How to spot a fake Dr. Martens

martens fake Cloth

One of the most popular shoe brands is Dr. Martens, fakes of which are found in many countries of the world. Original products are recommended to be purchased at official points of sale or on a specialized website. In order not to buy counterfeit goods, you should know how genuine martins differ from replicas or fakes.

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martins
Children's martins.

Why are Dr. Martens are faked so often

Immediately after the end of the Second World War, the German military medic Klaus Mertens designed the first boots, the prototype of which was soldier's shoes.

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They were not in demand until, in 1947, Herbert Funk, who became interested in design, suggested using aircraft tires for the sole, and shoulder straps instead of insoles.

In 1952, the first factory was opened, and in 1959 the company entered the world market. She became interested in the English firm R. Griggs & Co. Bill Griggs came up with a design that is now known in all countries - a rounded toe, a springy sole, laces with 8 holes.

Since the mid-60s of the last century, boots have become an element of the subculture - they were worn by football fans, skinheads, hippies, etc. At the beginning of the XXI century. there was a new surge of interest in Dr. Martens.

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She is preferred by such stars:

  • Pete Townsend;
  • Dave Gein;
  • musicians of The Clash, Madness, The Specials and many others.

About 10 million pairs of boots of this brand are now produced. Counterfeiters did not pass by such a profitable business and set up illegal production in several countries.

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Do you like military style shoes?
YesNot

How to distinguish a fake from the original (photo)

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The original "martins" have several differences from fake ones. Knowing the main ones, the buyer will be able to buy a real brand, no matter what company it was released at.

seams
Shoe seam.

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Shoe cost

Authentic Dr. Martens are made from quality materials. Therefore, a branded item cannot be cheap. The price on the official website ranges from $120 to $220.

To this amount must be added the reimbursement of shipping costs. Therefore, any product with a recognizable logo that sells below the indicated amounts is at best a good replica, and at worst a fake from the basement workshop.

Website
Prices on the store's website.

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Cardboard packaging

It is recommended to look at the side sticker first. The sticker indicates the model number, color, article number and material from which the shoes are made. It is recommended to check all the given data with the information from the manufacturer.

There is a barcode on the label. When reading it using the application, you go to the official website.

Reading the barcode on the box of original Dr. Martens

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The distinctive features of the box with the original shoes “Doctor Martins” are:

  • thick craft cardboard from which it is made;

Box of original Dr. Martens

  • logo “Dr. Martens" on the lid;
  • English inscriptions (hieroglyphs and other letters should not be);
  • a side sticker with the model number, color, material and article number (it can be checked against the data of the official website by scanning the barcode);

Side sticker on the box of original Dr. Martens

  • marks from the stamp in the form of shoe soles inside the box.

"Martins" are never packed in an additional plastic bag and are not labeled NEW.

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Packaging of original Dr. Martens and fakes

Box
Shoe packaging.

The part number on the side label must match the number on the boot. Its reconciliation allows you to make sure that a finger is not placed in the original box.

The article on the box of original Dr. Martens

Verification of the article on the box of original Dr. Martens

There is a drawing on the bottom of the box. It has the shape of boot tread prints. The drawing is a signature feature of Dr. Martens. For fakes, the packaging does not have an image of the soles.

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Sole print on the bottom of a box of original Dr. Martens

Equipment

Previously, with every pair of Dr. Martens sold spare yellow laces in a bag with a logo. Now they are not found in every model. Early signature shoes of Dr. Martens came with spare yellow laces. They were packed in a bag with a logo. Now additional laces are found only in some models. They fit neatly into a wrapper with a logo.

If the spare laces are just in the box, then the shoes are definitely fake.

More details about the description and configuration of each modification can be found on the company's portal.

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Laces
Laces in a box.

Check Dr. boots Martens by barcode:

Enter 13 digits of the barcode:

Appearance of boots

The most reliable way to verify the authenticity of Dr. Martins shoes is to examine the shoes themselves.

Fake shoes are often studded with Dr. Martens. A fake often has tags and additional inserts confirming "originality". The inscriptions are embossed directly on the shoes themselves.

The manufacturer of real Martins has not made an imprint on boots for several years.

Imprint on fake Dr. Martens

Size matching. Fake ones are almost always small, and the original ones sit loosely on the leg.

Above the sole is the famous yellow stitching. It is not there or only some models have a thread of a different color, as there is a specification on the manufacturer's website. This feature is often missing from a counterfeit pair.

