The blind box didn’t slow down in 2026. It just went soft. Collectors who used to chase hard vinyl figures are buying plush pendants instead: squishy little characters with a sewn-in loop, made to hang off a bag or backpack. Pop Mart’s plush category is now growing faster than its vinyl side, and nearly every new series ships with a clip built in.
The logic is simple. A plush pendant is huggable, lightweight, and doubles as an accessory you actually wear. Here are the ones worth knowing, roughly what they cost, and where to buy without getting burned by fakes.
A quick note if you’re new: a blind box means you buy sealed and get a random character from the series. Most series hide one rare “secret” at long odds. If you want a specific one, buy a confirmed single from a reseller instead of gambling.
1. Crybaby Plush Pendant: the strongest of the bunch
Crybaby leads the plush-pendant wave. The teary-eyed character was already Pop Mart’s clearest Labubu challenger, and the plush versions sell hard. The Cheer Up, Baby! plush doll pendants run about $35, while the Sunset Concert series sits near $21 at retail and resells higher. Sad face, huge charm. Buy from Pop Mart or authorized resellers.
2. Labubu Plush Pendant: the one that started the clip craze
Labubu is why bags everywhere now have a fuzzy monster hanging off them. Global sales passed 100 million units in 2025, and celebrities from Lisa to Dua Lipa clipped them to designer bags. Standard plush figures retail $25 to $50 and resell higher for common designs. The Sanrio crossover launched in March 2026 at $39.99 a pendant. Still the default, still the priciest.
3. Baby Three Plush: the fast-rising cute pick
Baby Three became a face of the plush bag-charm trend alongside Crybaby, riding the same big-eyed, ultra-portable formula. It leans cuter and younger than the moodier IPs, which makes it an easy gift for a teen just getting into the hobby. Prices stay reasonable while it’s still climbing, so it’s a good one to grab early.
4. Hacipupu Plush: the get-in-early bet
Hacipupu keeps landing on every “gaining on Labubu” list for 2026. It’s plush-forward, portable, and easy to clip, and it’s earlier in its hype curve than Crybaby, which is exactly the point. Prices are still friendly. If you like being ahead of the one everyone eventually wants, this is the pick.
5. Jellycat Fuzzy Charms: the non-blind-box alternative
Not every plush pendant is a gamble. Jellycat’s fuzzy bag charms give you the same soft-clip-on-a-bag look without the blind-box uncertainty: you see exactly what you’re buying. They’re a favorite for gifting because there’s no chase involved. We covered the whole trend in our Jellycat fuzzy bag charms guide.
6. Labubu x Pokémon: the crossover collectors are watching
Worth flagging with a caveat: a Labubu x Pokémon crossover is the most-talked-about potential drop of summer 2026, but it’s fan anticipation, not a confirmed release as of this writing. Pop Mart’s IP collaborations tend to command vinyl-tier pricing, so if it does land, expect a premium and a fast sell-out. One to watch, not to pre-order on a rumor.
How to choose
- Safest bet on momentum: Crybaby plush pendant.
- The classic, budget no object: Labubu.
- Cute gift for a new collector: Baby Three.
- Get in before the hype: Hacipupu.
- No gambling, just gifting: a Jellycat fuzzy charm.
- For the die-hard watcher: keep an eye on the Labubu x Pokémon rumor.
A word on authenticity
Hot IPs attract fakes. Buy from Pop Mart directly or authorized resellers, and check for the hologram on Pop Mart product. Be wary of “complete set” deals that look too cheap on third-party marketplaces. For a specific character, a confirmed single from a reputable reseller almost always beats gambling on sealed boxes, and usually costs less than chasing the pull.
The bottom line
The story of 2026 is soft over hard: plush pendants you can clip and hug are outrunning the vinyl figures that built the category. Crybaby is the clearest winner, Labubu is still the name everyone knows, and Baby Three and Hacipupu are where the next surprises come from. Match the character to the person and skip the sealed-box gamble when you’re buying a gift.
👉 Keep reading: The Next Labubu: 7 Blind-Box Collectibles Taking Over in 2026 →
Want the full field beyond plush? The blind-box roundup covers Skullpanda, Hirono, Smiski, Sonny Angel and more.
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