Fake Sneakers: The Most in Demand Sneaker Fakes and How to Spot Them

Buying and selling sneakers online can be daunting. With so many scammers and high-quality fakes out there, it can be tough 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 many fakes out there, authentic resellers now provide services to ensure 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 tips to help you spot fake sneakers.

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 commonly 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. More exclusive releases, such as Off-White x Air Jordan 4 "Sail", have a limited run causing a high demand for counterfeits.

Common Tips

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

Box Print

One of the first things to look after when you buy sneakers is the box. There is a lot of information that should 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 tag on the inside of the shoe? If not, you may have a fake on your hands.

Shoe Perforations & Stitching

One of the 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?

Yeezy Boost 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 factor in this due to some pairs of Yeezys being produced in a run of just 40,000 pairs.

Some things to check for when buying Yeezys are:

Zebra Pattern

Some Yeezy Boost 350 V2 colourways, for example, have a signature zebra-like pattern on its Primeknit uppers. On genuine Yeezy shoes, the wave should 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 dealing with a fake, this will usually 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 should be in opposite directions and should mirror one another when placed side by side.

Side Logo

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

Air Jordan 1

Jordans are one of the most popular faked sneakers on the market, featuring four times in our list of the top most 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 looking at 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 should have a curve above and below, if it is straight you have a fake on your hands.

It is important to take a look at the sizing of Jordans when buying too, if they run too small it is likely that they are fakes. If you unsure which size to go for check out our handy size guide here!

Logo

Look out for the logo when buying 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 more crisp, while the ™ logo is more bold.

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

Nike Air Force 1

The fastest way to spot fake Nike Air Force 1 is to inspect the stitching and the Nike AIR text on the rear side of the sneakers, as the rear side of the Nike AF1 sneakers is the most flawed one of the whole sneakers in almost 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 usually 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 should have stitching around the outside that runs parallel to the outside of the shape while a counterfeit will have uneven stitching.

Perforations

When looking at 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 looking at a fake pair of AF1.

There should 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.

Nike Dunk

Nike Dunks are one of the most commonly faked sneakers due to their classic fan base as well as their 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 dealing with 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 usually 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 should also have consistent stitching on the midsole of the shoe, while fakes usually 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.

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, commonly on the heel of the outsole. An authentic pair should 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 noticeable 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 correct letter but you’re still unsure try looking at the stitching around it. This should be the same colour as the letter and runs parallel to the edge of the letter. The letter should also be on top of a contrasting colour underneath.

And that’s it! The most commonly faked sneakers and how to spot them. While this isn’t an exhaustive list of absolutely everything that you should look out for, it is a starting point with key things to check when looking at buying sneakers online and from resale stores.

Let us know if you have any other tips and tricks that you think we should share, and make sure that you keep it locked at The Sole Supplier for the latest and greatest sneaker news and releases!