NIKE Used Clothing Purchasing Guide | RE-USE TOKYO
NIKE Used Clothing Sourcing Guide
History of NIKE
From its birth in 1972 to the pinnacle of sports & street
NIKE was officially founded in 1972 by Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman (its predecessor, Blue Ribbon Sports, was established in 1964). It revolutionized running shoes with the Swoosh logo and Waffle sole, and established sneaker culture with Michael Jordan's Air Jordan (1985). It is now the world's largest sports brand.
Brand History
- 1964 Blue Ribbon Sports established (predecessor)
- 1972 NIKE officially established, Swoosh logo born
- 1977 First apparel line launched
- 1985 Air Jordan 1 released
- 1987 Air Max 1 (visible air)
- 1989 ACG (All Conditions Gear) launched
- 1990s Tech-wear and street culture fusion
- 2000s Nike SB, collaboration culture expanded
- 2010s Flyknit, Off-White x Nike, etc.
- 2020s SNKRS, Travis Scott, Dunk re-boom
Position in the Used Clothing Market
- Overwhelming circulation. Huge market for both sneakers and apparel
- 90s "Silver Tag" and "Navy Tag" vintage apparel command high prices
- ACG, Nike SB, and collaboration items maintain high unit prices
- Many fake sneakers (especially Jordan and Dunk, Off-White)
- Lower risk of fake apparel, but value varies greatly depending on tag age
- More than 10x difference between "just Nike" and "vintage Nike"
Complete Lineup Explanation
Major NIKE lines and their value
Nike Sportswear (formerly Nike Athletic)
▼- ▸ Casual wear line with the Swoosh logo
- ▸ Focus on sweatshirts, hoodies, nylon jackets, and T-shirts
- ▸ 90s Silver Tag and Navy Tag items command high prices as vintage
- ▸ Current products (white tag) have high circulation and lower market prices
- 👉 Value varies greatly depending on tag age. Silver Tag and Navy Tag are high-priced
Nike ACG (All Conditions Gear)
▼- ▸ Launched in 1989. Functional line for outdoor and trail use
- ▸ Uses waterproof materials such as GORE-TEX and Storm-FIT
- ▸ ACG jackets from the 90s to early 00s maintain high prices
- ▸ Relaunched once in 2017. Current ACG is also popular
- 👉 ACG logo must be confirmed. ACG tends to trade at higher prices than regular Nike
Nike SB (Skateboarding)
▼- ▸ Launched in 2002. Line dedicated to skateboarding
- ▸ SB Dunk is the most famous. Collaboration models range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of yen
- ▸ Apparel (hoodies, T-shirts, etc.) also has a certain demand
- ▸ Many fake sneakers (especially Dunk Low)
- 👉 SB Dunk = beware of fakes. Authenticate with box, tag, and insole
Jordan Brand
▼- ▸ Michael Jordan's brand, which began with the Air Jordan 1 in 1985
- ▸ AJ1 to AJ14 are particularly popular (original + retro)
- ▸ Value differs greatly between OG (original production) and Retro (reissue)
- ▸ Apparel (Jumpman logo) is also available. Not as expensive as sneakers
- ▸ Many fakes. This category is most important for authentication
- 👉 Jordan = category with most fakes. High risk unless sourced from trusted suppliers
Nike Tech Fleece / Tech Pack
▼- ▸ From 2013 onwards. Thin, warm, technological fleece material
- ▸ Very high demand for sets (high price for matching top and bottom)
- ▸ Tech Pack = more functional and minimalist design line
- 👉 Tech Fleece = high profit if sold as a set. Aim for sets rather than single items
Collaborations (Off-White / Travis Scott / sacai, etc.)
▼- ▸ Off-White: Virgil Abloh. "THE TEN", etc. Extremely high prices
- ▸ Travis Scott: Characterized by inverted Swoosh. Market prices fluctuate greatly
- ▸ sacai: Double-layered design. Waffle, Vaporwaffle, etc.
