Real vs. Fake Adidas Yeezy Slides: What to Look For

An in-depth guide for easily identifying real and fake Yeezy slides

Real Yeezy Slide Features

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Checking the Box & Packaging

Yeezy slides are almost impossible to secure at retail price. They sell out instantly, but you can always purchase a pair from resellers (if you know what to look out for). The minimal design of Yeezy slides makes it easy for counterfeit manufacturers to duplicate, so how do you know if the product you’re eyeing is genuine? Whether you’re a certified “sneakerhead” or just looking for a high-quality replica, here’s how you can tell the difference between real and fake Yeezy slides.

Things You Should Know

Fake Yeezys often arrive with unfinished, string-like edges.
Authentic slides have a distinct, deeply-engraved Adidas logo on the footbed.
Real Yeezys have 3 logos engraved on the interior shoe strap–“YEEZY”, “MADE IN CHINA”, and a numeric size engraving.

Section 1 of 2:

Real Yeezy Slide Features

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Authentic Yeezy slides have sharp teeth-like soles, similar to a serrated knife. Most fakes cannot replicate this distinct feature, so the “teeth” are often less pronounced and even shorter in some cases. The teeth on authentic pairs should be evenly spaced and close together.^{[1]XResearch source}
This feature is more challenging to analyze, but genuine Yeezy slides have a wide, rounded opening near the toe box. In fakes, this opening is taller and/or narrow. Fake Yeezys often have unfinished, string-like pieces protruding from the edge of the toe box since counterfeit manufacturers tend to overlook details.^{[2]XResearch source}
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Due to low-quality materials, fake Yeezys are easily prone to damage – including scratches and creases. Authentic slides shouldn’t have any defects, especially on the upper and exterior parts of the shoe.^{[3]XResearch source} Make sure your slides exhibit a smooth texture and flawless finish.
If you’re able to easily twist and fold your slides, you most likely have fake Yeezys. Fakes are made from cheaper materials that are not as sturdy as their authentic counterparts. Genuine Yeezy slides are made out of EVA foam that is fairly rigid in structure, with little flexibility.^{[4]XResearch source}
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Deeply engraved Adidas logo. On a genuine Yeezy slide, the footbed includes an Adidas logo of three stripes shaped in a triangle. This logo is engraved fairly deep, while fake slides have a shallow logo, with less distinction.^{[5]XResearch source}
- If the iconic three-stripes logo is absent on your slides, it’s definitely a sign of a fake pair.
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3 engraved logos inside the shoe strap. The interior part of the shoe strap should contain “YEEZY”, “MADE IN CHINA”, and a numeric size engraving. For all three components, the lettering should be clearly engraved, with a font that appears 3-D in nature.^{[6]XResearch source}
- Most fakes either exclude the “YEEZY” or “MADE IN CHINA” engraving.
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Bold, symmetrical font on the size tag. In genuine Yeezy slides, the font on the interior size tag should be quite bold and symmetrical. Fakes often use a font that is more narrow and pale, and some of the letters are not aligned (i.e. the “C” in “CHINA” is placed slightly lower). ^{[7]XResearch source}
- This sticker should be glued on the underside of the slide strap.

Section 2 of 2:

Checking the Box & Packaging

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1
Enter the SKU number on a search engine. The stock-keeping unit (SKU) is an alphanumeric code that merchants assign to every unique product.^{[8]XResearch source} It’s usually 8-10 characters long and located above the product’s barcode. To verify product authenticity, type the SKU number on a platform such as Barcode Lookup. The model, size, and colorway of the box barcode should match your Yeezy slides. If one of the factors isn’t identical, your slides are likely fakes.^{[9]XResearch source}
- Keep in mind that your box could be authentic, but the slides inside could be fake.
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Inspect the quality of the box. Your slides should arrive in a smooth box with little to no damage. Due to low-quality cardboard, most fake Yeezy boxes are unable to withstand the shipping and handling process. Fake boxes are typically thinner and grainier in texture.^{[10]XResearch source}
- Your slides should arrive wrapped in tissue paper if they are brand new.^{[11]XResearch source}
Compare your Yeezy box with an authentic photo online. Fake Yeezy boxes usually exhibit product labels with fuzzy or inconsistent text. On authentic boxes, each character in the product label is fully printed, and the text itself is a dark, saturated ink.^{[12]XResearch source}
In a dark room, carefully shine an ultraviolet light over the slides and their packaging. Many counterfeit manufacturers add a stamp to their boxes, which cannot be observed with the naked eye. UV light can show hidden details such as marks and excess liquid/glue stains, which should not appear on authentic pairs.^{[13]XResearch source}

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Notes

Counterfeit manufacturers will often produce an extended range of colors to sell more products. To verify authenticity, check to see if your slides are an official colorway.^{[14]XResearch source}