Pop Mart Sues 3D-Printer Firm in Labubu Copyright Fight

Pop Mart International Group Ltd. has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Shenzhen-based Bambu Lab, a leading maker of consumer 3D printers, escalating tensions between intellectual property owners and the fast-growing personal manufacturing industry.

At the center of the dispute is MakerWorld, a 3D-model platform operated by Bambu Lab, where users have shared design files that enable others to print replicas of Pop Mart’s blockbuster character Labubu. The case is poised to test the murky legal boundaries of consumer 3D printing, particularly whether platform operators can be held liable when users upload copyrighted designs for personal use — a gray area often likened to the early days of digital music sharing.