Written by Menswear Style in Business on the 28th June 2022

There is now more to worry about when buying branded clothing and accessories than whether or not they’re the right style and size for you. These days, you also have to concern yourself with whether the designer item you’ve just purchased secondhand is legitimate. Unfortunately, some businesses make a living out of creating cheaper, lower-quality replicas of much higher-priced goods and selling them as if they were authentic. Shop with confidence by keeping the following points in mind.

Consider the Price 

Some businesses will sell knock-off goods at much lower prices than authentic ones, which can be a telling sign that you’re not purchasing a genuine product. That can sometimes be how to tell if a diamond is real in a piece of jewelry. If it’s far cheaper than what an actual diamond would cost of the same size, it’s likely not a natural diamond. If you’ve found a garment, jewelry, or even footwear that seems far too affordable for what they usually sell for, question the price. Look online to see what that item is currently selling for, and you might have your answer.

Use An App 

There seems to be an app for everything, and you might be pleasantly surprised to learn there’s an app to identify counterfeit products. All you have to do is take a good photo of the item, and the app will recognise an original based on its surface pattern. The app is designed to help people make wiser purchasing choices while limiting the damage to companies trying to sell authentic goods for what they’re worth. 

Look at the Stitching 

A genuine and fake piece of clothing, such as a polo shirt, can look almost identical from a distance when placed side by side, and manufacturers might use the same fabric and colours to make it hard to tell them apart. However, a quick glance at the stitching might make it obvious whether something is real or a copy. Authentic products tend to have cleaner and more robust stitching, with more stitches per square inch. The stitching on fake items often tends to be crooked, imperfect, and further apart to save money on sewing materials.

Inspect the Buttons 

While inspecting the buttons is not a sure-fire way to identify a counterfeit product, it might be a technique you use in conjunction with others. Some manufacturers engrave buttons on their coats with their logos or business names. They also use high-quality buttons paired with robust stitching to help them last the distance. The producers of counterfeit goods don’t usually go to as much effort. They might use thin, lightweight buttons without engraving and stitch them onto the fabric with minimal effort or care. 

Compare Logos 

Brand recognition is an amazing thing. We’re taught to recognize a business by its logo’s shape, colour, and fonts, even if all the elements don’t appear together. However, if you pay close attention to the logo on a fake product, you might notice that it’s not quite the same as the authentic product. Sometimes, manufacturers use the same colours and shapes, but the wording or design might be slightly different.

Try the Fastenings 

If anything, you plan to purchase has zippers or other fastenings, try them out before buying them. Take note of how they’re fixed into the fabric, their robustness, and their strength when opening or closing. Reputable manufacturers will use fasteners that are made to last the distance, while the creators of knock-off products often use low-end fasteners that perform the task just long enough to make the sale. 

Pay Attention to Packaging 

If the item you’re purchasing comes in packaging, you might be able to tell it’s not an authentic product just by looking at it. Look for spelling and grammatical errors and pay attention to how well the product fits within the packaging. Many manufacturers of high-quality goods also include as many branded packaging materials as possible, such as tissue paper with printed logos, so an absence of such materials might be a warning sign.

Feel the Fabric 

High-quality fabric tends to feel high-quality. It’s well made with no rips or pulls and is often much weightier than less expensive fabric. If you’re unsure if something is authentic or not, hold the garment or accessory in your hands and notice how the material feels. It might not be the real deal if it’s thin, easy-wearing, or too lightweight. 

You should be able to walk into a store and buy a product knowing it’s authentic. However, that’s no longer the case. By considering the above tips while shopping, you might enjoy being able to make branded purchases with far more confidence.

Consider the Price, Use An App, Look at the Stitching, Inspect the Buttons, Compare Logos, and Try the Fastenings are some of the ways to Tell If Your Branded Purchases Are Real or Fake.