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[E-195]

Craze for Labubu, hit toy from China’s Pop Mart, spreads to Middle East​

The popular plush charm is not just trendy in the region, but also expensive, selling for US$109​

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Labubu, Molly toys put spotlight on Hong Kong culture in Shenzhen festival​

Labubu propels Pop Mart into HK$300 billion club on Hong Kong market​

Labubu mania takes China’s Pop Mart to top of US App Store charts​

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Yuke Xiein Beijing
Published: 10:00am, 27 May 2025Updated: 11:11am, 27 May 2025

After a meteoric rise in the US and Southeast Asia, Pop Mart International’s latest iteration of its hit Labubu character is winning deep-pocketed fans in the Middle East, a fresh sign that the Beijing-based toymaker’s ambition to become a “truly global company” is gaining momentum.
Google trend data shows that interest in the character surged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) after the April 25 launch of the latest Big Into Energy series. Among the largest emirates, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah showed the strongest interest.
Previously little known in the region, Labubu is also trending in the Middle East’s largest economy, Saudi Arabia, where Google search interest peaked during the week of May 18 before seeing a slight dip this week. The toy is most popular in Riyadh province, followed by the Eastern province and Mecca.



Created by the Hong Kong-born designer Lung Ka-sing, Labubu is a series of plush toy monster elves with round, furry bodies, pointed ears and sharp teeth that form a mischievous grin. The toy is not just trendy in the region, but also expensive. Ben Dupond, a Dubai-based finance professional, told the Post that he bought his first-ever Labubu from Careem, a local delivery app, for 300 dirhams (US$109).

Labubu dolls at a Pop Mart pop-up store in Siam Center shopping mall in Bangkok on May 6, 2025. Photo: AFP.

“I came across this thing when I was shopping for bottled water,” he said. “I know I’m paying a big premium, but I keep seeing ads everywhere, and it’s sold out at Dubai Mall, so I decided to get one here.”

He said the character looked “a bit scary”, but he found it “kind of funny”.


All three generations of the toy are now listed on the Uber-owned super app, each priced at 300 dirhams – a significant mark-up compared with the series’ US debut price of US$28, which was already US$6 higher than earlier versions.

Dupond said the tie-dyed toys came in blind boxes, meaning buyers could not pick and choose. But he was really hoping to get a green one.


Labubu creator Kasing Lung shares the vision behind his unique plush toys
Much of the craze around Labubu has been driven by social-media marketing and high-profile endorsements from superstars such as Blackpink’s Lisa and singer-entrepreneur Rihanna. In the Middle East, local influencers also played a role.

One Instagram account, @labubu.ae, gained more than 6,400 followers in just over a month. Among its glossy posts is a clip of Iraqi-American make-up mogul Huda Kattan unboxing several Labubu blind boxes. The account also showed how to colour-coordinate the collectibles with luxury handbags from Louis Vuitton and Hermes.

“What I love about this is you just don’t know what you’re going to get inside,” Kattan said in the video. Later on, when she unwrapped a toffee-coloured Labubu, she said, “I like her though, she’s a cute colour. She’s going to look cute on my bags.”

Pop Mart’s overseas expansion efforts have been a resounding success, as its international revenue ballooned 475 to 480 per cent in the first quarter from a year earlier, according to a financial report published in April. The US led the growth with a jump of up to 900 per cent, while sales in Europe climbed as more than 600 per cent.

This strong performance also propelled Hong Kong-listed Pop Mart into the HK$300 billion (US$38.3 billion) market capitalisation club last week, making it the 27th most valuable company on the city’s stock exchange. The stock has jumped about 10-fold over the past year.

According to a JPMorgan report, Pop Mart’s global revenue is projected to grow by more than 150 per cent this year, with a compound annual growth rate of 42 per cent through 2027.

very spiritual, undoutedly that fill the heart of millions and will bring them to the nirvana, just a little money to get to paradise, funny chinese communist promoting consumerism by empty toys that leave a person as empty as he or she was before, making infants of adults

 

[E-195]

View: https://youtu.be/s6Lznha9EQ0?si=7T85WnviZq5lSFg7

funny you laugh without seeing the tragedy coming to your nation, give you a clue mother shipton, Paravicini or Napoleon, funny materialistic people only can see the now, but never beyond that, if you knew the path you country is taking, you would know never a society that promotes empty values can cling to success, the Roman Empire Changed the world, but CCP will be like Genkis Khan a fleeting moment of tragedy.

