Nike is a world-famous American company. This is one of the largest companies designing, producing and distributing sportswear, shoes and accessories.
Nike history of creation
The Nike company appeared in a completely unusual way. Ideally, new firms enter the market in two possible options. A new company either takes up free space in the market by offering something new, or offers a product of higher quality than its competitors. What makes Nike unique is that when creating the company, its founder used both options at once.
Phil Knight, an ordinary student at the University of Oregon, founded the Blue Ribbon Sports company in 1964. It is this company that later turns into an entire empire, which is now known under the name “Nike”.
What is the backstory of Nike? During his student years, Phil Knight was seriously interested in sports. He was even a middle distance runner on the university team. Knight's coach during those years was Bill Bowerman. In those days there was no special choice of sportswear. Professional athletes could afford sneakers for $30 from adidas company, however, ordinary American citizens were forced to settle for cheap and low-quality goods of unknown origin.
It was then that Knight decided to seriously work on correcting the current situation. Soon he developed a not very complex, but quite interesting commercial scheme. According to popular legend, at a regular marketing seminar, Knight came up with the concept of his future company. The idea was that Knight would order sports shoes from Asia and sell them in the United States at an affordable price. It was then, in 1964, that Phil Knight and coach Bill Bowerman took the first step by creating a small company called Blue Ribbon Sports.
Some time later, Knight enters into his first contract with the Japanese company Onitsuka Tiger, which undertakes to sew sports shoes for colleagues from the United States. Since Knight's company was not registered, in the first months sales were carried out on the street, where the 26-year-old businessman sold sneakers from a minivan.
Oddly enough, Knight’s business began to develop at a fast pace. During the first year of the company's existence, the founders' profit amounted to 8 thousand dollars. After calculating the revenue, Knight realized that it was time to develop and hire workers. Soon a sales manager appeared in the company - Jeff Johnson, whose appearance brought several changes to the company at once. The name changed first.
The company was named Nike after the Greek goddess of victory, Nike.
The second change was in policy. Johnson was confident that the company's promotion directly depended on an individual approach to each client. To do this, Johnson found out and wrote down the phone numbers of all buyers, most of whom were athletes, called them and asked about the quality of the purchased goods. He was also interested in product defects, upon discovery of which Johnson offered new models. Johnson kept a whole file cabinet where he recorded all customer reviews and suggestions. It was this strategy that became the key to the company's success.
Development
The end of the 60s of the last century was marked by development in the history of Nike. It was then that the first branded store opened in Santa Monica, California. In 1968, the company released a new type of sneakers.
The new models were made using advanced lightweight materials and had good shock-absorbing properties.
In the early 70s, a company partner in Japan decided that the overseas company was making a lot of money. This was exactly the case, because compared to the first year, the company increased its annual income many times over, which in 1971 amounted to $1.3 million. After this, the Onitsuka Tiger company tried to buy out the share of its American partner and raised prices for the supplied goods. Knight foresaw this development of events and had previously managed to contact another Japanese company, Nisho Iwai. At the same time, the founders of the brand, together with the sales manager, decided to start own production in the United States. Moreover, they had everything they needed for a successful start.
In the same year 71, the company received a new logo, which was soon to become popular throughout the world. The logo was created by Portland State University student Carolyn Davidson. Then the girl created the famous emblem in the form of a stroke, which symbolized the wing of the Greek goddess for almost nothing, receiving 30 dollars for her work. Years later, as the company gained momentum, Knight offered a generous reward. Caroline received a number of company shares and an exclusive figurine as a gift. Nike logo, which was studded with diamonds.
The company’s popularity grew after another innovation – sneakers with “waffle” soles. A similar sole was produced using a completely new technology. Such a sole made it possible to significantly reduce the weight of the shoe, while simultaneously increasing momentum during running. The idea to create a revolutionary technology belongs to Knight's coach. It is said that Bowerman came up with it completely by accident when he was looking at his wife’s waffle iron.
