How to Tell if a Football Shirt is Fake
Football shirts have long been hot property, both in casualwear and on the pitch. Everyone wants to represent their team or favourite player, so it is a devastating realisation to have purchased a shirt, only to later discover that it is a fake.
As a manufacturer of high-end replica football shirts, TOFFS knows all about quality, and we can share the best practices you should take in order to check whether the shirt you have purchased is real or fake.
The most popular football gear manufacturers all have varing telltale signs that indicate whether a shirt is authentic, and there are more subtle parts of a shirt that you must look over before making a purchase.
Scrutinise the quality
If you’ve worn a good number of shirts in your life, you will have an idea of how they should feel to the touch. Even if the material appears and feels to be right, take a look at the stitching, particularly around the hems. Poor-quality stitching is easy to spot, as it will look uneven, loose, an odd colour, or too visible.
Turn the shirt inside out for another look at the stitching, as a fake shirt may have traces of poor stitching, or remnants of fabric still stuck into the stitches.
The fit of the shirt could be a great indicator of its authenticity. A wide, boxy fit is not typical of a football shirt. Take note of the sleeve length, the waist size, the collar opening size, and the tightness around the armpits. It is helpful if you know your exact size for that particular brand or manufacturer, as you will then be able to compare with what you know.
Consider the price
The cost of the shirt is one of the most revealing aspects of a seller’s authenticity. If a shirt’s price is too good to be true - it usually is.
If a well-known, sought-after shirt is marked at half the price of any other seller in the current market, it is a good indication that the shirt is not real.
Prints and badges
One of the easiest ways to spot a fake football shirt is to look at the details that are added to the base material of the shirt, which are usually either printed or sewn. You should first learn whether the logo, badge or crest is normally printed or stitched on in the official version of the shirt, and compare it to the shirt at hand.
If the stitching or printing is poorly done - whether not centred, not straight, or the wrong material - it is likely a fake.
If a print or badge looks and feels cheap, it probably is. Know whether the kit should require the domestic league or competition’s logo on the sleeve badge or back number, for example, as details such as these are typically skipped over by counterfeiters.
Care label stickers
Some care labels will look outrageously out-of-place. Swindlers are looking to cut costs wherever possible, and as such are likely to not pay attention to detail, especially to smaller particulars such as labels.
Fake labels often miss the manufacturer’s logo or may be in an odd font. The language may also be mistranslated, and read badly.
Find out more
If you want a high-quality alternative to branded merchandise, you can shop with confidence at TOFFS for high-end replica shirts from all eras.
With a huge range of handcrafted, replica classic football shirts and footballing memorabilia, TOFFS is a leader in all things football. View our stock of 100% cotton, UK-made retro football shirts to find your team’s best kits from years gone by.
To learn more about football shirt care and guidance, visit The Terrace.
