Autumn is when toy shops stock up for the holidays. It is also when offers arrive for "original" Labubu, cartoon characters and other branded toys. Before you pay a deposit, run two separate checks. First: is the seller allowed to sell that brand? Second: does that exact model have the documents and markings your country requires? Passing one check tells you nothing about the other.
The two checks at a glance
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| Question | What you ask for | Who decides at the border |
|---|---|---|
| Can the seller sell this brand or character? | Written authorisation from the rights holder, invoices traceable to it | Customs, on a rights holder's application or its own suspicion |
| Is this model safe and documented for your market? | Conformity marking, declaration of conformity, technical file, local-language instructions | Health or market inspection and customs, by country (see below) |
A genuine toy can lack the documents for your market. A logo-free toy with every test report can still copy someone else's character.
Check 1: does the seller have the right to the brand?
Customs can hold suspect goods
Customs in Macedonia, Serbia and Albania act on a rights holder's application to protect its brand. In Macedonia and Serbia, customs can also hold goods suspected of infringing trademarks, designs or copyright without a prior application. In Macedonia, infringing goods can be destroyed when the legal conditions are met. Macedonian customs also states that it does not act on parallel imports, where a company without a distribution agreement imports genuine products, so a clean customs release tells you nothing about your right to resell them. These procedures protect the brand owner. They are not an import permit for a buyer.
The logo is not the only protection
Macedonian customs explains that a trademark can cover three-dimensional shapes and packaging, that a design protects the product's appearance (lines, contours, colours, shape), and that copyright protects the work itself. So "same character, no logo" is not a fix. If a factory offers to remove the logo so the goods pass customs, take it as a sign that it has no rights to the character.
What to ask the seller for
- A written authorisation from the brand owner: which company, which products, which territory, valid until when.
- Confirmation of that authorisation directly with the issuer, not through the seller. POP MART, the brand under which THE MONSTERS and Labubu are sold, lists eu@popmart.com as its European cooperation contact. Its US contact page has a separate line for infringement reports and authorisation verification.
- An invoice from the company named in the authorisation, with the same address and bank account.
- If the seller says they resell genuine stock, ask where they bought it and request the invoices along the chain.
We do not check whether there is an authorised POP MART distributor for Macedonia, Serbia, Albania or Kosovo. If someone claims to be one, ask POP MART before you pay.
How often copies fail
A few recent findings from EU regulators:
- Estonia's TTJA reported on 5 May 2026 that it tested 10 Labubu-style toys. All were counterfeit, and 80% failed requirements and were dangerous: seven released small parts and three contained phthalates.
- Sweden's Kemikalieinspektionen published a 2026 check of nine Labubu dolls, originals and copies. Five contained restricted substances above the limits (phthalates in the plastic face), and in the agency's assessment all five were copies.
- OLAF reported on 27 November 2025 that customs in 13 EU member states seized more than 7.8 million items under Operation LUDUS V: 4.2 million counterfeit toys and 3.6 million unsafe toys.
These are EU figures, not Balkan ones. They show that a copy of a popular character is often unsafe as well, so you carry both risks at once.
Check 2: is this exact model compliant where you sell?
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| Country | Core rule | What the importer needs |
|---|---|---|
| Macedonia | Toy Safety Rulebook, Official Gazette 149/2010 and 17/2012 | Conformity marking, technical documentation, importer name and address, Macedonian safety instructions, copy of the conformity certificate kept 10 years; import consent I008 from the State Sanitary and Health Inspectorate |
| Serbia | Toy Safety Rulebook, Official Gazette 78/2019 and 8/2024; Law on General Use Products | Declaration translated into Serbian, Serbian conformity mark (CE alone not enough yet), Serbian instructions; customs cannot clear without the border sanitary inspector's decision |
| Albania | Law 10489/2011 and VKM 262/2013 | CE marking and EC Declaration of Conformity; customs suspends clearance when CE is missing, false or misleading, or documents are missing; declaration kept 10 years |
| Kosovo | Regulation MTI 02/2017 on toy safety, published 8 March 2017 | Its own rules, separate from Albania's; confirm with your forwarder in Kosovo |
Your forwarder confirms the inspection and clearance requirements for your shipment. Check them before you pay the deposit.
The factory test must match the model
If a supplier sends one PDF with "EN 71" in the title, check:
- that the model and item number match your order;
- that materials and colours are the same, because a chemical test covers the material tested;
- that the age grading matches your packaging;
- whether the company on the report is the factory or the trader selling to you.
An "adults only" label or a key ring does not automatically remove toy obligations; Estonia's regulator warns about exactly this. If it looks like a children's toy and is sold like one, plan the documents for a toy.
The new EU regulation
The European Commission says the new Toy Safety Regulation (EU) 2025/2509 entered into force on 1 January 2026 and applies from 1 August 2030, with a digital product passport. That is not a 2027 deadline for the Balkans.
Example: a current POP MART release
On 24 September 2026 POP MART released THE MONSTERS 10th Anniversary Exclusive Bundle on its US site, labelled "Not suitable for persons under 15". If a product like this is offered to you wholesale from China, ask three things: who is the seller and has POP MART authorised them, is it genuine, and for what age and with which documents will you sell it at home.
Timing for the holiday season
When you order toys, be realistic. Once the goods are ready in China, allow 60 to 75 days via Suez or 70 to 90 days around Africa. Transit times are approximate. We confirm the exact time and route for each shipment, based on the current situation on the sea lanes. Production, samples and document collection come before that. A sea order placed in October suits spring and next season better than this December.
What we do and don't do
An example from our work so far: a toys wholesaler imports more than 10 times a year.
What we do:
- For specific toys with clear specifications, we collect and compare factory offers remotely. Four employed agents work for us in China, in English and Chinese.
- In our warehouse in China we collect goods from several suppliers and check them, and you get a photo and video report.
- We prepare the export documents and the documents needed for clearance, and deliver the goods to the customs warehouse. When the documents are accurate and complete, the customs procedure is usually much simpler, with a lower risk of the goods being held.
What we do not do:
- We do not authenticate brands or issue brand authorisations. Only the rights holder can grant that right.
- We do not issue safety certificates or replace laboratory testing.
- Your own or a recommended forwarder handles clearance, duty and VAT. Many clients already have their own forwarder.
For a broad range of unbranded toys, a Yiwu buying trip suits you better. For a specific model with a specification, start with our China sourcing agent page.
Checklist before the deposit
A factory check significantly reduces the risk of fraud, unsuitable goods and deviations from the agreed specifications. Before you pay, also run through this list:
- I have written authorisation from the brand owner and confirmed it with the issuer.
- The company on the invoice matches the authorisation and the bank account.
- The test report covers the same model, material and age grading.
- I have the declaration of conformity and technical documentation for the model.
- Marking, instructions and warnings will be in the right form and language for my country.
- My forwarder has confirmed the inspection and clearance requirements for this shipment.
- A quantity, condition and specification check is agreed before loading.
More on paperwork: import documents for goods from China and how to verify a Chinese supplier. The category overview: importing toys from China. What a warehouse check looks like: quality checks in China. Paying the deposit once the checks are done: paying a Chinese supplier.
Next step
Send us the product links, the intended age range, quantities per model and the documents the seller has already given you. We will reply with what we can take on in China: factory offers, a goods check in our warehouse with a photo and video report, and delivery to the customs warehouse with the export and clearance documents. Before the deposit, confirm with your forwarder what the import of your shipment requires. Write to us through the contact form.
