The short answerFor clothing, read the tags first, then look for stains, holes, fading, pilling, stretching, cracked prints and alterations - held up to good light. For sneakers, turn them over: outsole wear and heel drag show real use, then check creasing, yellowing, sole separation, the size tag and the box.

Clothing

Read the label, then hunt for damage.Photo: our own inventory

Stains

What it is: Marks from food, sweat, makeup, rust, ink or storage.
How to spot it: Check collars, cuffs, underarms and the front in daylight.
Why it matters: Stains are the top reason clothing gets rejected. We cannot accept stained clothing.
What to photograph: Each stain close up.
When it becomes serious: Any stain in a visible area.

Holes

What it is: Moth holes, snags, pinholes, torn seams.
How to spot it: Hold the garment up to a light - holes and thin spots show through.
Why it matters: Small holes are easy to miss and disappointing for buyers.
What to photograph: Each hole, with a finger or ruler for scale.
When it becomes serious: Holes in the front or in seams that will keep opening.

Fading

What it is: Color lost from washing or sun.
How to spot it: Compare the outside with the inside of a seam or under the collar.
Why it matters: Some vintage buyers like natural fading; uneven fading looks damaged.
What to photograph: The faded area beside a protected area.
When it becomes serious: Blotchy or one-sided fading.

Cracking

What it is: Cracks in printed graphics.
How to spot it: Stretch the print gently and look for splits.
Why it matters: Cracked graphics are common on older shirts. Heavy cracking lowers appeal.
What to photograph: The graphic close up.
When it becomes serious: Missing chunks of the print.

Pilling

What it is: Small balls of fiber on the surface.
How to spot it: Under arms, sides and seat areas.
Why it matters: Makes the garment look worn.
What to photograph: The pilled area in side light.
When it becomes serious: Heavy pilling across the garment.

Stretching

What it is: Collars, cuffs and hems that have lost their shape.
How to spot it: Wavy necklines and loose cuffs.
Why it matters: Stretching cannot be fixed and changes fit.
What to photograph: The collar laid flat.
When it becomes serious: Obviously distorted shapes.

Alterations

What it is: Hemming, taking in, cropped or restitched areas.
How to spot it: Seams or stitching that do not match the rest of the garment.
Why it matters: Alterations change the size and must be disclosed.
What to photograph: The altered seam.
When it becomes serious: Undisclosed alterations.

Original tags

What it is: Retail hang tags still attached ("new with tags").
How to spot it: Check the tag is attached with its original fastener.
Why it matters: New with tags is a distinct and higher condition.
What to photograph: The tag front and back.
When it becomes serious: Only describe as "new with tags" if it truly is.

Size and material tags

What it is: The sewn-in labels showing brand, size, material and country of manufacture.
How to spot it: Neck label and side-seam care tag.
Why it matters: These identify the item and help catch mismatches. Missing or cut tags make identification harder.
What to photograph: Every label, readable.
When it becomes serious: Cut or missing size tags.

Odors

What it is: Smoke, perfume, mildew or storage smells.
How to spot it: Smell the garment, especially armpits and collar.
Why it matters: Odors are hard to remove and matter to buyers.
What to photograph: Note it in writing.
When it becomes serious: Smoke or mildew.

A grey t-shirt with a yellow-brown stain, and a denim jacket with a torn seam — Stains and tears are the flaws buyers notice first.Illustration: generated instructional image

A cracked printed graphic on a black shirt, and a knit sweater covered in pilling — Surface wear shows how much a piece was used.Illustration: generated instructional image

A black hoodie faded unevenly to grey-brown on the front — Patchy fading reads as damage.Illustration: generated instructional image

Sneakers

Illustrations of a white sneaker with a yellowed midsole and a sneaker outsole with the tread ground down at the heel — Turn both shoes over - the soles tell the truth.Illustration: generated instructional image

Outsole wear

What it is: Tread worn down on the bottom of the shoe.
How to spot it: Turn both shoes over and look at the forefoot and heel.
Why it matters: The most honest sign of how much a pair has been worn.
What to photograph: Both outsoles, flat-on.
When it becomes serious: Tread worn smooth in large areas.

Heel drag

What it is: Wear concentrated on the back edge of the heel.
How to spot it: The rear outer heel is ground flat or angled.
Why it matters: Shows heavy daily wear.
What to photograph: The heel close up.
When it becomes serious: When the wear reaches the midsole.

Creasing

What it is: Fold lines across the toe box from walking.
How to spot it: Look at the toe box from the side.
Why it matters: Deep creases are permanent and visible.
What to photograph: Both toe boxes from the side.
When it becomes serious: Cracked leather along the creases.

Sole separation

What it is: The sole coming unglued from the upper.
How to spot it: Press gently around the edge where the sole meets the upper.
Why it matters: A structural problem, not cosmetic.
What to photograph: Any gap, close up.
When it becomes serious: Any separation that opens when flexed.

Oxidation and yellowing

What it is: White rubber or translucent soles turning yellow with age.
How to spot it: Compare the sole color with the rest of the shoe in daylight. Some models are made with an intentionally off-white "vintage" sole, so check what the pair looked like new.
Why it matters: Unwanted yellowing makes a pair look older and more worn.
What to photograph: The sole in daylight.
When it becomes serious: Heavy yellowing on a model that should be white.

Box and accessories

What it is: The original box, lid, extra laces, tags and paper.
How to spot it: Check the box label matches the pair's size tag.
Why it matters: The original box adds appeal and helps identify the pair.
What to photograph: The box label and everything included.
When it becomes serious: A box that belongs to a different pair.

Odor

What it is: Wear odor or storage smell.
How to spot it: Smell the insoles.
Why it matters: Buyers notice immediately.
What to photograph: Note it in writing.
When it becomes serious: Strong odor.

A white sneaker with its sole peeling at the toe, and a sneaker with deep toe-box creases — Check structure first, then cosmetics.Illustration: generated instructional image

A sneaker size tag from our inventory with the size, style code and country of manufacture circled — Photograph this tag clearly on every pair.Photo: our own inventory

Common apparel mistakes

Photographing only the frontStains and holes are often on the back, cuffs and underarms.
Skipping the solesFor sneakers, outsole photos are usually the most important photos.
Guessing the sizePhotograph the tag instead. Brands size differently.