Are you looking for the best way to determine if your shoes are real or fake?
If you’re a sneakerhead, you know that there are many different ways to tell if your shoes are legit. It can be difficult to identify fakes from the original sneakers, which can be incredibly frustrating when spending so much money on them.
You don’t want to spend all that money on something that isn’t going to hold up and look good, do you? So, read on and follow these seven tips and make sure your next sneaker purchase is legit!
1. Examine the Stitching
An important thing to look at is the stitching when checking for authenticity. Original sneakers manufactured by companies like Nike and Adidas will have their logo sewn on with multi-colored thread.
Expensive imitations will usually use monochromatic threading to save money, so if you come across a pair of shoes that only have one color of thread, it’s likely your shoes are not original or authentic designer merchandise.
2. Check Out All Labels Carefully
Take a close look at any labels stitched into the shoe’s interior lining or attached to tags dangling from it—make sure they don’t say “sample” anywhere! Samples are one-way counterfeit retailers cut costs to make a cheaper product.
To increase their profits, counterfeit retailers will try to pass off these samples as real shoes that you’ll love because they’re not made from the highest quality materials or construction methods.
3. Examine the Material Used For the Shoe
Examine the fabric and soles of your sneakers carefully to determine whether or not they are made from authentic materials. Authentic manufacturers like Nike and Adidas produce high-quality synthetic fibers for their shoes, so if your shoes feel stiffer or too plastic, they’re likely imitations.
One brand name knockoff company is Pleaser USA, which makes cheap imitations of popular brands such as Nike, Jeffrey Campbell, Fergie Footwear, Blondo, Lola Cruz, Klogs Footwear, and more. Pleaser USA claims their shoes are of the finest quality, but we don’t think it’s true!
4. Do You Like Where Your Shoes Came From?
Another great tip for determining if your shoes are real or fake is to examine their place of origin (i.e., China). One surefire way to tell if your sneakers are not authentic is by finding a small label stitched into the tongue that says “Made in China.”
The country of origin can be found on any tag dangling from the shoe and inside each shoe’s sole near the heel part. Also, make sure to check out Adidas as they produce some high-quality materials such as the Adidas Originals and Yeezy.
5. Check For Air Pockets
For most people, air pockets in their shoes are a sign that they’re made from low-quality materials and shouldn’t be purchased. Also, make sure to check for excess glue around the soles of your sneakers because it’s likely an original manufacturer such as Nike or Reebok wouldn’t use such shoddy construction methods to make their shoes.
Air pockets can easily be spotted when examining the material used on your shoes right on top of the sole where there should not be any kind of lump or bump—just smooth rubber.
If you do come across a pair with little bumps under each part of the rubber sole near the heel, it may just mean that they need to be worn in, and the bumps will go down.
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6. Never Buy a Pair of Shoes That Don’t Fit Quite Right
If you’re purchasing a pair of shoes from an outside retailer such as one of the many counterfeit mass-market retailers, then it’s likely they won’t fit exactly like your normal size. Authentic manufacturers such as Nike and Adidas produce high-quality materials and put them together with perfection. If any part of the shoe doesn’t sit on your foot just right or feels too tight, they may not be original designer goods.
Often when purchasing a counterfeit shoe from one of the many mass-market retailers out there, they’re not going to fit exactly as your normal-sized shoes do.
7. Make Sure You Get More Than One Pair!
One great way to ensure that you get actual authentic sneakers is by making sure you purchase at least two pairs of shoes instead of just one—just in case you run into an impostor pair of shoes!
8. Check Where the Money Is Going When You Make a Purchase Online
When shopping for shoes online, never give in to temptations by buying cheap imitations! It’s better to spend a few extra bucks on an original or fake pair of shoes that will last you a long time rather than buying cheap imitations that will break down quickly and end up wasting your money.
As a general rule, if it seems too good to be true, then it probably is!
Want More Help Finding Original Sneakers?
With these seven tips for finding legitimate sneakers, you can quickly determine if your shoes are legitimate original sneakers. If you want to learn more about the trends in this industry, be sure to check out our blog for more articles on Jordan shoes, finding sneakers, and becoming a shoe collector.
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