The company's debut occurred in 1972, when the United States Olympic training camp took place before the Summer Games.
The following years brought the company dizzying fame. In 1978, the company entered the international market for the first time. IN next year Nike launches sportswear production. Knight and his wife worked on the creation of the first clothing models.
In those years, fitness was gaining popularity. This was the main impetus that influenced the sales of Nike shoes with lightweight soles, which strengthened the company’s position in the global market.
Since that time, the company considered Adidas its main competitor. Since then, companies have been competing for a leading position in the sports products market. In 1973, Nike managed to gain half the market share.
Nike Air sneakers
Each of us has heard the name of the legendary series of sports sneakers “Nike Air”. What is her story?
In 1979, former NASA aeronautical engineer Frank Paris develops a completely unusual method for making sneaker soles. He offers his technology to many sports shoe companies and even Nike, but he is rejected everywhere. But Paris's determination and persistence ultimately lead to Nike agreeing to use the engineer's method in production.
The innovation of the aircraft engineer was that he was the first to propose the use of a special shock absorption system, which was supposed to significantly extend the “life” of the shoes.
Paris was not mistaken in his calculations, since it turned out that the new technology not only extended the life of the sneakers, but also made them several times more comfortable.
Michael Jordan is the star of the company
A well-known rule of successful advertising is that to promote a product well, you need to collaborate with stars. Nike decided not to experiment again and not take risks by starting to collaborate with sports stars and organizations.
The company concluded big number contracts, but the contract concluded in 1985 is still considered the most famous and most scandalous in the history of Nike. During these years, the company's popularity began to gradually decline. It was then that Nike decided to sign a contract with NBA star Michael Jordan. And the reason for this crisis situation was another experiment by the company with the production of casual shoes, which never found buyers.
Immediately after signing a contract with Nike, Jordan began actively advertising the company. He wore Nike sneakers not only during basketball games, but also in everyday life. The company even released an exclusive series of sneakers called “Air Jordan” especially for him. The irony, however, was that these sneakers were the reason Jordan continually paid $1,000 in fines. The reason for the fines was the black and red coloring of the sneakers, which was officially banned in the NBA. Mike was not at all embarrassed by this, since advertising brought him quite a lot of income.
Nike today
Today the Nike brand is known throughout the world and is one of the main symbols of sports. The company has consolidated its position in markets around the world. It offers everything you need for almost all sports. The company has repeatedly acted and continues to act as a sponsor of various sporting events. Nike is successfully promoting its products in the field of football, where its competitor has traditionally been in the lead. A significant share of the company's success comes from the multi-million army of fans of the Nike brand.
It was Nike that first created a special social network, which is dedicated to basketball. The company does everything to always be aware of new trends in the fashion world, never moving away from customers and fans. Thanks to the social network, every fan has a unique opportunity to personally participate in the creation of the “sneaker of their dreams.” All you need to do is come up with a model and order it from the manufacturer.
Nike successfully cooperates not only with sports companies, but also with technology manufacturing companies. The fruit of cooperation with Apple was the “Nike+iPod” set, which is a set of audio player and sneakers that are connected to each other. In this way, each athlete gets the opportunity to monitor various statistical data about the progress of the training directly on the player screen.
The concept of the brand is that every person with a body is an athlete. That is why the company strives to produce goods for different customers.
As with any story, there are dark sides too. Nike has been and continues to be criticized for numerous human rights and safety violations. Since the company's products are manufactured in the third world, it has been criticized more than once for very low prices. salaries($40 per month). Also the reason for criticism was a scandal involving the use of child labor in production. The brand's management, of course, is trying to maintain control over everything, but Nike's volumes simply do not allow this.
In any case, there is no denying the fact that Nike is one of the largest sporting goods companies in the world. The company has factories in 55 countries around the world. The number of company employees is 30 thousand people. The brand's headquarters is located in Beaverton, Oregon, United States.
Reebok operates factories in Russia, and all Puma is produced in Asia.
