel Fisher, Head of Categories at shopping marketplace Whatnot, has shared a huge spike in the market for collectable items, such as Labubus – that the sales have increased 300% every month since March 2025.
But why? What is it about collecting these *cough* ugly dolls that seems to drive everyone wild.
Clinical psychologist Tracy King has explained the trend is a ‘response to the emotional climate Gen Z are growing up in’.
“On the surface, they’re fun and whimsical. But psychologically, they’re deeply symbolic: these objects offer small, accessible moments of comfort, control, and identity in an unpredictable world.
“The old idea of the career ladder offered a sense of linear progression—work hard, move up, gain security. But for Gen Z, that ladder has been replaced with something more like an escape room.
“You’re expected to solve problems with no clear instructions, hit invisible milestones, and often find the goalposts moving entirely.”
“In this landscape, collectibles become something you can control. They’re emotionally grounding, they provide joy in manageable doses, and they often connect you to community. In a world full of uncertainty, buying a plushie in a strawberry hat becomes nervous system regulation.”
“Gen Z were raised in a digital world where identity is curated, not assumed. They’ve watched global crises unravel with pandemics, recessions, the climate emergency—so the big life goals that guided previous generations often feel out of reach.
“Small joys, soft comforts, and identity-aligned purchases feel both accessible and meaningful.
“And in a social media landscape where aesthetics are a form of communication, trinkets become part of how people express emotion, personality, and belonging.”
“These soft, playful objects evoke feelings of safety, care, and nostalgia, things that might’ve been missing or cut short in early life.
“This is inner child work in action.”
Interesting!
