Recognising Genuine UGG: An Authentication Guide
Sheepskin boots, mules, textile pieces: UGG has been copied on a massive scale for twenty years, with counterfeits sometimes sold as authentic at full price. Here are the reliable checks for the Californian brand.
At NB08, every piece is checked and authenticated in our boutique before it goes on sale. The pointers are set out below.
Why check the authenticity of an UGG piece?
The worldwide success of the Classic and the Tasman mules has created a copying industry, with synthetic materials passed off as genuine sheepskin.
The sun hologram: the official test
For years, UGG has applied a security hologram (sun logo) to the inside label or the shoe box: when tilted, the sun should go from black to a clear change of image. A flat sticker that does not change when tilted is a strong sign of a counterfeit on recent products.
The material: genuine sheepskin or synthetic
Authentic sheepskin is dense and supple, with soft wool that regains its shape and breathes (no 'hot plastic' effect). The synthetic fibres of copies shine, flatten and retain odours. On UGG textiles, the same standard applies: thick, soft materials and clean finishing.
Labels, logos and stitching
The embroidered or embossed UGG logo is crisp and well positioned; the inside labels show the model, size and manufacture with clean printing; the stitching is even and the soles are well bonded. A misshapen logo or smudged labels: rule it out.
Price and seller: the warning signs
New UGGs at €30 do not exist. Ask for photos of the hologram and labels, and be wary of unknown '-70%' websites.
Checklist: authenticating an UGG piece in 7 points
- Sun hologram that changes when tilted
- Dense sheepskin that regains its shape
- Soft, breathable wool (no shiny synthetics)
- Crisp, well-placed UGG logo
- Clean, complete inside labels
- Even stitching and assembly
- Realistic price and reliable seller
Buy authenticated UGG at NB08
All our UGG pieces are checked and authenticated in our boutique before they go on sale.