Sportswear brands have moved their production to countries with low cost labor force© flickr.com
Most American and European sportswear brands have moved their production to countries with cheap labor. Even some Ukrainian and Russian enterprises register a brand abroad, in China.
The history of this great German brand can begin with the birth of its founder, Adolf Dassler. After World War I, the Dasslers decided to organize their own business, namely a shoe-making workshop. By 1925, Adi, as an avid football player, made his first pair of shoes with spikes. A local blacksmith forged it for him, and thus the first boots were born. They turned out to be so comfortable that they began to be produced at the factory along with slippers.
In the late 40s, after the death of the head of the family, the brothers quarreled and divided the company. They divided the factories, each brother got one, and agreed not to use the old name and logo of Dassler shoes. Adi decided to call his brand Addas, and Rudi - Ruda, but soon their names changed to Adidas and Puma, respectively. The Dassler brand was successfully forgotten.
Columbia
Columbia Sportswear Company - An American company produces and sells outdoor clothing.
The company was founded by German emigrants of the second wave with Jewish roots- Paul and Marie Lamfrom. The Columbia company was founded in 1937 in Portland and was engaged in the sale of hats. The name Colombia Hat Company appeared in honor of the river of the same name, which flowed near the place of residence of the Lamfrom family.
The hats that Colombia sold were of poor quality, so Paul decided to start his own production, namely, sewing shirts and other simple work clothes. Later, the founders' daughter sewed a fishing jacket with big amount pockets. This was the first jacket in the company's product range, and its sales brought some fame to the factory.
Nike Inc. is an American company, a world-famous manufacturer of sporting goods. Headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon, USA. The company was founded in 1964 by student Phil Knight. He was a middle distance runner for the University of Oregon. In those years, athletes had virtually no choice in sports shoes. Adidas was expensive, about $30, and regular American sneakers cost $5, but they hurt my feet.
To remedy the situation, Phil Knight came up with a brilliant scheme: order sneakers from Asian countries and sell them on the American market. At first, the company was called Blue Ribbon Sports and did not officially exist. The sneakers were sold literally from hand, or rather from Knight’s minivan. He simply stopped on the street and started trading. During the year of its existence, the company sold $8,000 worth of sneakers. Later, the Nike logo was invented.
Nike became widely known for its "waffle" sole, which made the shoe lighter and gave it a little more propulsion while running. It was this invention that brought Nike to the forefront.
The history of Puma begins simultaneously with the history of Adidas, since the founders of the brands are brothers. (see Adidas history). Rudolf founded his own company, Puma, in 1948. . In 1960, the world saw the company's new logo, an image of the beloved member of the cat family - the puma.
For many years the company worked exclusively for athletes. By the early 90s, Puma found itself on the verge of bankruptcy. Consumers viewed the brand as imitative and expressionless. The new management set a new goal - to make the Puma brand the most creative and desirable. Central to the revival was the decision to develop shoes and apparel aimed at niche segments such as snowboarders, racing fans and yoga enthusiasts.
Reebok is an international sportswear and accessories company. The headquarters is located in the Boston suburb of Canton (Massachusetts). It is currently a subsidiary of Adidas.
Reason for founding British company Reebok became a completely logical desire for English athletes to run faster. So in 1890, Joseph William Foster made the first running shoe with spikes. Until 1895, Foster was engaged in handcrafting shoes for top-level athletes.
In 1958, two of Foster's grandchildren founded new company and they call it after the African gazelle - Reebok. By 1981, Reebok's sales profits reached $1.5 million, but the most big success Reebok was next year. Reebok introduces the first sports shoe specifically for women - a fitness sneaker called the FreestyleTM.
The material uses information from open sources, manufacturing companies, finance.tochka.net sources
Today Nike is the most recognizable brand. The company, which was founded in 1962, very soon managed to overtake other popular sports brands, and its creator is considered the richest person in the United States. He is Phil Knight, who in the sixties was a student at the University of Oregon and at the same time was engaged in middle-distance running. He was interested in the fact that the market offered either overly expensive sports shoes (Adidas) or cheap but very uncomfortable ones. That is, there was no middle-priced option.
