getting and selling sneakers online can be daunting. With so lots of scammers and high-quality fakes out there, it can be hard knowing what’s real and what’s not.

In fact, the Organisation for economic Co-operation and development (OECD) released a report stating that international trade of “fakes” (not just sneakers) represented 2.5 percent of overall world trade, or $461 billion.

With so lots of fakes out there, authentic resellers now supply services to make sure customers are getting exactly what they pay for by placing every sneaker that comes into their facilities through a rigorous authentication process.

However, we know that not everyone can access these services and so we’ve put together some quick ideas to help you spot fake sneakers.

The top 10 a lot of Faked sneakers Worldwide

Nike are, hands down, the most easily counterfeited sneakers in the world thanks to the distinctive Swoosh logo and the constant demand for cheap versions of expensive products. but which silhouettes are the most frequently counterfeited? The all-time classics such as Air Jordan 1 and Air force 1 are some of the most in demand due to their consistent fan-base. a lot more exclusive releases, such as Off-White x Air Jordan 4 “Sail”, have a limited run causing a high demand for counterfeits.

How to Recognise Fakes

Common Tips

A lot of fakes are very tough to recognise as each silhouette has its own telltale signs, however, there are still some crucial things to look out for to spot a fake kick. here are some common ideas that will help you spot fakes across a lot of silhouettes.

Box Print

One of the first things to look after when you get sneakers is the box. There is a lot of information that must be on the label, check to see whether the details match the pair that you have bought, is the text evenly aligned, is the font, spacing and size consistent throughout? Does the size and serial number on the box match the identify on the inside of the shoe? If not, you may have a fake on your hands.

Shoe Perforations & Stitching

One of the a lot more common ways to see whether your brand new sneakers are legit is to check the front stitching. Is it even across the shoe, are the perforations neat and tidy, is there any crossover with the stitching?

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Yeezy improve 350

Yeezy sneakers are some of the most notoriously faked sneakers in the world due to their exclusivity and price tag. The demand for each release is also a big aspect in this due to some pairs of Yeezys being produced in a run of just 40,000 pairs.

Some things to check for when getting Yeezys are:

Zebra Pattern

Some Yeezy improve 350 V2 colourways, for example, have a signature zebra-like pattern on its Primeknit uppers. On genuine Yeezy shoes, the wave must be sideways, while fakes typically run from top to bottom.

Insoles

Yeezy’s have removable inner soles with the adidas brand name and logo print. When you’re taking care of a fake, this will normally be in white ink while real Yeezy’s use ink with a grey undertone.

Another thing to look out for is the directions of the logo and brand name on the insoles and outsoles. These must be in opposite directions and must mirror one another when placed side by side.

Side Logo

The adidas logo and YZY stamp are placed on the inner sides of Yeezy improve 350 V1 pairs. These must be centered and placed on the suede-like panel. When taking care of a fake you will typically see off-center logos and larger fonts.

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Air Jordan 1

Jordans are one of the most popular faked sneakers on the market, featuring four times in our list of the top a lot of faked sneakers. Be careful if you find a pair online that seem to be a bargain, chances are they aren’t quite the real deal.

Shoe Shape

Checking the shape of Jordans is one of the easiest ways to see whether you’re checking out a fake or not. typically Air Jordan 1s, for example, have an hourglass shape to look out for. If you look at the medial line, the shoe must have a curve above and below, if it is straight you have a fake on your hands.

It is crucial to take a look at the sizing of Jordans when getting too, if they run too small it is likely that they are fakes. If you not sure which size to choose check out our helpful size guide here!

Logo

Look out for the logo when getting Jordans, if they are authentic the text in the wings will be thin and evenly spaced (meaning the letters aren’t touching each other). The font will also be thin and a lot more crisp, while the ™ logo is a lot more bold.

Now, we said that the letters shouldn’t be touching each other… This is true besides with the R and D in ‘JORDAN’. The bottom edge of these two letters must be touching.

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Nike Air force 1

The fastest way to spot fake Nike Air force 1 is to check the stitching and the Nike AIR text on the rear side ofthe sneakers, as the rear side of the Nike AF1 sneakers is the most flawed one of the whole sneakers in nearly every case of fake AF1 pairs.

Logo

A lot of the telltale signs of a fake pair of Air force 1 can be found by checking the logos.

The Nike Swoosh logo below the “NIKE” text is normally a lot longer on a counterfeit, so if the logo looks off to you this is the first part to check.

Another sign to look out for in the logo area is the thickness of the ‘A I R’ below the swoosh, counterfeits will typically have slightly thinner or thicker text, for this you may want to compare to an image of an authentic pair. look out for the placement of this text too, if it is too close to the Swoosh logo then it is a fake.

The Swoosh on the side of the shoe must have stitching around the outside that runs parallel to the outside of the shape while a counterfeit will have uneven stitching.

Perforations

When checking out a pair of Air force 1, you’ll notice that there are two perforations on the side of the shoe. If these are places too low, or close to the midsole, you can guarantee that you are checking out a fake pair of AF1.

There must also be perforations along the toe box area of the shoe. If the shoe is fake these will be uneven, not fully perforated, and different shapes.

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Nike Dunk

Nike Dunks are one of the most frequently faked sneakers due to their classic fan base as well as their a lot more recent collaborations with major figures and brands such as Off-White, Travis Scott, Ben & Jerry’s, and Heineken. As a result, these sneakers see resale prices reach the thousands on resale platforms. As such, you want to make sure you’re not taking care of some fakes.

Stitching

When checking for a fake pair of Dunks, look at the “NIKE” text on the rear of the shoe. If the shoe is fake, the text will normally be too thin and each letter will be connected by threads. On the other hand, the authentic Nike dunk low sneakers will never have their text connected, as each letter is independent.

An authentic pair of Dunks must also have consistent stitching on the midsole of the shoe, while fakes normally miss this detail out. If the shoe does have this stitching but you are still unsure, check how thick the stitching is in comparison to an authentic pair.

Tongue Tag

One of the telltale signs of a pair of fake Nike dunk is that the two registered trademark “®” symbols are thicker than on an authentic pair. For this, you may want to compare the shoes to an image of an authentic pair.

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New Balance

New balance have seen a staggering rise in popularity over the past few years. known for being a staple shoe, these sneakers have now become a luxury wardrobe essential with a number of celebrities seen wearing them. As a result? An increase in demand for fakes all over the world.

Logo

New balance sneakers feature a logo on some point of the shoe, frequently on the heel of the outsole. An authentic pair must have a clean logo with a registered trademark symbol, a circled ‘R’, if you can’t find this then the pair is fake.

One of the most obvious features of new balance shoes is the ‘N’ on the sides. Some fakes are obvious, replacing the ‘N’ with another letter or a backwards ‘N’. However, if it is the right letter but you’re still not sure try checking out the stitching around it. This must be the same colour as the letter and runs parallel to the edge of the letter. The letter must also be on top of a contrasting colour underneath.

And that’s it! the most frequently faked sneakers and how to spot them. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of absolutely everything that you must look out for, it is a starting point with crucial things to check when checking out getting sneakers online and from resale stores.

Let us know if you have any other ideas and tricks that you think we must share, and make sure that you keep it locked at The Sole vendor for the current and greatest sneaker news and releases!

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