 

[rockdog]

View: https://x.com/ShishirShelke1/status/1924452374468235517?t=PLZkurj7ia6E8Rd0m9KhMw&s=19


View: https://x.com/XH_Lee23/status/1924413737001431465?t=gSir-QDwu27nVDuCh2Lq2A&s=19

 

[Physx32]

View: https://x.com/ShishirShelke1/status/1924452374468235517?t=PLZkurj7ia6E8Rd0m9KhMw&s=19


View: https://x.com/XH_Lee23/status/1924413737001431465?t=gSir-QDwu27nVDuCh2Lq2A&s=19

For $3300 you can buy a real laptop from Apple, HP, Dell, etc. With real desktop class CPUs and GPUs, not some smartphone SoC.

Literally an idiot will buy this useless product.

 

[E-195]

Charted: The World’s Most Educated Countries

Ireland has the highest share of educated people in the workforce, while India and China have the highest volumes of degree holders.

www.visualcapitalist.com

 

[helin]

For $3300 you can buy a real laptop from Apple, HP, Dell, etc. With real desktop class CPUs and GPUs, not some smartphone SoC.

Literally an idiot will buy this useless product.

Kirin X90 is not a smartphone SoC

It is precisely because there are idiot will buy，

China can have such an outstanding tech giant as Huawei

 

[helin]

funny you laugh without seeing the tragedy coming to your nation, give you a clue mother shipton, Paravicini or Napoleon, funny materialistic people only can see the now, but never beyond that, if you knew the path you country is taking, you would know never a society that promotes empty values can cling to success, the Roman Empire Changed the world, but CCP will be like Genkis Khan a fleeting moment of tragedy.

I think the film is not bad, any country will be ambitious.

The only thing I don't like is the Western white people who appear in it

 

[E-195]

I think the film is not bad, any country will be ambitious.

The only thing I don't like is the Western white people who appear in it

I will be utterly honest, if you study economic development, you can understand globakization.

What is globalization? is the homogenization of countries based upon economic and cultural blending.

I will give you an example, you are claiming China can control the world, but that is just a dream.

Globalization means as countries develop trade, cooperation forces them to divide the markets and cooperate technologically, since technology becomes more complex, cooperation allows cheaper R&D.

India in ideal condition will become a super power, you like it or not and so is Brazil.

However economic blending means common markets, since free trades will develop in economic communities

I will give an example China`s C919 has parts made in Mexico same is C909, by GE or by Frisa or ATengine.

The airbuses China built has parts made in many parts of the world.

Same is cars, no nation is truly independent these days.

What is promoting cooperation?


Simple corporations, big companies, like I said aviation reflects that, but not only that Intel designs chips in Mexico that will be built in Asia and will be used in Mexico, so no stop dreaming, to build the CFM Leap Engine, Safran and GE havemany suppliers and the assemble the Leap engine in Mexico that are used in C919.

That is globalization if you can not comprehended then you can not comprehend the world.

This will lead to a world government since international institution overrule local and national laws consider Agenda 2030 and a world currency will appear sooner or later.
A digital currency cashless society is emerging, only fools can not see it


Example



Mexican worker works for Aernnova a Spanish company in Mexico to build some part of the fuselages of Bell Helicopters


Alar Mexican company supplier for Safran making 3D printed parts with Spanish technology.

 

[Physx32]

Brazil sues China carmaker BYD over 'slave-like' conditions

The Public Labour Prosecutor's Office in the state of Bahia says 220 Chinese workers were rescued.

www.bbc.com

 

[E-195]

I think the film is not bad, any country will be ambitious.

The only thing I don't like is the Western white people who appear in it

example of Globalization


Italika is a Mexican brand that assemble Chinese bikes, that can not be sold in the USA without a hefty tariff.

China sends the parts, the Mexican company gets its share, Mexican workers assemble the bikes in Toluca Mexico, the Americans do not allow them to be sold in the USA and Canada without a very high tariff!
In order to be sold in the USA needs American participation, and very likely more Mexican and american suppliers


You get it?


Megaflux technology in Japanese EV truck by Izusu; cooperation of Mexican and Japanese technology



KC-390 from Embraer has parts made in many countries thus it has more international sales than Y-20, example of globalization, FAdeA for example is from Argentina and BAE systems from the UK



Avionics

The avionics include two head-up displays (HUD), self-defence system and night vision goggle (NVG).