Then he and his friend, who was also a coach, decided to order sports shoes from Asian countries and then resell them in the United States. Moreover, they bought shoes for little money in Japan good quality. Thus, a company arose that friends called “Blue Ribbon Sports”, later renaming it Nike. At first, they sold shoes during competitions from the trunk of a car. And already in 1971, the income of this company amounted to more than one million dollars. Today, sports shoes, clothing and accessories from this company are in great demand among consumers. In our country, branded shoes and clothing, bags and backpacks are offered by the Nike Ukraine website. The prices are quite affordable (photo 1).
History of the logo creation
The company received its current name in 1971. She was named after the goddess Nike (Greek goddess of victory). A year later, cooperation with a shoe manufacturer from Japan ends and the company begins to produce sports shoes of its own production. Then the co-owners of the company decide that a logo is needed. Phil Knight speaks to Caroline Davidson, a student at the University of Portland. At that time, Carolina was studying to become a graphic designer. According to the assignment, it was necessary to depict movement in the logo. Carolina presented the customer with several options and all of them were rejected. But the packaging had to be printed and there had to be some kind of logo on it. Then Phil Knight chose the swoosh as his logo. Moreover, he noted that he does not like the logo, but perhaps over time he will fall in love with it (photo 2). 
For her work, student Caroline Davidson demanded only thirty-five dollars. In 1983, she was invited to a meeting with Phil Knight and colleagues. Where, in addition to a warm welcome, she was presented with a gold ring with diamonds and the company logo, as well as a certificate of honor and company shares. However, the amount of shares has not yet been disclosed. Thus, the founder of the company expressed his gratitude to her (photo 3).
Logo meaning
The Nike swoosh signifies the wing of the goddess Nike. In mythology Ancient Greece this goddess symbolized victory. For great warriors, she served as a source of inspiration. The badge was originally presented in the form of a ribbon. After a while it was called "swoosh", which meant a retinue of cut air. The first shoes with this logo appeared on American markets in 1972. In 1995, the logo was recognized as the company's corporate identity and was registered as a trademark (photo 4). 
Over the years, the logo has changed a little. It was slightly tilted and blurred. Moreover, it also has a slogan that sounds like this: “Just do it.” For many generations, the swoosh logo has become a way of life. The history of this logo is also an example of how a symbol with a very simple, but at the same time working design, contributed to the success of the brand and even managed to turn the company into the most famous on the planet. Today, Nike continues to develop revolutionary shoes, organizes various sporting events, and sponsors famous athletes (photo 5).
The history of the Nike brand will be of interest to all running enthusiasts.
Since about the 70s of the last century, young athletes often faced a difficult choice when buying running shoes: which company to choose when buying running pairs. American "Nika" has always been among the popular brands. Starting with running shoes and spikes, the brand now accounts for 95% of the basketball shoe supply in the United States. More than 74 thousand employees work under his name in various parts of the world. The brand value is estimated at the most minimal estimates at $27 billion, which is the highest price among brands in the sports industry.
Let's find out how the history of Nike began, who created it and other details of the legendary brand.
How Nike was born
The history of the Nike company dates back to the 60s. At that time, Adidas reigned in the American sports shoe market. Sneakers from local manufacturers, although they were cheaper, did not suit athletes (especially mass amateurs) with their quality. The legs got very tired in them, they practically did not soften the impact on the road surface, and did not protect against injury.
University of Oregon running coach Bill Bowerman and his student Phil Knight decided to change that. Having entered into an agreement with the Japanese Onitsuka Tiger, whose sneakers were then not much inferior to Adidas' ones, but were several times cheaper, they began selling them along the entire coast of the country. The date of birth of the Blue Ribbon Sports company they founded was 1964.
