adidas Used Clothing Buying Guide | RE-USE TOKYO
adidas Used Clothing Sourcing Guide
History of adidas
From its founding in 1949 to a symbol of sports & street culture
Adidas was founded in 1949 in Herzogenaurach, Germany by Adolf "Adi" Dassler. He established the three-stripe trademark after separating from his brother Rudolf. Starting with sports shoes, Adidas is now a global brand that spans sports, fashion, and street culture.
Brand History
- 1949 Founded by Adolf Dassler
- 1954 Gained global recognition with West Germany's World Cup victory
- 1960s-70s Official Olympic supplier, tracksuits became widespread
- 1972 Trefoil logo introduced
- 1980s Became street culture icon with Run-DMC's "My Adidas"
- 1991 Equipment (EQT) line launched
- 1997 "3 Bars (mountain logo)" officially adopted for Performance
- 2000s Y-3 launched (2003, joint brand with Yohji Yamamoto), Stella McCartney collaboration
- 2015 YEEZY (Ye/formerly Kanye West) collaboration launched
- 2020s Sustainability, YEEZY termination, Samba/Gazelle re-boom
Position in the Used Clothing Market
- Very high circulation → Selection expertise is crucial
- 70s-80s vintage (West German, Descente, French-made, etc.) fetch high prices
- 90s-early 00s EQT and nylon jackets are being re-evaluated
- Originals (Trefoil) have stable year-round demand
- Y-3 is stable at high prices. Accidents of selling at low prices due to lack of awareness occur
- YEEZY still has demand after contract termination, but market prices tend to be lower than their peak
- Category with many fakes: YEEZY, popular Samba models, limited edition sneakers
Complete Lineup Guide
Major Adidas lines and their value
adidas Originals (Trefoil logo, 2001~)
▼- ▸ Marked by the Trefoil (three-leaf) logo. Established as a heritage/street line in 2001 (the Trefoil itself was born in 1972)
- ▸ Classic models like Superstar, Stan Smith, Gazelle, Samba
- ▸ Track jackets and Trefoil t-shirts are the most common in used clothing
- ▸ Popular models of 70s-80s vintage (West German-made, etc.) can sometimes fetch tens of thousands of yen
- 👉 Trefoil = Originals. Core of used clothing. Value varies greatly by era
adidas Performance (3 Bars / Mountain Logo)
▼- ▸ Marked by the 3 Bars (mountain logo). *The 3-stripes themselves are used on all lines, so they are not a distinguishing feature.
- ▸ Functional wear for soccer, running, training, etc.
- ▸ Lower prices in the used clothing market. Many mass-produced items
- ▸ However, Climacool and Ultraboost are somewhat popular
- 👉 Performance logo = generally cheap. Exception are tech-related sneakers
Y-3 (Yohji Yamamoto × adidas)
▼- ▸ Launched in 2003. A collaborative brand between designer Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas. "Y" = Yohji, "3" = 3-Stripes
- ▸ Fusion of mode and sports. Minimalist design based on black
- ▸ Popular items include sneakers (Qasa, Kaiwa, etc.), outerwear, and pants
- ▸ Stable high prices even in used clothing. Selling cheaply because it's only recognized as "Adidas" = big loss
- 👉 Y-3 logo confirmation is essential. Worth 5-10 times that of regular Adidas
YEEZY
▼- ▸ 2015-2022. Collaboration with Kanye West (Ye)
- ▸ Boost 350, 700, Slide, etc. are representative models
- ▸ Collaboration ended in 2022. Inventory released as "Adidas YEEZY"
- ▸ Highly fluctuating prices. Many fakes
- 👉 YEEZY = authentication required. Risk of market price fluctuations. Source cautiously
EQT / Equipment
▼- ▸ Launched in 1991. Developed with the concept of "only essential functions"
- ▸ The green, white, and black color scheme is iconic
- ▸ 90s originals fetch high prices. 2010s reissues are mid-priced
- 👉 Distinguishing between 90s original vs. reissue is important. Check tags and soles
adidas by Stella McCartney / Other Collaborations
▼- ▸ Stella McCartney: Primarily women's. High-quality fitness wear
- ▸ Palace: UK street. Track tops and t-shirts are popular
- ▸ Pharrell Williams collaboration (Hu NMD / Humanrace): Colorful designs. Limited models are high-priced
- ▸ NEIGHBORHOOD / BAPE, etc.: Limited collaborations. High prices due to rarity
- 👉 Collaboration models = check tags and boxes. Can be worth several times more than regular lines
adidas NEO (Youth sub-line - largely discontinued in Japan)
▼- ▸ NEO: A sub-line targeting youth in the early 2010s (largely discontinued in the Japanese market)
- ▸ Focused on casual sneakers and lightweight apparel
- ▸ Very low value in used clothing. Not recommended for sourcing
- 👉 NEO = not profitable. Avoid if "neo" is on the tag
adidas Essentials (Basic Apparel Group)
▼- ▸ Essentials: Current basic apparel group. Primarily sold in mass retailers and outlets
- ▸ Main items are plain to simple logo t-shirts, sweatshirts, and pants
- ▸ Very low value in used clothing. Not recommended for sourcing
- 👉 Essentials = not profitable. Avoid if "Essentials" is on the tag
Main Item Types
Frequently sourced items
Track Jackets / Tracksuits
