Bambu Lab Settles with Pop Mart over Labubu IP Theft, publicly apologizes — ‘problematic content’ fully removed from MakerWorld 3D printing platform

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Bambu Lab Settles with Pop Mart over Labubu IP Theft, publicly apologizes — 'problematic content' fully removed from MakerWorld 3D printing platform

The $10 billion dollar 3D printer manufacturer promises to rein in IP theft on MakerWorld and beyond.

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Bambu Lab has struck a deal with toymaker Pop Mart over the intellectual property dispute of Labubu fan art on its file-sharing site MakerWorld. If not settled, the two companies would have gone to trial in China on April 2. The case could have set a precedent for 3D model sites around the globe. Currently, file-sharing sites in the West, like Printables and Thingiverse, operate under safe harbor rules, which hold the digital platform responsible for the acts of its users.

Bambu Lab published an apology on its official Weibo account, a Chinese social media platform, on March 16. No statement has been made to Western media or on its English-language blog.

“Recently, issues regarding the MakerWorld platform under Tuozhu Technology (Bambu Lab) and Pop Mart IP copyrights have drawn widespread attention and discussion from all sectors of society. This has caused impact and distress to Pop Mart and the vast number of users; we express our most sincere apologies to everyone.

You may like Labubu sues 3D printer maker Bambu Lab MakerWorld launches Copyright Protection Program to help 3D designers fight stolen files being resold online Reports of the previously-recalled Bambu Lab 3D printer being a fire hazard resurface, new power board component issue identified as the cause Currently, we have engaged in friendly consultations with Pop Mart and reached a settlement. The relevant problematic content has been fully removed from the platform. Tuozhu Technology will continue to be committed to maintaining a healthy creative ecosystem and providing users with a higher-quality creation and printing experience.”

All Labubu files had been removed from MakerWorld when we first reported on this dispute on March 5th . Furthermore, we did not find any Labubu files on any other Chinese manufacturer's site, though models can still be found on Printables, Thingiverse, Thangs, and MyMiniFactory, which are all based in Western countries. We have not heard of any take-down requests from those sites.

We’ve seen large-scale print farms successfully compete and outmaneuver traditional manufacturing plants. For example, ZB Designs recently won Collectible Toy of the Year, mass-producing flexi “Wigglitz” toys with a fleet of 3000 Bambu Lab 3D printers in Utah. ZB Designs grew from a craft fair side hustle to a mass-produced toy found in Target’s toy aisle. Their success proves that 3D printers are capable of producing quality products that customers are eager to buy and cannot discern from injected-molded parts.

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