How To Spot Fake UGG Boots
April 3 2008. By: admin
Uggs are Australian sheepskin boots, known to be a warm, comfortable, and stylish option for chilly feet everywhere. It's easy to spot the Ugg style - but is it just as easy to tell whether a pair of Uggs is the genuine brand, or a cheap knockoff? Not at all. Due to trademark disputes, Uggs are faked, and faked well, in many parts of the world.
Ugg boots, trademarked by the American company, Deckers, have recently been challenged by Australian shoemakers. Ugg boots (sometimes called Ug or Ugh) originated in Australia's and New Zealand's sheep-shearing cultures: the boots were made locally because their warmth was needed in high altitudes.
Deckers, which has the boots manufactured in China, claims to own the style and the brand name. Australians claim the name to be generic for sheepskin boots, and thus impossible to trademark. This discrepancy has led to the manufacturing of very similar boots in Australia, and these are the boots considered 'fakes' by Americans. The more expensive boots, made in China rather than Australia, are the ones considered 'real.'
Here are the top 6 ways to tell whether your Ugg boots are of legitimate, Deckers-made quality.
1) PRICE. Brand-name Ugg boots are expensive. We're talking about one hundred and fifty dollars, here, and fakes can go for much less. If the pair looks new and it's cheap, especially if it's on ebay, it's not Deckers Ugg.
2) PRINTING. Included with purchase is a little care booklet, telling you how to treat your new boots. Real Uggs have very nice booklet printing, with raised embossed titles. Fakes can look almost as good. The only difference is that none of the text on the fake booklets is raised.
3) TAGS. Non-Deckers Uggs sometimes have uneven label stitching. Also, look on the labels for the manufacturing location. "Made in China" is Deckers; "Made in Australia," or anywhere else, is a fake.
4) SMELL. Get this - rumor has it that with Uggs, you can literally "smell a fake." I do suggest taking a whiff before you wear, rather than after, and don't confuse your own foot odor with the smell of the chemicals used to dye synthetic fabrics. The smell is similar to paint, and Deckers Uggs are apparently (at least, initially), odorless.
5) COLOR. Deckers Ugg boots are not made in any color called 'camel,' so a 'camel' color on the label proves a fake. Also, some fakes have blue labels on them, and Deckers doesn't make Uggs with blue labels.
6) FUR. Finally, Deckers Uggs are made with real sheepskin, and many to most fakes have fake fur. Real sheepskin is a creamy beige color, and is very soft, while fake sheepskin is fluffier, lighter in color, and sort of... prickly, like the plastic that it is. Real sheepskin is also much longer-lasting than fake. Fake fur starts to disintegrate a little when rubbed.
Below is Fake vs Authentic gallery:
Genuine: Fake:
Comments: Genuine Deckers UGG boot has real sheepskin fur on the interior. Its fluffy looking and also thicker and a rich cream colour. The fake uses synthetic 'fur', is slightly grey, thinner and also small pieces of the 'fur' come away when rubbed. Here's the genuine fur on the left and the fake fur on the right.
Genuine: Fake:
Comments: Actually, genuine Classic Deckers UGGS are made in China. The fake Decker UGGS always say made in New Zealand or sometimes Australia. Here's the genuine label (for a classic short) on the left and the fake on the right. Also note how the font style for 'australia' is different.
Genuine: Fake:
Comments: Where the sole joins the heel, the genuine UGG has a flush join. On the fake there is a solid line clearly visible.
Genuine: Fake:
Comments: A genuine Deckers UGG will have an R in a circle next to the UGG on the sole. A fake UGG will not have the R in the circle on the sole.
Genuine: Fake:
Comments: the outside labels are subtly different. Note how 'australia' is in a bolder font on the fake - which is shown on the left
Keep in mind that is illegal to trade counterfeit goods including UGG boots.