Real vs. Fake North Face Jackets: 5 Ways to Spot a Fake

The popularity of North Face jackets has ebbed and flowed over the last 20 years. Whenever demand surges, scammers manufacture at scale to capitalize on the hype.


Jesse Sumrak
Updated 21 May 2021
Real vs. Fake North Face Jackets: 5 Ways to Spot a Fake

United States Counterfeit Goods Statistics


$1.3 billion in counterfeit items seized each year
$200 billion yearly loss to businesses

$959 billion (estimated value of the counterfeit market by 2022)

Source: Library of U.S. Congress

Sections on this page
  1. Real vs. Fake North Face Jackets—5 Ways to Spot the Difference
  2. How to Identify Fake North Face Jacket Listings
  3. What Are Fake North Face Jackets?
  4. Where Are Fake North Face Jackets Sold?
  5. What to Do If You Purchase a Fake North Face Jacket
  6. Where to Buy Real North Face Jackets
  7. Frequently Asked Questions

Scams aren't just an international issue—just two years ago, police in North Carolina seized over $800,000 in fake goods. Among the counterfeit merchandise were UGG boots, fake Louis Vuitton handbags, and (you guessed it) fake North Face jackets.

This growing problem compounded with the rise of online shopping makes it easier than ever for scammers to fool honest buyers. If you're looking to buy a North Face jacket online or in person, we'll arm you with everything you need to know to avoid frauds and find real-deal jackets.

First, let's look at a few common characteristics of counterfeit North Face jacket—then we'll get into the nitty-gritty tell-tale signs and dead giveaways.

Real vs. Fake North Face Jackets—5 Ways to Spot the Difference

Fortunately, telling a fake North Fake jacket from the real deal isn't too challenging if you know what you're trying to find. Some fakes make obvious mistakes, while others require you to do a bit of digging to uncover the counterfeits. Here's what you need to look for:

  • Sketchy logo stitching
  • Mistakes on the inside tag
  • Which arm the Summit Series logo is on
  • Missing detail on the zipper
  • Correct branding in the right places

1. Logo Stitching

Look at the North Face logo on the left chest pocket. It's usually a glued-on (not printed or painted) logo on some jackets, but most use basic stitching. Fake jackets often can't replicate the clean cuts, and you'll notice the stitching blend together between letters.

For example, notice in the image below how some of the letters are connected on the fake jacket. That will never happen with an authentic North Face jacket.

Real vs fake North Face jacket embroidery

2. Tag

Look for deviations and mistakes on the inside tag. Fake jackets will often have logos with inconsistent letter sizing, and a stretched or squashed-looking logo. The tags will also make tiny mistakes, such as labeling a jacket as a "Medium" and an "XL."

Real vs. fake North Face jacket tag.

3. Zipper

North Face jacket zippers have "YKK" embroidered on them. Fakes will often forget these tiny details or use look-alike zippers that might have different letters, such as the "YING" in the image above.

4. North Face Branding

Genuine North Face jackets use their logos all over the jacket. Inspect all the plastic and metal hardware to look for these logos. You should find them on the pockets, cinch cords, tags, and more.

How to Identify Fake North Face Jacket Listings

Now that you know what to look for spotting a fake North Face jacket isn't too challenging when you can compare jackets side-by-side. However, shopping online is a different story. You'll need to learn to identify a product's legitimacy by looking at the listing alone.

Below, we'll show you a few ways you can tell the fakes from the real deal without even seeing the product:

  • Price: Genuine North Face jackets sell for anywhere between $80 and $300, depending on the model. If you see a North Face jacket listed for less than $80, be cautious and look for other red flags.
  • Seller: Check for seller inconsistencies. Ensure the seller's name and email address match.
  • Reviews: A product with a 4.5-star listing doesn't mean it's genuine—look for fake reviews. Sellers can illegitimately purchase fake reviews or even create their own fake accounts to review products. While you're in the reviews section, look for 1-star ratings to see if anyone else has reported receiving a counterfeit.
  • Images: Sellers should always use images of the product that they took themselves. Don't trust a seller if they're using photos taken from The North Face's website.
  • Description: Scammers sell in a variety of languages and countries. Look for typos and grammar mistakes in their product description to see if there are any red flags. Run the text through a plagiarism checker, too, to see if they lifted the copy from another website.

