The thing is, winter jackets are created with style and fashion as the least of their priorities.
They are made to keep you warm and alive. But unscrupulous people are selling counterfeit winter jackets, which can harm your health. So, how do you spot fake winter jackets?
Authentic winter jackets from The North Face, Canada Goose, Patagonia, and Columbia
It’s not easy because counterfeiters have mastered the cut and design of winter jackets from major brands, such as The North Face, Canada Goose, Columbia, and Patagonia.
They have even managed to copy the logo design and perfect the spelling. They look so authentic that you can easily be tricked. Some of them are Class-A fakes.
Perhaps you’ve once been a victim, or someone you know has been. Or you are very much aware of the increase in fake winter jackets being sold everywhere, and you want to avoid them. And you are wise to do so. Here’s your guide on how to spot a fake winter jacket.
How to Spot Fake Winter Jackets: 10 Red Flags to Watch Out For
1. Cheap or Lightweight Fabric That Doesn’t Feel Right
If you touch an authentic winter jacket, you can feel its fine quality. Also, it feels heavier. The jacket is likely a fake if it looks inexpensive, lightweight, and has rips and pulls.
You should also check if the brand’s logo design is on the fabric’s interior. If it is not, consider yourself warned.
2. Flimsy Zippers and Pulls Without Engraved Branding
Examine the zippers and the pulls. If they are light and shiny, this is a definite red flag.
Screenshots from the Voice of People Today YouTube channel showing heavy, YKK-engraved zippers on a real Columbia jacket (left) and a zipper with no engravings on a fake Columbia jacket (right)
Authentic winter jackets have zippers and pulls that carry a substantial weight and feature a matte finish. Additionally, it’s common for these zippers and pulls to bear the company’s name engraved on them, providing a distinct hallmark of authenticity.
3. Thin, Stiff, or Synthetic-Looking Fur Around the Hood
Fur trims that line the hoods of winter jackets help decrease heat transfer.
Authentic Canada Goose fur ruffs (left) versus counterfeit fur (right)
Genuine winter jackets boast fur that is not only sumptuously soft and refined to the touch but also exudes a high-quality, opulent, and full-bodied texture.
Conversely, if the fur appears scrawny or stiff, it should raise a significant red flag, as it might indicate the use of synthetic materials or, even worse, fur sourced from dogs.
4. Uneven or Sparse Stitching—A Telltale Sign of a Fake
Manufacturers of fake winter jackets will never invest in superior quality materials and labor. This is evident in the stitching. Counterfeit jackets have fewer stitches because the fakers are saving on costs.
Screenshots from the Voice of People Today YouTube channel inspecting the inside stitchings on a real Columbia jacket (left) and a fake Columbia jacket (right)
As a result, the lines of the stitches are not perfectly aligned. A genuine branded jacket will have neater stitches and more per square inch.
5. Discounts That Are Too Good to Be True
If the discount is too big, that’s a red flag! A 30-percent discount and above is suspicious! Rarely do designer winter jackets drop their price that low.
Some of the major winter jacket brands don’t allow their products to be sold on sale at popular discount retailers like Nordstrom Rack.
One of the most reliable guides on spotting fake winter jackets is checking the brand’s official website to see if they are having a sale. Another tip? Check out the price tag if it carries the company logo. Counterfeit winter jackets typically use generic price tags.
Also, designer brands have started using holographic tags on their label. This is almost impossible to replicate.
6. Plain, Plastic Buttons Without Logos or Weight
Screenshots from the Voice of People Today YouTube channel comparing the buttons on a real Columbia jacket (left) and on a fake Columbia jacket (right)
If you pick up a fake winter jacket, you’ll see that the buttons don’t have the logo or company name engraved.
Screenshots from the Voice of People Today YouTube channel comparing the backside of the buttons on real (left) and fake (right) Columbia jackets
You’d notice, instead, how the buttons are plastic, too light, and unlabeled. Also, the buttons on a counterfeit jacket are rarely securely sewn.
7. Faded Logos, Misaligned Tags, and Off-Color Prints
For example, winter jackets from The North Face have a front print or tag.
Screenshots from YouTuber Kaz L comparing the tags on real (left) and fake (right) The North Face jackets
Authentic jackets sport front tags that are more vivid, the stitching denser, and the spaces between the letters that spell out the brand are consistent in size.
