A black light (UV light) is a MAJOR ACCESSORY when buying and selling rare kicks, to ensure you're paying for the real deal and not a pair of fakes or replicas! UV light shows all fake factory markings as well as obvious flaws a real pair wouldn’t have, that you more than likely won’t see with the naked eye!
An ultraviolet light or a blacklight has been widely used by sneaker reseller stores to check if the pairs they get are legitimate or not. This is because UV lights identify certain details which you can't see with the help of tools like a blacklight.
Some of the “hidden” details that UV lights can show are excess glue stains, color blocking of the uppers, and the details on the insides of the pair.
Key Areas to Check with a Blacklight
The Midsole
On pretty much every fake Air Jordan, the manufacturer will leave a little something indicating they produced the fakes. This could be a keychain in the box or something like a UV stamp on the shoe. Now, depending on the replicator, they may decide to put this hidden stamp on the shoe or the box. However, a real Air Jordan 1 will have no stamps at all. This is one simple check that your eyes would not be able to pick up in normal light.
The Insole
Another simple difference that this UV light showed up was the insole colour. When you take a look at the real Air Jordan 1, you will see that the “Nike Air” does not light up. However, on a fake pair, this logo will have a glow under the blacklight. This is a small detail but one that the fake factories have failed to replicate.
While this is one method to legit check a sneaker we recommend utilizing several methods of authentication to fully ensure a sneaker is authentic. Stay tuned and sign up for email alerts for more tips.