Bill Bowerman works with the sole
At first, trade was carried out from Knight's van, only in the late 60s did entrepreneurs open the first sports store, and then begin to create a network of affiliates retail outlets in different states of the country. At the end of 1970, they sold goods worth 1 million. $.
Phil Knight
Independent production
The Japanese partner, having learned about the successful promotion of its products in America, decided to independently develop the American market and, on its own terms, offered to buy out BRS.
Under the threat of losing his business, Knight was able to quickly reorient himself and find a new supplier in Japan - the company Nisho Awai. At the same time, the founders of the future brand decide to start their own production. Their accumulated experience told them that they could only conquer their niche in the market by releasing products that would stand out among their competitors.
The history of Nike’s creation includes many events that influenced its further development.
Once, looking at the waffle iron standing on the table in front of him, Baurman thought that such a grooved sole could enhance the support push and at the same time make the shoes lighter. The idea was soon put into practice, and sneakers with waffle-shaped soles became the most popular model in the country, and its grooved surface became a notable feature of the brand.
Bowman's wife's waffle iron
By that time, entrepreneurs began to call their products “Nika”, and in 1978 Nike, Inc. was officially registered.
The first sneaker with a waffle sole
Sports and Nike are inseparable
As people involved in sports, Knight and Bowman, from the inception of Nike and throughout its history, have focused on the sale and manufacture of sports shoes. Understanding well how important the example of champions and famous athletes is for the general public, entrepreneurs performed for them individual orders, actively involved in advertising their products.
The first famous athlete to actively use Niki's models was coach Bowman's student, member of the US running team, Steve Prefontaine. After him, world number one title holder Ilie Nastase, US Open-74 champion Jimmy Connors, and world marathon record holder Kenyan Henry Rono competed in the company's shoes.
Steve Prefontaine
At the 1976 Olympics, most athletes wore Nike models.
The history of the company's development is not limited only to the manufacture of branded shoes. 1979 was marked by the release of the first samples of sportswear, designed by Knight himself and his wife.
Sales expansion
Since 1975, Nike began to organize the sale of products abroad. The first country in which sneakers began to be sold en masse was Canada. Successful advertising on the sports front, an active policy to capture the market, and the increased popularity of health running contributed greatly to rapid growth sales up to $25 million in 1977
Air insoles
The company's success story would be unthinkable without the appearance of NASA employee Frank Rudy within its walls. He proposed the depreciation technology he had developed. Air cushions filled with compressed gas were built into the back of the sole. His proposal was not immediately accepted, but it turned out to be revolutionary and brought the company worldwide fame and millions in profits.
Frank Rudy
A sneaker with an air-cushioned sole called the Nike Tailwind began selling in 1979. New technology the company called it AirMax. It is used by the corporation in a popular line of products in the most varied and numerous variations.
Reorganization into a joint stock company
By 1980, Nike had already captured half of the American sports shoe market. The company is ripe to reach a new, higher level of development. Ahead was the struggle for leadership with the main competitors - world famous brands Adidas and Reebok.
There was a need for a public offering of shares, which would strengthen the company’s reputation and make the brand even more significant and recognizable. In addition, the organization needed large loans, and banks were more willing to issue them against securities that are quoted on the stock exchange.
Nike reorganizes into an open joint stock company and conducts an IPO. The company had 2,700 employees at that time. The history of Nike was entering a new stage of development.
Advertising strategy
Once in an interview, Phil Knight said that marketing is what all divisions of the corporation basically do. Construction and functional characteristics product is only part of the global marketing process. He identified three pillars on which the success of the organization rested:
- use of famous athletes in advertising;
- product design;
- the advertisement itself.
Knight's advertising strategy throughout Nike's history has been based on the use of iconic athletes. The most important milestone was the signing in 1984 of a long-term contract with the best NBA basketball player, Michael Jordan. Having invested millions in advertising with his participation, the Nike corporation managed to make the superstar the face of its shoe empire.
