From Labubus to Jellycats
How to conquer the kidult market
Over the last 12 months the US stock market, bitcoin and gold all reached dizzy heights, but none of their ascent was as astonishing as the skyrocketing prices of Labubu, the ugly-cute toys marketed by Pop Mart. At one point Labubus changed hands for over ten times their retail prices at the resale market whilst a toddler-sized Labubu sold for over CNY 1 million (over c. USD 140 k or c. GBP 100 k) at an auction. The super squishy plushies from Jellycat have also been a viral hit, especially with Gen-Z consumers who find the adorable croissant and cloud shaped playthings irresistible. Jellycat sales increased by over 66% in 2024 and is likely to have increased even more in 2025.
The demand for Labubus and Jellycats are driven not by children (or their doting parents) but by kidults, who mostly buy the toys for themselves. This is but the latest manifestation of a long term trend which also sees other collectible toys such as limited edition Lego sets and figurines of cartoon characters explode in popularity. It is estimated that the proportion of toys purchased by consumers over 18 in the five largest European markets is now almost 20%, more than double what it was ten years ago. Part of this is driven by nostalgia, though some also speculate that Gen-Z consumers are seeking comfort in plush toys to cope with rising levels of anxiety.
More importantly, it is likely that as a society we have normalised the consumption of toys by adults. There was a time when westerners would find it weird that Japanese adults go all gaga over Hello Kitty, comic books and food in the shape of pandas. Now, Hello Kitty is featured in Balenciaga handbags, the manga aesthetic has become a popular filter for photo apps and even the Great British Bake Off has challenges on cute animal-shaped cakes. A close parallel is the inexorable growth of the gaming industry, now worth almost double the size of the film and music industries combined, driven mostly by adult users.
It is also possible that as house prices rise beyond the reach of most young adults they are spending more on frivolities like toys and games than on serious home related purchases like white goods and furniture. This, of course, is of grave concern to us, as purveyors of very serious designer furniture and other interior products. Our strike-back against this unacceptable encroachment of our market by Labubus and Jellycats rests on two pillars.
The first strategy is to expand our product range to satisfy the peculiar needs of kidult customers. The global market for gaming chairs, for example, is already worth almost USD 1.8 billion and is forecast to grow by 7.6% per year over the next five years. Admittedly most gaming chairs look horrendous, but as even Herman Miller and Ikea make them it is clearly a product category that cannot be ignored.
There is also a market for designer beanbags, doughnuts and other slouchy couches that are great for gaming and casual lounging. Our top picks include the Loop Sofa from Sancal and the Sausage Sofa from BD.
Statement bookshelves and display cabinets could also be a win. All those collectible Labubus and Lego sets need somewhere to be displayed, right? I would suggest the Sendai Bookshelf from Horm, which looks good on its own and even better with a limited edition Star Wars light sabre sitting on its shelf. Your Jellycats collection would look amazing in the Haku Self Standing Storage from Woak - imagine the cuteness overload with the little plushies spilling out of the cubbyhole style shelves.
Our second strategy is go for the attack: hit the kidult toy industry where it hurts by creating furniture that’s cuter (and more practical) than a Labubu.
The Campana brothers were early adopters of this strategy, having pioneered the art of turning plush toys into armchairs. However, their works are now seriously collectible and can fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auction. AP Collection has taken this idea further and developed a whole collection of furniture using upcycled stuffed animals. Admittedly some of their designs look mildly disturbing and remind me of the fused mannequin artworks of Jake and Dinos Chapman.
The Pack polar bear sofa from Edra is cute and cool, and when asked by serious adults you can claim the design is commentary on the effects of global warming on shrinking ice sheets (which is kind of true). The Gorilla Chair from Scarlet Splendour also succeeds in looking fun without setting off the kitsch alarm.
For superhero fans Italian furniture company Formitalia has a collection of furniture inspired by the imaginary lives of Bruce Wayne and The Joker. At the end of the day, why so serious, as The Joker would say.
For more market conquering design delights come visit us at www.do-shop.com.
The Sausage Sofa of BD makes me salivating just like the absolutely yummy Hot Dog Sofa from Seletti:
https://www.do-shop.com/products/hot-dog-sofa
Slurp ! đŸ˜‹