▼- ▸ Adidas' signature item. Zip-up with 3-stripes on the sleeves
- ▸ Popular 70s-80s West German-made models tend to be high-priced
- ▸ ATP models (Association of Tennis Professionals licensed era) and Beckenbauer models are especially popular. USA-made ATP tracksuits are expensive
- ▸ Current Originals (made in China/Cambodia) are around ¥3,000-¥5,000
Nylon Jackets / Windbreakers
▼- ▸ 90s multicolor and crazy patterns tend to be high-priced
- ▸ EQT colors (green x black x white) are especially popular
- ▸ Mesh lining = characteristic of 90s-early 00s
- ▸ Demand peaks during spring and autumn transition periods
T-shirts / Sweatshirts
▼- ▸ Trefoil logo t-shirts = classic and high turnover
- ▸ 80s-90s sweatshirts (large logo, embroidery) = high-priced
- ▸ Current printed t-shirts offer low profit. Aim for vintage
Sneakers
▼- ▸ Samba / Gazelle: Global boom since 2023 continues. High turnover even in used clothing
- ▸ Stan Smith: Classic but saturated. Only limited colors are high-priced
- ▸ Superstar: Year-round demand. 80s originals are expensive
- ▸ YEEZY: High risk of fakes. Authentication required
- ▸ Y-3: Qasa, Kaiwa, etc. Used clothing still sells for ¥10,000-¥50,000+
Track Pants
▼- ▸ High demand for sets with track jackets
- ▸ Tapered with zippers at the hem = popular in current styles
- ▸ 70s-80s wider straight silhouettes are also being re-evaluated
Line Comparison Chart
Differences between each line at a glance
| Line | Logo | Used Clothing Market Price | Circulation Volume | Counterfeit Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Originals | Trefoil | ¥3,000〜30,000 | High | Low〜Medium |
| Performance | 3 Bars (Mountain Logo) | ¥1,000〜8,000 | Very High | Low |
| Y-3 | Y-3 Logo | ¥10,000〜80,000+ | Low | Low〜Medium |
| YEEZY | YEEZY Text | ¥5,000〜50,000+ | Medium (Released after termination) | Very High |
| EQT | EQT Logo | ¥3,000〜20,000 | Low | Low |
| Various Collaborations | Each Collaboration Logo | ¥5,000〜50,000+ | Low | Medium |
| NEO / Essentials | Simplified Logo | ¥500〜3,000 | Very High | Low |
Tips for Identification
Line identification and value assessment
❶ Identify by Logo
▼- ▸ Trefoil (three-leaf) → Originals (Street/Heritage)
- ▸ 3 Bars (mountain logo) → Performance (Sports/Function) *The 3-stripes themselves are used on all lines
- ▸ Y-3 logo → Yohji Yamamoto Collaboration (High-end)
- ▸ EQT logo → Equipment (90s Heritage)
- ▸ Simplified logo/neo branding → Economy line (not recommended for sourcing)
❷ Estimate age by country of origin
▼- ▸ Made in West Germany → Confirmed pre-1989. High vintage value
- ▸ Made in France / Austria → 70s-80s European production. Tends to be high value
- ▸ Made in Taiwan / Korea → 80s-90s. Popular in the used clothing market
- ▸ Made in China / Cambodia / Vietnam → Current products from 2000s onwards
❸ Determine age by material/details
▼- ▸ Glossy satin fabric → 70s-80s track jacket
- ▸ Velour material → 70s-80s. High value
- ▸ Descente production (Japan design) → Tendency for 80s-90s authentic Japanese products
- ▸ Climacool / Climalite branding → 2000s-2010s Performance line
❹ How to read product numbers
▼- ▸ Product numbers are 6-digit alphanumeric codes inside the tag (e.g., GN3490)
- ▸ Product numbers allow for accurate model identification on official adidas sites, StockX, etc.
- ▸ Vintage items (pre-80s) may have a different product number system
- ▸ Check market prices by searching the product number before deciding on a listing price
⚠️ Sourcing Precautions
Beware of line confusion and fakes
Overlooking Y-3
▼- ▸ Listing cheaply just because it's "adidas" = big loss pattern
- ▸ Y-3 retail prices are 30,000-150,000 yen. Even used, they're 10,000-80,000 yen
- ▸ Always check if the tag says "Y-3" or "Yohji Yamamoto"
- 👉 If it's black-based + has a fashion-forward adidas look → suspect Y-3
Fake YEEZYs
▼- ▸ Category with a particularly high circulation of fakes
- ▸ Distinguish by Boost material texture, stitching, and printing on the insole bottom
- ▸ Check for matching box, tag font, and UPC number
- ▸ Also beware of legitimate items released after collaborations end (value drops without box, etc.)
- 👉 Only source YEEZY from trusted suppliers. Personal transactions are risky
Don't source NEO / Essentials at high prices
▼- ▸ Sourcing based solely on the "adidas" name = no profit
- ▸ NEO / Essentials = mass-market budget line. Used market price 500-2,000 yen
- ▸ Avoid if the tag says "neo" or "Essentials"
- 👉 Line identification is essential before sourcing. Can be immediately judged by logo shape
Judging vintage value
▼- ▸ Made in West Germany does not automatically mean high value. Depends on condition and model
- ▸ "Old + good condition + popular model" equals high value, not just "old"
- ▸ Yellowing, pilling, or zipper defects significantly reduce value even for vintage items
- 👉 Judge comprehensively based on condition + model name, not just age
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