AirJordan sneakers were made for him, functionally suited to his style of play. They became extremely popular in America. The teenagers were ready to give everything for the same sneakers as “his airhead.” At the same time, all Nike products became more popular. The company's annual turnover during its cooperation with the “king of the air” increased 4.5 times to $4 billion.
Nike Air Jordan 1 White
In 1988, Nike launched its classic “Just do it” advertising campaign. In the future, “JustDoIt” will actually become the second name of the brand and will take its place in history as one of the best slogans. The costs of promoting the slogan by 1989 will reach $45 million. Along with Jordan, tennis star Andre Agassi and baseball player Bo Jackson were involved in the collaboration.
Further promotion of the brand
Since 1990, the company began creating a network of its own retail stores Nike Town. The first company store was opened in Portland. Its design soon made the establishment a place of pilgrimage for tourists in the city. Now a network of such stores operates throughout the world.
In 1991, Nike's sales in America reached the level of its main competitor, Reebok. The brand was promoted quite successfully in Europe, where revenue amounted to $1 billion.
Nike positions itself as a global corporation in the world of sports. In the 90s, she continued to expand her product line. NikeGolf, NikePro, Nike+, AirJordan, NikeSkateboarding series, subsidiary brands ColeHaan, Hurley International and Converse appear.
ColeHaan series shoes
Nike in Russia
Nike has been present on the Russian market since 1993. The promotion of the product on Russian soil is carried out by the subsidiary company Nike LLC. In total, there are more than 100 stores throughout the country selling exclusively products of this brand.
Where did the brand name come from?
The original name of the brand comes from the name Nick and is borrowed from ancient Greek mythology. This was the name of the winged goddess of victory.
The official history of the Nike brand states that the name was proposed by the first employee of the company, Jeff Johnson. The founders couldn't agree on a name, so Jeff was called in to help. The name of the product had to be printed on the boxes in the morning. By morning, Johnson had a name for the new brand.
Jeff Johnson
Birth of a logo
The history of the logo is very prosaic. The legendary swoosh (“swoosh” or “flying with a whistle”) was invented and designed by Portland University student and future advertiser Caroline Davidson. Fate brought them together with Knight in an accounting class he taught as a teacher. She worked as a freelancer and Phil asked her to come up with an emblem that he could put on the side of his sneakers. The businessman paid her $35 for the work.
The evolution of the Nike logo
The image resembles the silhouette of the wing of the goddess Nike and has always been associated by the creators with positive thinking, a healthy and energetic lifestyle, and a symbol of leadership in the sports industry.
In 1983, already as the head of Nike, Mr. Knight gave Davidson a figurine of a goddess with diamonds, as well as a stake in the corporation.
Nike today and tomorrow
Nowadays, the American corporation Nike Inc. is one of the leaders in the international market of sports shoes, clothing and accessories.
The Nike brand is known to millions of people around the world, and is considered by many to be a global symbol of sports. The company became famous for its unexpected and original innovative proposals.
She was the first to create a social network on the Internet entirely dedicated to basketball. A unique opportunity has been created for fans to design their own sneakers on the company website. You can order your original model from the manufacturer directly on the website.
The AirMax line continues to be improved. Another model that captures the imagination of fans of the brand is HyperAdapt - self-lacing sneakers.
Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 'Sport Royal'
The Nike+ system has been implemented, allowing runners to monitor their runs using a sensor built into the sneakers. It was the fruit of cooperation with the IT industry giant Apple.
Model Nike+
Financial indicators
Behind last years financial indicators corporations are constantly growing. The main parameter - revenue - over 5 years grew by 35.9% and amounted to $34.4 billion at the end of the 2017 financial year (as of May 31, 2017).
Sales in Europe, including Russia, as well as the Middle East and Africa, increased by 10% and reached $4.05 billion. With each report, the brand value increases, assessed by experts of various portals. Thus, according to Interbrand, over the past five years it has risen in price by 35.9%.
Management
Bowerman gradually retired in the 70s, selling his shares piecemeal to various employees of the firm. He died in 1999.
