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Levi’s jeans are a highly sought after piece of clothing, and depending on the model and year, can often fetch a very high price on the vintage market. Unfortunately, this means that the jeans are replicated, passed off as real, and sold to unaware and unsuspecting customers. Whether you bought your jeans from an official dealer, second hand, or from an unlicensed dealer, it can always be a good idea to check for telltale signs to identify your new pair of jeans as authentic!
How to Tell If Levi’s Are Fake
Check for the red Levi’s tab on the back right pocket, and the leather “Levi Strauss & Co.” patch on the waistband. Next, look for a 3-4 digit style number stamped onto the back of the top button. This should match the number printed on the care label. If your jeans are missing any of these things, they might be fake.
Steps
Find the red Levi's tab on the back right pocket of your jeans. This red tab is present on almost all pairs of Levi’s and has become a well-recognized icon all around the world. It is a good starting point for identifying Levi’s Jeans as authentic or fake.- All genuine pairs have the tab, however, on a few styles of jeans, the tab may be a different color, like green, or yellow, or white.
Ensure that the stitching around the tab is clean and consistent. If it is messy, or looks tampered with, these may be a fake pair. A lot of fake manufacturers un-stitch the denim of regular jeans and sew the tab in to make them look like genuine Levi’sAdvertisement
A capital E is rarely present in Levi’s pairs of jeans.[1]. However, some recent products have a capital E[2], as can be seen on some jeans and shirts on Levi's official website.- 1 in every 100 pairs will only have a ‘registered mark’ instead of Levi’s sign. This is because they have to change the ribbon on the machine and run through a label without Levi’s stitching on it.[3]
Look for the high-quality leather patch on the back of the waistband. This leather patch is another way of identifying an authentic product and will be consistent with most other pairs of Levi’s jeans. Some content might vary, however, they will all have very similar characteristics.- The color of the leather patch is the same on all pairs of Levi’s. The patch won’t be too pale, or too dark, and the tag will not fade in the wash.
Check the design of the patch for any errors. The model/style, waist, and leg measurements of authentic Levi’s are always printed in black text. This is because they make the stock label first and then print these details onto each individual pair of jeans. Off center labels or spelling mistakes also indicate that the pair is fake.- The design of the patch has varied over the years, so if you are comparing your patch to another, ensure they are from the same time period.
Feel the patch’s texture and softness. The material of an authentic patch will have a little bit of texture and feel soft and worn. The material shouldn’t feel too smooth, or too hard. A lot of fake manufacturers use cheap leather or a substitute. If the patch feels like it is covered, or has a plastic feel to it, this may indicate that your jeans are counterfeit.
Check the top buttons details and marks. The top button on all Levi’s will be a well-finished copper or silver button that doesn't wear or fade over time.[4] While the design of the button has changed a few times over the years, an authentic button will always have “LEVI STRAUSS & CO” embossed onto the front side. There will also be a 3 or 4 digit number (code) stamped into the back of the top button. This number on the top button can be matched to a number on the white care label on the inside of the jeans. If you can not find this it indicates a fake pair.- On modern styles, this is usually a 3 or 4 digit number, however, it can sometimes vary with vintage pairs of Levi’s.[5]
Check the overall build quality of the jeans. Levi’s has a very high standard for quality control. If there are any faults in the stitching, or on any of the metal work, chances are they are fake, or they may need to be returned to Levi’s for inspection.
Ensure the rivets are all detailed with the company initials. The rivets on both the inside and out will all say ‘LS & CO. S.F.’. This stands for Levi Strauss and Co. San Francisco. If these are plain or vary, you may have an imitation pair of jeans.
Check Levi’s website for stores near you. The Levi’s website has a list of their official suppliers and outlet stores. This is the best way to ensure that your jeans are 100% authentic.[6] If you buy your jeans from an unlicensed store, they may not be real Levi’s.
Research online sellers online to check that they are a legitimate supplier. Many fake Levi’s are sold via the internet. If you plan on buying your jeans online, do some research, and check reviews for online stores. This will be a good indication as to whether the online store is reliable.- Watch out for stores that only show their good reviews, or have reviews that look automated.[7]
Beware of a deal too good to be true. While many stores may have sales on, if you find a pair of ‘Authentic’ Levi’s jeans for a price that is just too good to be true, this may be cause for suspicion.[8] It is a good idea to research the style you want first so you know roughly how much you will be paying. Of course the price may vary from store to store, however, they all should be in the same range.
Get the original receipt when you buy second hand. If buying your jeans second hand, online or at a garage sale, market etc, ask for the original receipt. While a lot of people won’t still have it, this can be a good way to ensure the jeans are from a licensed dealer and an authentic pair.
Expert Q&A
Video
Tips
- Remember that Levi’s Jeans have been around for 150 years. There has been a lot of variation in the jeans over the years so not all will have the same telltale signs. There are exceptions to every style, so be thorough when checking, and make sure you read up on the style of Levi’s you have before judging whether or not the pair are authentic.Thanks
Tips from our Readers 
- Another way to identify a fake pair is to check if the top button spins around. In fakes the button might spin, but it won't for true Levi's.
References
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yDiji-9uS4
- ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/FashionReps/comments/eu5740/genuine_levis_510s_but_with_uppercase_e_tab/ffmzkjf?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GkYDAOxJjc
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yDiji-9uS4
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yDiji-9uS4
- ↑ https://www.thecounterfeitreport.com/product/489/501-Jeans.html
- ↑ https://www.fdic.gov/resources/consumers/consumer-news/2022-12.html
- ↑ https://www.fdic.gov/resources/consumers/consumer-news/2022-12.html
About This Article
While Levi’s jeans are commonly faked, you can easily spot counterfeits by looking at the tag, waistband, and buttons for small details that give them away. To start, look for the red tab on the back of the jeans. If this tag looks messy or tampered with in any way, the jeans might be fake. Get in close and look at the “E” in “Levi’s” as well, since it should only be capitalized on jeans made before 1971. On the waistband, check the leather patch for any errors. For example, a fake pair of jeans might be off-center or have spelling mistakes. When you look at the front of the jeans, make sure the top button has a 3 or 4 digit number stamped to its back that corresponds to the white care label on the inside of the jeans. For more help, like how to avoid shops selling fake jeans, read on.
Reader Success Stories
"I've been wearing Levis since I was 16, and now I'm almost 50. I love their fit!"
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