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Even seam stitches anywhere. The line must be straight. Distortions of the skin and other flaws are not allowed. A branded yellow thread is used to stitch the sole. Fakes are most often made in artisanal conditions and on cheap equipment that does not allow for flawless firmware.

Seam comparison on original Dr. Martens and fake

Signature stitching that appears at the junction of the sole and upper during Goodyear Welt soldering. It is impossible to repeat it in an underground workshop.

It is important to pay attention to the heel. There, bad seams are most common, as they are not immediately evident. Fake stitches have different lengths. In fakes, you can often see traces of glue showing through.

Seam comparison on original Dr. Martens and fake

Quality leather, sewn with even stitches in one place on each section. Genuine martins never have overlapping seams.

The presence of glued parts and a pungent smell indicate a purchased fake.

The correct boots have a logo on the insoles of older models in the form of Original and Made in England inscriptions, and on new ones - Air Cushioned Sole or Bouncing Soles. In each case, the presence of perforation is mandatory.

It is recommended to pay attention to the edging. In the original, it is soft, wide and firmly sewn to the boot. In pali, the edging is made of tanned material. The upper edging is firm, although made of soft leather. In underground models, it looks more like plastic.

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Fringing on original and fake Dr. Martens

It is important to inspect the holes for the laces. There are usually 8 on each side. Eyelets Dr. Martins are smooth on both sides.

Holes for laces, or eyelets, should not have burrs on the outside and inside.

For fakes, the back side of the metal edging of the holes has notches.

Eyelets on fake Dr. Martens

The original Dr. Martins have a solid tongue. In Pali, it is sewn from several parts. In this case, the line is very sloppy. In the process of wearing fakes, tears appear on the tongue.

Pull tab on original and fake Dr. Martens

There is a tag on the back of the boots. The inscriptions on it are clearly embroidered with yellow thread. Pali often lacks a tag. If it is still a network, then it can be difficult to read the inscriptions on it.

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Back tag on original and fake Dr. Martens

A yellow sticker with the letters INSP BY QC indicates the authenticity of the purchase.

Dimensional grid of shoes Dr. Martens

American (female) American (male) European centimeters
5 4 36 22-22.5
6 5 37 23-23.5
7 6 38 24-24.5
8 7 39 (40) 25-25.5
9 8 41 26-26.5
10 9 42 27-27.5
11 10 43 (44) 28-28.5
11 45 29-29.5
12 46 30-30.5
13 47 31-31.5

Sole

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Real boots have soles made of elastic rubber with translucent yellow diamonds. This is the shock absorber. For counterfeit goods, it is most often completely black.

Sole

The sole of the shoes. You can determine the fake by the sole. At Dr. Martins, it is not rigid, but elastic. Her air cushion is translucent with yellow diamonds. The fakes have painted soles. You can see defects on it.

The outsole on original and fake Dr. Martens

If you look at the sole from the side, then the original can be found to smoothly flow from a dark color to a lighter one. Replicas do not have such a transition, or it is applied using a helmet. The sole of the pali is prone to cracking. The firmware is of poor quality.

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The outsole on original and fake Dr. Martens

The outsole on original and fake Dr. Martens

Shoe color

Martins offer a wide range of colors. However, there are no unusual colors in the model lines. Therefore, if a pair of non-standard colors is found on sale, you need to refer to the information on the home page and make sure that the selected product was produced at the official factory of the brand.

Inspection inside

The heel area is made of leather from the inside. Foam rubber or other synthetic material gives counterfeit.

The underside of the boot should not be much lighter than the top.

Copies have a lighter color inside.

The inside of the original Dr. Martens and fakes

Only winter models are insulated with fur Dr. Martens. They use soft matte leather. Glossy fur Martins 1460 are a clear fake.

It is important to pay attention to the firmware inside the boot. The seams of the original are even, and the stitches do not differ in length. In fakes, you can notice the inaccurate use of glue. The replicas do not have firmware or it is made “for appearance”.

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The shoe should contain basic information. Original Dr. Martens are produced not only in the UK, but also in China. Pali on the boot can only contain information about the size of the shoe. At the same time, replicas are often small.

Information inside the boot on the original Dr. Martens

Fake Dr. Martens

When determining a fake, it is important to pay attention to the insole. The real Dr. Martins have a logo with clear contours on it. The branded insole has perforations in the form of small holes along the edge. The inside of the boot is made of leather. The use of foam rubber or other artificial fillers is unacceptable.