Phil Knight ceased to be president of the corporation in 2004, remaining the head of the board of directors. In 2016, he left this post as well.
In June of the same year, the board of directors was headed by Mark Parker, who is both president and CEO of Nike. The success of the organization in the last five years is largely associated with his name.
Mark Parker
The corporation's main office is located in Beaverton, Oregon. Now the complex consists of 7 modern buildings, each of which bears the name of legendary athletes.
Nike's largest headquarters building
Nike Incorporation's mission is to encourage as many people as possible to play sports and to make these activities fun for every athlete. In the field of sports and fitness, the company should be number one in the world.
Fakes. All major manufacturers suffer from this scourge. The more famous you are, the more people prefer your brand of clothing, the more fakes pop up on the market. Everything is natural - demand creates supply. Many of us have at least once in our lives experienced the disappointment and sadness of realizing that brand new, “real” Nike sneakers, by midnight, as in that unforgettable fairy tale, turned into “Naik” with all the ensuing consequences in the form of wasted money, a spoiled mood, or, even worse, a sprained ankle, calluses and developing flat feet (depending on your luck).Recently, a wave of counterfeit goods, or fakes (from the English “fake” - cunning, deception, fraud, fake) has swept not only the Russian sales market, but has become a serious problem for manufacturers all over the world. Brands of well-known sports companies are especially susceptible to the epidemic of counterfeits. “Nike” is simply a favorite of fake producers. As the creator of specific professional clothing and footwear, Nike applies enhanced requirements and standards during the production process, since sports performance and the health of athletes depend on comfort and compliance with hygiene standards. This especially applies to sports shoes. According to Nike anti-counterfeit spokesman Richard Stanwix 98% (!) their shoes sold on the Internet are fake. Of course, manufacturers, as well as distributors of the original product, are struggling with this. We, buyers, can also help them in this difficult matter by buying real goods, not fakes.
In light of this, we would like to consider the main signs by which you can distinguish original Nike sneakers from fakes and give you some useful tips.
Three types of fakes:
In the first case, probably the most harmless, customers are invited to buy company products from their official factories, which were rejected or for some other reason did not end up in the company’s official stores.
Second option- a copy of this or that thing. If with ordinary everyday clothes this option can still be somehow implemented at the proper quality level, due to the fact that many products do not require special technological equipment, then with sports equipment everything is much more complicated. For its production it is necessary to use only high-quality materials and fabrics. They must meet all the requirements placed on them, be it density, wear resistance, strength, ability to pass air and moisture, etc. In addition, production is impossible without high-quality technological equipment that will ensure the implementation of all developments.
Third option- an ordinary fake, homemade at a quick fix using low-quality materials.
How to distinguish a fake from the original?
In fact, everything is quite simple, follow simple instructions and pay attention to the little things. For illustration, photos of Nike Air Max Skyline SI sneakers (original), Nike Air Max 90 (fake) and photos of the same but original model will be used.
- First of all, it is recommended to buy professional sports equipment in specialized stores that supply from official manufacturers. If there are no official suppliers of clothing of the desired brand in your city, you can try to find an online store selling the goods you are interested in. You should refrain from shopping in stock clothing stores, as there is a very high chance of buying counterfeit goods.
- If possible, please visit before making a purchase. products webpage to see what a particular model actually looks like.
- It is recommended that you refrain from making purchases from online stores that do not have an exact physical address. Serious online stores, as a rule, have offices in the real world.
- Be sure to realize that real Nike Zoom BB III or Nike Zoom LeBron VI sneakers cannot cost 50-70 dollars, even with a super discount dedicated to Mother Teresa's Day. Quality and brand cost money.
- Pay attention to the stitching places - the seams should be even, made of the same type, quality and color of thread.
- On real products, the leather is always soft, evenly colored, without wrinkles or unevenness.
- Glued seams in sneakers should not have any smudges or frozen drops of glue.