- ▸ Fragment / CLOT / Stussy, etc.: Many limited collaborations
- ▸ Extremely many fakes. Reliability of purchase source is paramount
- 👉 Collaborative Nike = highest risk of fakes. Authentication service recommended
Main Item Types
Frequently sourced items
Nylon Jackets / Windbreakers
▼- ▸ 90s Silver Tag nylon jackets are most popular (¥8,000〜25,000)
- ▸ Back prints, embroidered logos, and multi-colors command high prices
- ▸ ACG jackets (GORE-TEX, etc.) are particularly expensive
- ▸ Current products (white tag) are around ¥3,000〜5,000
Sweatshirts / Hoodies
▼- ▸ 90s Silver Tag/Navy Tag = large Swoosh, center logo command high prices
- ▸ Embroidered Swoosh > printed Swoosh (embroidered tends to be more expensive)
- ▸ Tech Fleece hoodies sell quickly as sets
- ▸ Current plain Swoosh hoodies have thin profit margins due to high circulation
T-shirts
▼- ▸ Graphic T-shirts from the 90s to early 00s are popular
- ▸ Catchphrase designs like "AIR" and "JUST DO IT" are classics
- ▸ Made in USA (pre-90s) = high prices as vintage
- ▸ Current printed T-shirts have low profit margins due to over-circulation
Sneakers
▼- ▸ Air Jordan: 1-14 are central. OG vs Retro has a large price difference
- ▸ Dunk: Low/High. SB collaborations are particularly expensive
- ▸ Air Max: 90/95/97 are consistently popular
- ▸ Air Force 1: High circulation but limited colors are expensive
- ▸ Samba/Gazelle series (caution): These are adidas
- 👉 Sneakers = highest risk of fakes. Product number search + authentication is essential
Track Pants / Joggers
▼- ▸ Tech Fleece joggers = high turnover due to demand for sets
- ▸ 90s nylon track pants (with side stripes) = re-evaluated
- ▸ Current jogger pants have thin profit margins due to high circulation
🔥 List of High-Value Models (Important for Sourcing)
▼- ▸ 【Sneakers】
- ▸ Air Jordan 1: Symbol of sneaker culture. OG and collaborations are extremely expensive
- ▸ Dunk Low / High: SB collaborations and limited colors are particularly expensive
- ▸ Air Max 95: Globally popular model from Japan. Stable year-round demand
- ▸ Air Force 1: Limited colors and collaborations are expensive. Regular colors are cheap
- ▸ ACG Mountain Fly: High value due to outdoor demand
- ▸ 【Apparel】
- ▸ 90s Silver Tag Nylon Jacket: Representative of vintage Nike
- ▸ ACG GORE-TEX Jacket: High price stability due to functionality + rarity
- ▸ Tech Fleece Set-up: A rare item with high turnover and high profit even in current production
- 👉 NIKE is a brand that sells by "model name". Prioritize sourcing the above
Line Comparison Chart
Differences between each line at a glance
| Line | Category | Used Market Price | Circulation Volume | Counterfeit Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sportswear (Normal) | Casual | ¥1,000〜15,000 | Very High | Low |
| ACG | Outdoor | ¥5,000〜40,000+ | Low | Low |
| Nike SB | Skate | ¥3,000〜50,000+ | Medium | High (Sneakers) |
| Jordan Brand | Basketball・Culture | ¥5,000〜200,000+ | Medium | Very High |
| Tech Fleece | Tech Wear | ¥5,000〜20,000 | Medium | Low〜Medium |
| Various Collaborations | Premium | ¥10,000〜500,000+ | Low | Very High |
Tips for Identification
Tag color tells the age
❶ Identify age by tag color (apparel)
▼- ▸ Orange Tag (Pinwheel Logo) → 1970s. Highest vintage value
- ▸ Navy Tag (Blue Tag) → Early 1980s to early 1990s
- ▸ Silver Tag (Grey Tag) → Mid to late 1990s. Most popular era
- ▸ White tag → Most common from the 2000s onwards. Lower market value.
- ▸ *The boundaries between eras are not strict; items from different eras may coexist during transition periods.
❷ Identify by logo
▼- ▸ Swoosh only → Usually Sportswear
- ▸ ACG logo → All Conditions Gear (high value)
- ▸ Jumpman (silhouette) → Jordan Brand
- ▸ Nike SB notation → Skateboarding line
- ▸ Co-branded logo → Collaboration item (potentially high value)
❸ Estimate age by country of manufacture
▼- ▸ Made in USA → Mainly seen from the 70s to 90s, highly valued in the vintage market
- ▸ Made in Taiwan/Korea → 80s to 90s. Mid-to-high price range
- ▸ Made in Malaysia/Thailand → Mid-90s to 2000s
- ▸ Made in China/Vietnam/Cambodia → Current products from the 2000s onwards
❹ Check sneaker product code
▼- ▸ Product code is written on the back of the tongue or insole (e.g., CW2288-111)
- ▸ Use the product code to check accurate market prices on StockX, GOAT, etc.
- ▸ Fakes often have product codes that don't match existing models.
- ▸ Manufacturing date can also be read from the tag (e.g., 03/22 = Manufactured March 2022)
⚠️ Sourcing Precautions
Authenticity and age identification are key to profit
Risk of counterfeit sneakers
▼- ▸ Jordan, Dunk, and Off-White series have extremely many counterfeits.
- ▸ Comprehensively check stitch uniformity, air unit texture, tongue tag, and box label.
- ▸ Sourcing from individual sellers or flea market apps carries high risk.
- ▸ We recommend using authentication services (e.g., CheckCheck).
- 👉 For high-value sneakers, only deal with reliable suppliers or authenticated items.
Overlooking ACG
▼- ▸ Selling cheap just by identifying it as a "Nike jacket" = huge loss
- ▸ Don't miss the ACG logo (mountain silhouette, etc.).
- ▸ ACG jackets with GORE-TEX are often highly valued.
- 👉 When sourcing functional jackets = always check for ACG tags.
Value of Silver Tag / Navy Tag
▼- ▸ 90s Nike apparel with "Silver Tag" or "Navy Tag" is a sign of high value.
- ▸ Significant price differences can occur depending on the tag's age.
- ▸ Do not source white tag (current) items at silver tag prices → age verification is essential.
- 👉 When sourcing, prioritize checking the tag color. Tag age is a crucial factor in evaluation.
Profitability of current products
▼- ▸ Standard Nike apparel with white tags often has too much circulation, making it difficult to profit.
- ▸ Tech Fleece is an exception and remains in high demand even as a current product.
- ▸ If dealing with current products, limit to near-new condition and matching sets.
- 👉 Current Nike = regular lines tend to be less profitable. ACG, Jordan, collaborations, and Tech Fleece are exceptions.
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