Toy company Lego has done an about-turn on bulk orders, after facing a storm of criticism for stopping the practise because its "bricks" were to be used in an exhibition by a dissident Chinese artist.

Key points: Lego to allow bulk orders again after denying controversial artist

Lego to allow bulk orders again after denying controversial artist The company faced international backlash

The company faced international backlash Lego says bricks are about 'freedom of expression', but won't endorse future artworks

The controversy was sparked last year when artist Ai Weiwei revealed he had been denied an order for use in an artwork to be exhibited at the National Gallery of Victoria.

The piece, currently on show, features portraits of a number of prominent Australians including Australian of the Year and anti-domestic violence campaigner Rose Batty, formerly imprisoned journalist Peter Greste, Aboriginal rights activist Gary Foley and Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

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Lego had refused to fulfil a bulk order for the artist, saying it had a long-held policy of not endorsing political statements.

Mr Ai described the stance as censorship and discrimination, a slew of negative headlines ensued in the run-up to the Christmas sales period, and a social media campaign with the hashtag #legosforweiwei was born.

It led to Australians and others around the world offering to donate their bricks to Mr Ai, who only had his passport returned last year after having it confiscated by Chinese authorities in 2011.

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A Lego spokesman said they will now fulfil bulk orders regardless of their purpose, if the buyer agrees to state that the company does not endorse the resulting work.

"In future we are not going to ask for what we call the thematic purpose of the build," Lego spokesman Roar Rude Trangbaek told the ABC at company headquarters in Billund, Denmark.

"Instead we are going to ask the purchaser to make it clear that we are not endorsing or supporting the activity as a company."

On Wednesday the artist welcomed the decision on Twitter, describing it as a "nice move".

Lego refraining from engaging in 'political activities'

Lego said it wanted to clear up what it described as confusion over its position on human rights and freedom of expression.

"We make Lego bricks and Lego bricks are all about freedom of expression because anybody can take Lego bricks and build whatever they can imagine," Mr Trangbaek said.

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"This is really at the core of who we are as a company, so we don't want that confusion."

That is not to say that Lego is now endorsing the current work by Mr Ai.

"We have adjusted a guideline for bulk purchase, but we are still refraining as a company from engaging in political activities," Mr Trangbaek said.

"Before you could also buy Lego bricks and build whatever you could imagine or want to without us having any say in that.

"So this only goes for those few cases where we get these requests for massive amounts of Lego bricks, hundreds of thousands of Lego bricks for public display.

"And in these cases we are then asking them to say [that] the Lego group is not supporting or endorsing the project that [they] are using the bricks for, but we will gladly supply them."

With members of the public now donating their Lego to Mr Ai, the artist may no longer need the help of the Danish company for future projects, but Lego said if he places an order it will be met.

"Anyone contacting us to buy bulk purchase will be treated according to our adjusted guidelines," Mr Trangbaek said.

Lego denies the controversy has harmed the brand, saying sales results due out in early March will prove that point.