A real Canada Goose jacket (left) has a unique hologram label on the tags, while a fake Canada Goose jacket (right) has none
But in all sorts of apparel, including winter jackets, it’s a red flag if the prints have less-than-rich colors, appear slightly amateurish in design, and look a little askew.
Authentic jackets have bold, solid colors for prints combined with impeccably precise stitching and spacing.
The original Canada Goose logo patch (left) has intricate embroideries with perfectly shaped maple leaves, while the counterfeit (right) has poor detailing, color variations, and errors in the shape of the maple leaves
Feel the thread of a genuine branded jacket, and you’ll understand the difference.
8. Deflated Puffer Collars That Don’t Stand Tall
One of the easiest ways to spot a fake puffer jacket is by examining the collar. Zip the jacket all the way up—if the collar stands tall, feels firm, and maintains its puffiness, you’re likely holding the real deal.
But if the collar looks limp, deflated, or floppy, it’s probably a counterfeit. A wilted collar is a clear sign of low-quality materials and poor insulation.
9. Always Cross-Check Retailers With the Brand’s Official Site
Designer brands list partner retailers on their official websites, where you can buy the same authentic winter jackets they sell in their boutiques. REI and Backcountry are two of the most popular outdoor retailers selling authentic winter jackets.
If the retailer or e-commerce site is not a partner, you can be sure that you’ll be shelling out hard-earned money on a fake winter jacket. Do not be duped!
10. Generic or Low-Quality Packaging Without Branding
Did you know that brands often invest millions in packaging alone? High-end winter jackets typically come in stylish, durable, and well-designed packaging—built not just to protect the product, but to reflect the brand’s identity and quality.
Whether it’s a sturdy box, a branded paper bag, or a cloth dust bag with drawstrings, authentic packaging will proudly feature the company’s name. More than just a container, genuine packaging feels luxurious and purposeful—cradling the jacket like it was custom-made to fit.
Why Fake Winter Jackets Are Dangerous to Your Health, Wallet, and Ethics
Think buying a counterfeit winter jacket will save you money? Think again. Fake jackets may look convincing, but they fall short where it matters most—keeping you warm and protected. Without proper insulation, you’ll end up cold, uncomfortable, and ultimately disappointed.
But the risks go far beyond just feeling chilly. From poor quality and unethical production to serious health hazards, here are the biggest reasons why knockoff winter jackets are a bad investment you should avoid at all costs:
1. Counterfeits Don’t Protect You From Hypothermia or Frostbite
You can even die from sub-zero temperatures or suffer from frostbite and hypothermia if you’re donning a counterfeit winter jacket.
“High-quality outdoor apparel is designed to keep the wearer alive in the most hostile environments, like in torrential rainfall and through bitterly cold nights,” according to Red Points in their article “Fake outdoor apparel leaves customers out in the cold.”
“Counterfeit outdoor apparel is designed to aesthetically imitate authentic brands, not made to strict specifications of insulation and safety,” the website further adds.
So, are you willing to risk your life to “save money”?
2. Buying Fakes Fuels Child Labor and Exploitation
Manufacturers of counterfeit items usually resort to illegal hiring—worse, they get children as cheap labor. Instead of enjoying their childhood or going to school, these kids are slaving away in a factory that creates fake winter jackets.
AOL further emphasizes this harrowing dilemma in their article “Cheap Knockoffs and Counterfeits Can Be Hazardous to Your Health” by quoting Kevin Spreekmeester, the global marketing vice president for outdoor clothing company Canada Goose.
“We know the counterfeit product is coming out of China,” [Spreekmeester] says. “We know that child labor is involved. And we know that it funds organized crime.”
3. Filled With Feather Mulch, Bacteria, and Animal Waste
Eww. Your fake winter jacket contains not down but garbage, stuffed with gross stuff you would not believe was inside your clothing!
The same AOL article by Loren Berlin states how Canada Goose tested a handful of fake jackets purchased online. Shockingly, these counterfeit warmers had zero down in them.
Fake winter jackets for sale on the street in Dzerzhinsk, a city in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast, Russia (Credit: Orini / Shutterstock)
Down, which protects an individual from frostbite and hypothermia in the deadliest of climates, was replaced with alternative fillers, which the article described:
“What they do have in them is called ‘feather mulch,’ which is anything you pick up off the floor,” said Spreekmeester. “It’s feathers, it’s beaks, it’s feet. Covered in feces, covered in mildew, covered in bacteria.”