- Sneakers must be packed in a branded box. If the seller told you that there is no box for the sneakers, it was lost, delayed at customs, or it was stolen by aliens, you should think about the advisability of making a purchase in this store.
- You shouldn’t go looking for “real Nike from America” with your dogs. All Nike production has long been moved to countries where labor is cheaper than in the States. However, quality control has not been canceled.
- One more detail that Nike is very meticulous about should not be missed. This is a label sewn onto inside sneaker tongue. On branded shoes, it is stitched very neatly, and it displays information about the size, country of origin and Nike patents. Counterfeit manufacturers often consider the label an unnecessary luxury.
- Another one distinguishing characteristic- this is the sole. Nike branded sneaker sole — matte, as it consists of a complex composite material. Manufacturers of fakes save on the sole and use material with a high percentage of rubber. The more rubber in the sole, the more shiny it is.
- The next point is the AIR system. Most fakes have no air cushion at all. There is a certain visual similarity, similar to cameras with compressed air, but in reality these turn out to be voids that are pressed through when walking, killing both the sole and the foot. You should definitely refrain from buying basketball shoes on E-bay. E-bay is a graveyard of counterfeits. Registering an account there is a matter of two minutes, and in principle they do not check the reliability of sellers there. Rescue of drowning people at a private auction is the work of the drowning people themselves.
And now let's look at everything clearly:
1. Workmanship
Original Nike Air Max Skyline SI:
An even seam, neatly sewn labels, the absence of “burrs” and glue stains, and especially dried drops - this is the minimum that sneakers must meet.
Fake Nike Air Max 90 (black-varsity red-metallic silver):
2. Quality of materials
Next, we look at the materials, the sole should not be too shiny, “plastic” and slippery; if there is a layer of foam, then it should be foam, and not a piece of plastic or rubber. The smell like you're in a chemical plant should also make you immediately stop buying such products.
Original Nike Air Max 90 (black-varsity red-metallic silver):
Fake Nike Air Max 90 (black-varcity red-metallic silver):
If you put a fake and an original side by side, the differences are immediately obvious. Fake copies color scheme model and its shape, the materials used are completely different, both in the main part and in the insert at the lacing point, as well as in the upper and internal parts sneaker.
3. Box
The presence of a box is also a prerequisite, because... You can often judge the originality of a product by looking at the box. Its absence is enough reason to doubt.
This is what a box for Nike branded shoes looks like:
4. Compliance with technology
The next difference between fake sneakers and the most difficult to check is the absence of compressed air chambers in the sole of the sneaker. The same famous Air system used in sneakers Nike. Other companies use similar technologies, but the names are different. The difficulty is that to check you need to cut the air chambers. In original sneakers, they will burst with a characteristic pop, because... there the air is under pressure. Thus, the counterfeits are technologically completely different from the originals. Which, of course, negatively affects not only the quality of the shoes, but also your health.
5. “Made in China”
Also, don’t look for sneakers made in the USA, Germany, England, etc. , because most of the factories are concentrated in Asian countries, which is due to the low cost of production per unit of product, and quality control in all factories of a particular brand is the same. If your Nike sneakers say “Made in China”, there is no reason to worry: all the original sneakers produced by this company throughout its history bear the same inscription.
6. Dimensions
A seller offering a full range of sizes for rare models is a sure sign that they are trying to sell you a fake.
7. Verified places
The main rule to avoid counterfeiting is to buy sneakers only in trusted places, especially for online stores, where there is often no opportunity to touch the product with your hands. Do not chase a low price; in most cases, the result of such a purchase will disappoint you too quickly. The price level for certain models can always be tracked on the Internet on the websites of official manufacturers, along with the colors of the models that were produced at one time or another.
A specialist just needs to look at the label sewn to the tongue to definitely answer the question of whether it is a fake or not. But this is often very difficult for an ordinary buyer to do. Therefore, the main weapon is information. Do not fall for the bait of unscrupulous sellers! Enjoy the shopping!
