Chinese 3D printer manufacturer Bambu Lab has reached a settlement with toymaker Pop Mart over copyright infringement claims tied to unauthorised Labubu character files uploaded to its file-sharing platform, MakerWorld.
The deal was struck ahead of what would have been a closely watched trial scheduled for April 2, 2026, at the People’s Court of Pudong New Area in Shanghai. The settlement brings a subdued end to a case that had drawn significant attention across the 3D printing and intellectual property communities.
The dispute was not simply about whether the infringing files were wrong to exist, as both sides appeared to agree on that, but whether a platform could be held legally responsible for content its users uploaded.
Pop Mart, whose Labubu character accounted for more than 30% of the company’s total sales revenue in 2025, had argued that Bambu Lab violated its reproduction, distribution, and information network dissemination rights.
Bambu Lab had been expected to lean on the safe harbor principle as its primary defense: a legal doctrine that protects platform operators from liability for user-uploaded content provided they respond promptly once notified of an infringement. That argument, however, never got its day in court.
The Takedown That Came Too Late
The timing of Bambu Lab’s content removal had already drawn scrutiny. The files were taken down after the lawsuit was filed rather than proactively, a detail that could have complicated its safe harbor defense had the case proceeded. The commercial prominence of the Labubu IP in China throughout 2025 made it difficult to argue the platform had no reasonable grounds to act earlier.
According to Tom’s Hardware, Bambu Lab posted on its official Weibo account on March 16, expressing apologies to both Pop Mart and its user base for the disruption caused. The manufacturer confirmed that a settlement had been reached through what it described as “friendly consultations,” and that all relevant content had been removed from the platform.
The outcome is as significant for what it sidestepped as for what it resolved. A court ruling against Bambu Lab could have reshaped how platform liability is understood in the context of 3D model sharing, with potential ripple effects well beyond China. That question now remains legally unresolved.
As of now, western platforms including Printables, Thingiverse, Thangs, and MyMiniFactory continue to operate under safe harbor protections, and Labubu-related files remain available on those sites. There have been no reported takedown requests directed at any of them, suggesting Pop Mart’s enforcement efforts remain focused on the Chinese market for the time being.
What the settlement does not do is put to rest the underlying friction between IP holders and the open-sharing ethos of the 3D printing community. If anything, it signals that IP rights holders are becoming more assertive, and that platforms may need to move toward more proactive moderation rather than waiting for formal complaints before acting.
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Featured image shows a screenshot of Labubu models for 3D printing on Printables. Image via Printables.