Rockwell Collins signed an agreement with EDS in May 2011 to supply its Pro Line Fusion avionics systems for the aircraft. The avionics system will render improved situational awareness and decrease the workload of the pilot.


Embraer awarded a contract to BAE Systems on 27 July 2011 to supply and install flight control electronics in the KC-390 transport aircraft.

Goodrich Corporation will design, build and supply primary flight control systems as part of an agreement signed with Embraer on 27 July 2011. It will supply electro-hydrostatic actuators, electro-backup hydrostatic actuators, actuator electronics and electrical controls.

Engines

International Aero Engines (IAE) was chosen by Embraer on 25 July 2011 to design, develop, supply and install V2500-E5 powerplant in the KC-390 aircraft. IAE is a consortium formed by Rolls-Royce, United Technologies Unit, Pratt & Whitney and Japanese Aero Engine Corp.

IAE delivered the first three prototype V2500-E5 powerplants for Embraer’s new KC-390 aircraft in early 2014 and the remaining three in May of the same year. The civil certification for the new engine model is scheduled for third quarter 2014.

Landing gear

ELEB Equipamentos will design, manufacture and supply landing gear system for the aircraft as part of a contract signed with EDS in March 2011.

It will build a rugged and reliable system that enables the aircraft to operate with heavy payloads and land even in semi-prepared airfields. The KC-390 will be equipped with a double chamber shocker absorber system and modern hydraulic systems.

Performance

The KC-390 can fly to a maximum altitude of 10,973m. Its maximum speed is 980km/h. The normal and ferry range of the aircraft are 2,590km and 6,000km respectively. The aircraft weighs around 23,600kg and its maximum take-off weight is 74,400kg.

Specifications

General characteristics

KC-390 Military Transport Plane - War History

Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica), one of the world’s largest aircraft manufacturers, received a $1.3bn development order from the Bra...

warhistory.org

cultural blending example Mexican mango Sushi

 

[helin]

Canalys: Xiaomi overtakes Apple as the world’s top wearable vendor​

Marcus Mendes | May 23 2025 - 10:19 am PT
15 Comments

Xiaomi has retaken the digital crown in the global wearable band market, surpassing Apple to become the top vendor in Q1 2025, according to new data from Canalys.

The research firm says Xiaomi pulled it with a more mature ecosystem strategy than the one it had back in mid-2021 (the last time it led the pack), while Apple’s wearable strategy has grown stale.

According to the Q1 2025 report, the wearable band market showed signs of strong recovery. Shipments rose 13% year-over-year to 46.6 million units, driven largely by demand for basic wearables, which are more appealing to emerging markets. And that’s where Xiaomi really pulled ahead.

As Canalys analyst Jack Leathem said:

Xiaomi has upgraded its Mi Band and Redmi Watch series with refreshed designs and advanced data capabilities, bringing comprehensive features down the price segments, boosting its value proposition. Its growth has also been supported by effective multi-category coordination and competitive pricing, particularly in emerging economies. (…) Samsung has also increased its focus on its basic bands to grow its presence in emerging economies.

Xiaomi shipped 8.7 million units this past quarter, up 44% from a year ago. The Redmi Band 5 played a key role, but Canalys says Xiaomi’s broader momentum comes from its HyperOS push, connecting phones, wearables, and home gear.

The Apple Watch, meanwhile, had a relatively quiet quarter. Shipments rose 5% to 7.6 million units, inching to 16% total unit share against Xiaomi’s 19%. These numbers echo a recent Counterpoint report, which highlighted the Apple Watch’s ongoing two-year global decline in 2024.

The report reads:

With 2025 marking the Apple Watch’s tenth anniversary, Apple is expected to regain momentum in the second half of the year with a big portfolio update, leaning on its mature and tightly integrated health-focused ecosystem.

As for the rest of the market, Huawei held onto third place with 7.1 million units, thanks to strong performance from its GT and Fit lines and the growing global footprint of the Huawei Health app.

Samsung, in fourth, saw the biggest jump among the top vendors, a whopping 74%, to 4.9 million units. The Korean company split its focus between basic bands for emerging markets, and higher-end smartwatches elsewhere. Garmin rounded out the top five with 1.8 million units and a 10% year-over-year increase.

 

[srev2004]

View: https://youtu.be/PFQ3G3hJvgg?feature=shared