Workers at Chinese factory that produces Labubu toys are being exploited, says NGO

The Guardian - World NewsCenter-LeftEN 4 min read 100% complete by Amy Hawkins Senior China correspondentJanuary 13, 2026 at 10:55 AM
Workers at Chinese factory that produces Labubu toys are being exploited, says NGO

AI Summary

long article 4 min

A report by China Labor Watch (CLW) alleges worker exploitation at a Chinese factory producing the popular Labubu toys for Pop Mart. The investigation, conducted over three months in 2025 at Shunjia Toys in Jiangxi province, found evidence of labor rights violations. These include workers being forced to sign blank contracts, employment of 16- and 17-year-olds without legally required protections, and inadequate health and safety training. CLW interviewed over 50 employees, including three minors, all of whom worked exclusively on Labubus. The factory, which employs over 4,500 people, supplies Pop Mart, whose "Monsters" line of toys, including Labubus, generated significant revenue in the first half of 2025.

Keywords

worker exploitation 90% labubu toys 80% labor rights violations 70% underage workers 60% chinese factory 60% supply chain 60% blank contracts 50% china labor watch 50% pop mart 40% production targets 40%

Sentiment Analysis

Very Negative
Score: -0.70

Source Transparency

Source
The Guardian - World News
Political Lean
Center-Left (-0.40)
Far LeftCenterFar Right
Classification Confidence
90%
Geographic Perspective
China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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