Category: Bootlegs

It wasn’t long ago that you could easily authenticate a vintage tee using just the tag. There was always a chance the counterfeiter had printed on actual vintage blanks, but the majority of brands didn’t have blanks floating around. So when you were examining a t-shirt with a Giant or Wild Oats tag, you almost automatically knew it was legit. Needless to say, authenticating was far easier in the olden days. In the mid-2010s, the real trouble began. Convincing versions of the 80s classics like 3D Emblem and Sneakers, started coming out of Thailand and they were attached to blank ... Read more

What is Rap Tee Style? Rap tee style can be described as a collage of imagery layered on a background, typically featuring numerous faces. The fonts are typically outlined in white, with a color inside that often has a shading effect on it. Generally, the tees have a wide variety of colors. This style is often used to describe non-hip hop t-shirts, that aren’t technically Rap Tees – like Tiger Woods or even the Back Street Boys. And of course, they are bootlegs, unlicensed merch. Bay Club Bay Club-tagged vintage 1990s t-shirts are extremely valuable in today’s market. They typically ... Read more

Resurreccion is a Mexico-based bootleg t-shirt that was formed in the early 90s. But it’s far more than just a typical bootleg operation given they were determined to create a lasting brand. The designs were original, big, and painstakingly printed. Rather than scouting out dirt cheap blanks, they mostly used ones they smuggled from the United States or bought shirts that didn’t pass the quality control. Resurreccion occupies a unique space in the vintage t-shirt universe, which is obvious given its value in modern times. According to Jesus at @vintagewitchfinder, someone shelled out $3000 for a Dragon Ball Z Resurreccion ... Read more

A previous article explained why a torn t-shirt tag could indicate the print is a bootleg. It’s no surprise that bootleggers preferred printing on budget t-shirts, and a torn tag can indicate a factory second, or reject, that bootleggers would buy at discounted prices. But what other types of tags are a red flag for a bootleg tee? Bootleggers were mostly nickel and dime operations that wanted to make some quick cash, but they were also very aware their inventory could get confiscated. With that in mind, you can bet they wanted to spend as little as possible on their ... Read more

It’s important to note that I’m focusing on bootlegs that are actually vintage, so at least 20 years old. This has nothing to do with modern bootlegs that feature counterfeit tags like the ones showcased in our fake tag archive. Those are meant to be vintage knock-offs, while vintage bootlegs are two decades old, often feature original artwork, and are generally accepted by the vintage community. In the mid-2000s I connected with a gentleman who was a concert merch manager in the 1980s and 90s. He had thousands of vintage t-shirts in storage – and we partnered up to sell ... Read more