What: Pop Mart’s character-driven merchandising and global collaborations are positioning it as China’s answer to Disney in the retail sector.

Why it is important: This development exemplifies how Chinese brands are leveraging original IP and viral trends to achieve global retail influence.

Pop Mart’s meteoric rise over the past year underscores its transformation from a domestic toy company into a global retail powerhouse, drawing frequent comparisons to Disney. The brand’s success is anchored in its ability to create viral, emotionally resonant characters like Labubu and Twinkle Twinkle, which have become cultural phenomena and highly sought-after collectables. Strategic collaborations with brands such as Heytea and luxury labels, along with the opening of new manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Cambodia, and Indonesia, reflect Pop Mart’s ambition to meet surging international demand and diversify its global footprint. The company’s approach, which places consumer engagement and artist-driven design at its core, has enabled it to tap into the desires of Gen Z and millennial consumers for individuality and storytelling. Despite recent volatility in secondary market prices and concerns about sustaining hype, Pop Mart’s model of blending art, fashion, and pop culture continues to set new standards for retail innovation and brand-building, positioning it as a formidable player on the world stage. 

IADS Notes: In November 2025, The Economist highlighted Pop Mart’s efforts to diversify beyond a single hit character and invest in experiential retail and media ventures. December 2025 coverage in The Diplomat emphasised the brand’s shift toward original IP and global innovation. October 2025 articles in WWD and Inside Retail documented Pop Mart’s move into luxury through high-profile collaborations and its expansion into the Middle East. The June 2025 report fromCominmag.ch illustrated Pop Mart’s strategy of leveraging pop culture and exclusive events to engage new markets and audiences.

Is Pop Mart becoming China’s Disney?