The fight against counterfeit sneakers is about to heat up with Nike rumored to make big manufacturing changes this year.

 

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A post shared by HanZuYing (@hanzuying) on Jan 20, 2019 at 7:26am PST

It’s clear that the future of sneaker authentication lies firmly in technology. But will it be enough for sneakerheads to breathe easy? Let’s find out.

The internet has made it easier to cop limited sneaker releases and flip it for a quick buck. At the same time, it has also fueled the existence of lucrative reselling platforms and marketplaces, which has only helped to further inflate sneaker prices. This is why manufacturing and selling counterfeit sneakers is an equally lucrative business. There’s a whole trillion-dollar counterfeit market out there for people who refuse to splash the cash on authentic goods. The Vice News documentary on China’s ‘fake sneaker capital’ unveiled that one seller makes around six figures a month from selling fake kicks – definitely no shortage of demand there.

But, as much as the industry giants such as Nike and Adidas take a financial hit from these counterfeit factories, it’s the actual die-hard sneakerheads who feel the pinch. Fake sneakers are of such high quality these days that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to spot the difference between authentic pairs and fakes. Scams are common on marketplaces like Carousell and eBay, and even major reselling platforms like StockX and GOAT aren’t fake-proof despite their strict authenticity checks. But will the sneaker industry move forward with better technology in place? Or should sneakerheads simply stick with the tried and tested method of “legit-checks”? Let’s look at the options and the future of sneaker authentication.

Legit-check

 

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Did you get it right? These shoes have the common USA flaw. The logo print should also be more clear. The toe box is also too chunky when compared to a retail pair. Ready for the next one? ??‍♂️?

A post shared by Real Or Fake️️️️️️? (@realorfakeofficial) on Nov 16, 2018 at 4:46pm PST

The tried and tested method of sneaker authentication is a process called “legit check”. It’s by far the most common request you’ll see in every sneaker group there is on Reddit, Facebook, and Carousell. You can even find dedicated accounts on Instagram and Youtube providing expert knowledge to authenticate sneakers. Even though this method has worked for the longest time, it’s not foolproof and you might still end up with a fake pair. Is it time to let technology chart the future of authentication?

Sneaker ID

 

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A post shared by HanZuYing (@hanzuying) on Jan 20, 2019 at 10:50pm PST

According to @hanzuying, Nike is making a move towards reforming its manufacturing processes to prevent counterfeiting. This includes introducing unique QR codes on size tags and both QR codes and chips on the shoebox label as a form of ID for each sneaker. How these will work is still a mystery but we could be looking at a future where legit-checks can be done simply by scanning a QR code.

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