“We can’t give them away”: Goodwill worker says Labubu trend is fading after store is flooded with donations

A Goodwill employee says the store is receiving so many donated Labubu toys that workers have started throwing them away and using them as cleaning sponges.

Goodwill Overwhelmed by Labubu Donations

In a viral video with more than 322,000 views, content creator Aran (@aranisagoodboy) shared a shocking update about the once-coveted collectibles flooding donation centers.

“We’re seeing 20 to 30 Labubus be donated every day to the point that we’ve had to start throwing them out,” Aran said.

When the collectibles first started arriving a few weeks ago, Aran and fellow coworkers were skeptical.

“We were shocked and thought for sure that they were Lafufus, you know, fake,” Aran said. “But we did some verification, and it turns out that they were real.”

The staff was initially excited about the authentic donations. Goodwill employees get first dibs on merchandise, so workers claimed the first batches for themselves.

But as donations continued pouring in, the store moved the plushies from the glass case where valuables are displayed to just putting them in normal plastic baggies, selling two for about $6 “at the normal stuffed animal prices.”

Now, the situation has reached an absurd tipping point.

“We get so many every day that we literally can’t give them away. We’ve had to start trashing the non-desirable ones and using them as sponges to clean the floors because they actually retain water really well,” Aran said, though it’s unclear if that part is a joke.

What Other Trends Are Cycling Through Goodwill?

The Labubu toys aren’t the only trendy items being abandoned at Goodwill.

“We’ve also been getting huge tubs of matcha and bars of Dubai chocolate because I guess no one wants that anymore either,” Aran noted.

“I think it’s a real shame that this is happening, but, you know, trends come and go, and I’m sure we’ll be getting Nintendo Switch twos and air fryers in soon enough.”

@aranisagoodboy #labubu #goodwill ♬ original sound – ARAN

From $3,500 collectibles to cleaning sponges

The mass donations represent a dramatic reversal for Labubu toys, which have dominated the collectibles market throughout 2025. The plush toys gained significant attention in 2024 when BLACKPINK’s LISA posted various Labubu dolls on Instagram and was spotted with one attached to her purse, sparking a viral trend.

Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company that produces the collectibles, reported $1.8 billion in revenue in 2024, seven times higher than before it began selling Labubu figures, Time reported. The toys, created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, became a global sensation with their distinctive elf-like appearance and limited-edition appeal.

At the height of the craze, rare Labubu figures were selling for over $3,500 on the resale market, with a life-size Labubu figure selling for more than $150,000 at an auction hosted by Yongle Auction in China.

However, recent reports suggest the market may be collapsing, CNBC noted. Scalpers are panic-selling as prices have cratered by half or more, with one secret blind box edition that was previously selling for over 2,000% above retail prices now losing significant value.

The rapid decline mirrors classic toy bubble bursts, like Beanie Babies and Cabbage Patch Kids. Experts have warned of a potential bubble burst similar to the Beanie Babies phenomenon, and Aran’s video suggests that warning may be materializing faster than anticipated.

“Goodwill charging $50 for something they get for free is criminal,” a top comment read.

“Retaining water is so funny to me,” a person said.

“Why do people always think you are being serious?” another pointed out alongside a person calling this satire.

“Oh, as soon as he said staff gets first dibs, I know this wasn’t real, I know a few people who worked at Goodwill and they did not get first dibs. They had to wait a while,” a commenter chimed in.

The Daily Dot reached out to Aran for comment via email.

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