The article also pointed out that the fur that lines the hood of a fake winter jacket comes from the fur of dogs, particularly the German Shepherd. It argues a very compelling point: it’s not only unhygienic, but it also promotes animal cruelty.
4. Fake Jackets Can Compromise Athletic Safety and Performance
And if you’re an athlete, especially a professional one, it is crucial that you only wear authentic apparel. Let’s say you are a skier, hockey player, or snowboarder. If you pick a fake jacket, the unreliability of a counterfeit jacket will negatively affect your performance.
On top of ruining your performance in the sport, you will also commit a lot of self-harm by exposing your body to the harsh elements of nature.
5. Supporting Fakes Keeps Criminal Black Markets Alive
Because counterfeit winter jackets are sold in unauthorized marketplaces—online and offline—you help keep these illegal traders in business.
Not only will you be contributing to sustaining a black market of underground fake goods, but you will also be contributing to their proliferation. Manufacturing and selling of fake goods are criminal acts. You don’t want to be supporting that industry, do you?
Furthermore, imagine if you buy one as a gift for a family or a friend, thinking that a knockoff jacket does not have to be original, you may harm their health.
6. Faster Wear, Fraying, and Total Waste of Money
Because you’re wearing a fake jacket, you will soon see signs of wear and tear. From fraying and fading to easily damaged zippers and buttons- you’ve wasted a lot of money on… well, waste.
With your jacket all ugly, disintegrating, and even left unused due to its inability to shield you from the harsh climate, nights, and days of bitter cold, you must purchase a jacket again.
Making an Informed Choice: Tips for Buying Winter Jackets and Identifying Counterfeits
Always do extensive research when buying a winter jacket. Designer brands have official websites. If you don’t find the information about the jacket you wish to purchase on their website, you can contact them via their customer service hotline.
Avoid shopping for winter jackets on e-commerce sites—even the popular ones. When possible, stick to official retailers. If you’re unsure whether a retailer is authorized, call the company.
Identifying fake winter jackets can sometimes be challenging. But this guide will equip you with knowledge of the fundamental signs of counterfeit jackets.
Sure, an original winter jacket is painfully expensive, but it will last longer and keep you alive.
Cold-Weather Chic: Celebrities Rocking Stylish Winter Coats and Jackets
Winter fashion isn’t just about staying warm—it’s also about making a statement. Celebrities have been spotted embracing the cold with style, from luxurious fur-trimmed coats to sleek leather jackets. Here are some standout moments:
Emily Ratajkowski’s ’70s-Inspired Prada Coat
- Event: Winter Street Style
- Outfit: Emily Ratajkowski turned heads in a brown Prada coat featuring a houndstooth pattern and ivory mohair fur trim, exuding a ’70s vintage vibe.
- Footwear: She paired the coat with classic boots, completing her chic winter ensemble.
- Read more: Emily Ratajkowski’s Winter Coat Game
Jennifer Lopez’s Chic Moncler Sweater and Nicole Benisti Parka
- Event: Aspen Holiday Outing
- Outfit: Jennifer Lopez showcased winter elegance in a black-and-white Moncler cable-knit sweater paired with a Nicole Benisti parka featuring a fur-trimmed hood.
- Footwear: She completed the look with Brunello Cucinelli fox fur boots, adding a touch of luxury to her snowy ensemble.
- See more: Jennifer Lopez’s Winter Wonderland Look
Cynthia Erivo’s Floral Rokh Coat
- Event: Appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show
- Outfit: Cynthia Erivo captivated in a textured floral Rokh coat, combining classic tailoring with avant-garde detailing.
- Footwear: She paired the coat with edgy leather boots, showcasing her bold fashion sense.
- Discover more: Cynthia Erivo’s Jaw-Dropping All-Black Look
Kerry Washington’s Elegant Black Coats
- Event: Promotion of “The Six Triple Eight”
- Outfit: Kerry Washington embraced winter fashion with chic black coats, including a standout piece paired with a Missoni striped dress.
- Footwear: She elevated her look with Santoni booties and Christian Louboutin boots, blending comfort with sophistication.
- See her style: Kerry Washington’s Winter Fashion Highlights
These celebrity looks highlight how winter outerwear can be both functional and fashionable. For more inspiration on winter fashion and celebrity styles, explore our articles on Emily Ratajkowski’s Fall and Winter Coats and Celebrity-Approved Winter Layering Ideas.