What Are Fake North Face Jackets?

Authentic North Face jackets promise quality, warmth, and durability. They use high-end materials and strategic designs to create the perfect balance between insulation, temperature control, and performance.

Fake North Face jackets piggyback off North Face's notoriety by stealing their basic design, logo, and branding—but the products fall short in almost every other way. They typically use cheap materials, poor manufacturing standards, and imitation design to mimic quality by grossly underdeliver.

However, telling the difference between a real North Face jacket and a fake is more complicated than ever. Scammers have honed their manufacturing techniques to create knock-off products that can fool the unaware.

Where Are Fake North Face Jackets Sold?

Scammers sell fake North Face jackets all over the internet. In fact, some of the most popular e-commerce sites sell illegitimate North Face products. Here are a few sites notorious for having listings for fakes:

These websites sell authentic products, too, and often at reasonable discounts. If you decide to shop from any of these online marketplaces, then you'll need to be on high alert for frauds—you'll likely find equal amounts of legitimate and fraudulent products.

What to Do If You Purchase a Fake North Face Jacket

If you've fallen victim to a North Face jacket scam, then take action as soon as possible. The quicker you initiate the refund and return policies, the more likely you are to recoup your money. This process looks different depending on where you purchased the fake:

  • Wish: Contact Wish to take advantage of their 30-day return policy. Check their list of exceptions to make sure your purchase qualifies.
  • Craigslist: Craigslist can't protect you from scammers and counterfeits. You'll need to do your due diligence to avoid getting scammed. However, if you believe you've received a knock-off, then report the fraud to Craigslist to protect other future buyers.
  • Facebook Marketplace: Facebook Marketplace doesn't provide any guarantees or protections for sellers and buyers.
  • Walmart Marketplace: Walmart Marketplace has a no-tolerance for counterfeits policy—request a refund via the Walmart Marketplace Promise to recover your funds.
  • Amazon: File an A-to-Z Guarantee with Amazon customer support to start your refund process.
  • eBay: Contact eBay's customer service team to ask for their money-back guarantee.

Submit the fraud report to the FBI's digital division to get them involved. They may be able to help give you advice, recoup your money, and shut down the scammer's account.

Where to Buy Real North Face Jackets

You can find genuine North Face jackets at a variety of in-store and online retailers. Here's a list of reliable places you can buy a genuine jacket:

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there knock-off North Face jackets?

Some brands sell jackets that look like North Face jackets, but they don't pretend to be The North Face. Brands like TAK, Lapasa, and Trespass make jackets that resemble North Fake jackets but only cost a fraction of the price. These are not fake jackets.

How do I spot a real North Face jacket from a fake?

There are five main things to pay attention to when spotting a real North Face jacket from a fake:

  • Logos
  • Tag
  • Stitching
  • Hardware
  • Branding

Are fake North Face jackets warm?

Yes, fake North Face jackets can be warm. In some cases, fakes can be warmer. Genuine North Face jackets find the perfect balance between delivering warmth, comfort, and performance. This brand caters to outdoor adventures, and they use designs and materials to make recreational activity comfortable—not just warm.

Where can I buy authentic North Face Jackets?

You can buy authentic North Face jackets from various online and in-store retailers. Although you can find them on sites like Amazon and eBay, the safest places to buy real North Face jackets are from The North Face directly or third-party retailers like Macy's.

Why are North Face jackets so expensive?

North Face is an established brand in the outdoor space. They use ethical manufacturing, high-quality materials, and strategic design to create all their apparel. These standards come at a cost, and that cost is passed on to you, the consumer.

Comments

Featured Reads