Free authentication tool
Vintage brand identification tool
Search a brand to get its tag-dating clues and authenticity tells — the details that separate a genuine vintage piece (and a higher price) from a reproduction. Covers 12 of the most-faked resale brands, including Nike, Levi's, Ralph Lauren, Carhartt, Adidas and Stone Island. Free, no sign-up.
Note: A field guide to common tells, not a guarantee of authenticity. Counterfeiters copy tags — cross-check stitching, hardware, fonts and provenance, and when a deal seems too good it usually is.
How to identify and date vintage clothing
Value in resale often comes down to the era and authenticity of a piece. The fastest tells are on the tag: the wording, font, logo variant and stated country of manufacture each point to a decade. Construction details — single vs double stitching, union labels, selvedge denim — corroborate the dating. This tool collects the brand-specific clues that experienced resellers use, so you can price a genuine vintage find correctly and avoid paying up for a reproduction.
The tells that matter most
A few signals recur across brands. Country of manufacture is one of the strongest: "Made in USA" on Nike or Carhartt, "Made in West Germany" on Adidas or "Made in England" on Burberry all point to older, more collectible production. Stitching is another: single-stitched hems and cuffs generally indicate earlier tees. And logo variants — the orange-tag blue Nike swoosh, the Levi's Big E, the Champion runner-man — pin a piece to a specific window. Enter any of the covered brands above to see its particular checklist.
Authenticate before you invest
Counterfeits are common in the brands worth the most, so treat tag clues as a starting point, not proof. Cross-check hardware, fonts, tag alignment and provenance, and be sceptical of a price that looks too good. For high-value pieces, keep photos of every tell in case a buyer opens a dispute.