Funko Pops are stylised vinyl collectible figures based on characters from films, TV shows, video games, comics, sports, and real-world icons. They are best known for their oversized heads, simple facial features, and distinctive black eyes, giving them a recognisable look across thousands of different franchises. Most standard Funko Pops stand around 3.75 to 4 inches (9.5–10 cm) tall and are sold in clear-front display boxes designed to be kept and showcased.
Funko Pops are produced by Funko, a pop-culture collectibles company founded in the late 1990s, and have become one of the most widely recognised collectible figure formats in the world.
Funko was founded in 1998 by Mike Becker, whose early nostalgic bobbleheads gained cult appeal. In 2005 collector Brian Mariotti took over, securing major licences with Warner Bros., Marvel and Disney, turning Funko into the pop-culture powerhouse it is today.
The Pop! Vinyl line launched in 2010 with Batman from the 1960s TV series and has since grown to tens of thousands of releases.
Funko Pops are primarily made from PVC vinyl, a lightweight and durable plastic commonly used for collectible figures. Some internal or structural components may use ABS plastic, particularly where extra rigidity is needed.
The figures are manufactured in factories using a combination of digital sculpting, mould casting, and automated painting processes. While some limited or special editions may include small hand-finished details, standard Funko Pops are not hand-painted in the traditional sense.
If you’re interested in how size varies across different Pop formats, you can see a full breakdown in my Funko Pop Size Guide.
Funko Pops are most commonly used as display collectibles, designed to be showcased on shelves, desks, or in dedicated collections. Many people collect Pops to represent their favourite characters, franchises, or fandoms in a compact and visually consistent format.
They’re also popular as:
While they can be handled like toys, most Funko Pops are designed to be displayed rather than played with.
Funko Pops are popular because they combine accessibility with variety. The figures are relatively affordable, widely available, and released across an enormous range of licences, from Marvel and Star Wars to anime, gaming, music, and retro cartoons.
Their consistent size and style make them easy to collect and display, while frequent new releases keep the range feeling fresh. Nostalgia also plays a big role, with many Pops appealing directly to fans’ favourite characters from childhood through to modern pop culture.
If you’re interested in the motivations behind collecting, I explore this in more detail in my article on why people collect Funko Pops.
Funko Pops sit somewhere between toys and collectibles. They are officially classed as toys, but in practice they are marketed, sold, and treated as collectibles.
Most collectors display their Pops rather than use them for play, and many keep them in their original packaging.
Their design, packaging, and licensing model are all geared towards collecting rather than traditional toy use.
If you’re curious about starting a collection, understanding value, or learning how collectors approach the hobby, the next step is my Collecting Funko Pops guide. It covers why people collect, whether Funko Pops are worth collecting, beginner tips, and links to more detailed resources.
You may also find these guides useful:
You can browse all my Funko Pop articles on the Lee Pep Blog and follow me on Instagram at @LeePepCollects for updates and collector chat.
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