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Insole on original and fake Dr. Martens

The presence of redundant elements

Counterfeit shoes often have Dr. Martens and Original in different locations. These are additional tags, inserts, packages. This is how surrogate manufacturers try to draw attention to their products.

The original product does not need to prove its ownership to the buyer. Therefore, there are no extra details.

Even the print on the outside of the boot is now abandoned.

impression
There is no imprint on the original.

Shoe weighing

The original Martins are strong but not light. A pair of boots usually weighs over a kilogram. In the manufacture of pali, there is savings on everything. Therefore, replicas always have less weight.

Weighing original and fake Dr. Martens

Which countries do not produce original Martens shoes

After the purchase of the brand by AirWair International from the UK, production was concentrated in England. However, in 1999, revenue declined, and in 2003 the company was on the verge of bankruptcy. Therefore, it was decided to transfer production to China and Thailand to reduce costs.

A year later, a new collection of footwear models aimed at young people appeared, which increased sales. In 2004, the Cobbs Lane Factory in Wollaston resumed production of Dr. Martens of the Vintage line.

Enterprises are currently operating in Laos, Vietnam, and India. All of them adhere to technologies developed in the parent company. In other countries, the production of these "Martins" does not exist.

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Advantages of original shoes

Despite the change in the lineup and appearance, the popularity of Doctor Martins shoes does not decrease.

This was achieved thanks to several positive features:

  1. Strength and durability typical of military boots. The outsole, made of natural rubber, is not afraid of the effects of oil and gasoline, which are found on the roads. The leather used in production is additionally impregnated with a special composition that repels moisture and resists reagents. A strong thread connects the parts with a double seam. The models of the For Life line have a lifetime warranty.
  2. Convenient and comfortable to wear due to the air cushion and the anatomical shape of the shoe. The corrugated bottom surface will prevent falling in a slippery place.
  3. Versatility, allowing you to choose a model for a buyer of any age and gender. They are worn by representatives of informal movements and office workers. Sometimes "martins" are combined with unusual outerwear.

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The boots of Dr. Martens has several models, the features of which are beyond the power of even an expert to know. Many of them are unknown to the counterfeiters. However, studying the descriptions will help you choose original shoes that will be worn for more than one season.

What shoes do you like to wear in autumn?
Sneakers
16.23%
Classic shoes
6.49%
low shoes
12.99%
Boots
18.83%
Martins only!
45.45%
Voted: 154

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Andrey Kozhevnikov

Blog author. 7 years of experience as a Merchandiser. Specialist in the definition of quality products. Distinguished more than 5,000 fake goods. My motto: there is no limit to perfection!

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Add a comment

  1. Kseniya

    I got to the sale of this brand in Dublin. The seller girl described in detail all the advantages of the model I chose. The boots were really stiff and loose on the leg, although they went size-to-size. I immediately noticed the firmware thread - evenly, without flaws. Well, in conclusion, I can say that I have been wearing these shoes for the third year already, and there are no problems with them, they are still like new.

    Reply
  2. Aurelia Gutsu

    It is definitely better to buy branded shoes in a specialized store. Then you will not slip any fake. But still, you should pay attention to the quality of shoes, talk to the seller. If you go to the market for shoes, be sure that you will be slipped a fake.

    Reply
  3. Dmitry

    Bought at school when it was fashionable. Also, one boot in the heel area began to deteriorate a little after a short time, after which the thought arose of a fake.
    You can distinguish by the appearance of quality. In what form is it sold? By price. By weight

    Reply
  4. Alyona

    Oh, I just wanted to buy, I still won’t buy)) the most valuable thing in the article, it seems to me, is the yellow diamonds on the sole. In any case, the Chinese will not pay such close attention to this + to do this, you must probably get confused, get a transparent sole somewhere. I will be brief on this.

    Reply
    1. Anastasia

      I don’t know what year the article is, but now the price on the site is ~ 12000 rubles

      Reply
  5. Andrey

    Of course, I knew about the existence of fakes of this company, but I did not think there were so many differences. Good shoes cost a lot of money, but you will wear them for a long time.

    Reply
  6. Andrey

    since I have never seen this brand, of course I can be easily deceived

    Reply
  7. Alexandra

    Now they have learned everything, so a lot of fake will be difficult to determine. There are those of course who buy shoes often and the brand is easy to identify. Here's a simple one and go and won't buy it.

    Reply
  8. Igor

    I would like to read a similar manual about Solovair. Thanks!

    Reply