Key Insights
Essential data points from our research
Counterfeit goods account for 3.3% of global trade
Fashion items are among the top 10 most counterfeited product categories
The global counterfeit fashion market is valued at over $450 billion annually
Counterfeit apparel and accessories made up 30.3% of all customs seizures in the EU in 2020
Footwear is the most intercepted counterfeit item by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, accounting for 14% of seizures
In 2019, the U.S. seized $1.5 billion worth of counterfeit goods, 75% of which were related to fashion
China is the origin of 83% of counterfeit goods seized worldwide
Counterfeit luxury products cause global brands to lose nearly $30 billion in revenue each year
25% of consumers have knowingly purchased counterfeit fashion items
Millennials are nearly twice as likely as baby boomers to buy counterfeit goods
52% of consumers can't visually distinguish between real and fake designer items
The counterfeit market costs the fashion industry approximately 10% of its total revenue annually
Counterfeit fashion harms over 2 million jobs globally due to lost sales and cutbacks
Consumer Behavior
- 25% of consumers have knowingly purchased counterfeit fashion items
- Millennials are nearly twice as likely as baby boomers to buy counterfeit goods
- 52% of consumers can't visually distinguish between real and fake designer items
- 29% of Gen Z consumers admit they bought counterfeit fashion products
- 20% of online shoppers have unknowingly purchased counterfeit fashion items
- Fake fashion items are 35% more likely to contain hazardous chemicals
- More than 50% of consumers say they would report a seller if they suspected counterfeit merchandise
- 16% of online buyers knowingly buy fakes for the appearance of luxury at a cheaper price
- 1 out of every 5 consumers has difficulty telling if a product is counterfeit on online platforms
- 37% of consumers believe that buying counterfeit fashion harms the economy
- The average counterfeit luxury handbag retails for $150 — a fraction of the real item’s price
- Only 20% of consumers report counterfeit sellers even when they are aware of them
- 70% of shoppers said they would not knowingly purchase fake fashion items
Interpretation
In a world where 70% of shoppers claim they'd never buy fake fashion but nearly half can’t spot a counterfeit—and a quarter willingly buy one anyway—it seems illusion has become the true luxury commodity.
Distribution Channels & Platforms
- Online marketplaces account for 60% of all counterfeit fashion sales
- Instagram is a top platform for counterfeit fashion promotion, contributing to 20% of such traffic
- 45% of counterfeit fashion products are sold through social media ads
- Counterfeit luxury goods sold online in 2020 increased by 38% compared to 2019
- Over 100 million fake designer items are sold online annually
Interpretation
In the digital age of dupes, counterfeit fashion flourishes where likes, shares, and sales converge—turning online marketplaces and social media into runways for fakes that walk faster than the law.
Economic Impact
- Counterfeit goods account for 3.3% of global trade
- The global counterfeit fashion market is valued at over $450 billion annually
- Counterfeit luxury products cause global brands to lose nearly $30 billion in revenue each year
- The counterfeit market costs the fashion industry approximately 10% of its total revenue annually
- Counterfeit fashion harms over 2 million jobs globally due to lost sales and cutbacks
- EU fashion companies lose €26.3 billion annually to counterfeit clothing, footwear, and accessories
- 10% of all brand sales are estimated to be lost to counterfeit competitors
- Counterfeit apparel losses cost the EU about 363,000 fewer jobs yearly
- The counterfeit clothing and footwear market in the EU is worth €28.4 billion
- 60% of counterfeit items are produced in just 10 countries, with most major producers located in Asia
- The resale market for counterfeit luxury fashion is valued at over $30 billion
- Luxury fashion houses lose an average of 20% of their online revenue to counterfeiting
- 90% of counterfeit fashion items are made with substandard quality materials
Interpretation
While counterfeit fashion may look like a bargain on the surface, it's costing the global economy billions, gutting jobs, and turning the runway into a crime scene—one knockoff at a time.
Enforcement & Prevention Measures
- Counterfeit apparel and accessories made up 30.3% of all customs seizures in the EU in 2020
- In 2019, the U.S. seized $1.5 billion worth of counterfeit goods, 75% of which were related to fashion
- China is the origin of 83% of counterfeit goods seized worldwide
- 80% of counterfeit goods seized in the EU originated from China and Hong Kong
- In 2021, Amazon blocked more than 10 billion suspected fake listings
- Fashion is responsible for nearly 25% of all intellectual property rights infringement cases globally
- The fashion industry spends over $500 million annually on anti-counterfeiting technology
- Blockchain-based authentication is being adopted by 41% of luxury fashion houses
- Facebook and Instagram removed over 1.3 million counterfeit listings in 2020
- Sophisticated counterfeits now mimic authenticity labels and RFID chips
- 12% of counterfeit fashion goods found in U.S. customs tests contained dangerous materials
Interpretation
Behind the glitz of runway glamour lies a shadow market where knockoffs not only bleed $500 million in brand defenses and flood platforms like Amazon with billions of fakes, but in 12% of U.S. cases, they’re literally toxic—proving that in fashion, imitation isn’t just unflattering, it’s dangerous.
Product & Brand Targeting
- Fashion items are among the top 10 most counterfeited product categories
- Footwear is the most intercepted counterfeit item by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, accounting for 14% of seizures
- Nike is the most counterfeited brand in the world for fashion
- In the U.S., fashion brands account for 70% of counterfeit seizures annually
- Gucci is one of the most targeted brands by counterfeiters globally
Interpretation
In the high-stakes catwalk of counterfeit crime, fashion struts to the front—with fake Nikes sprinting ahead, Gucci glamorously duped, and 70% of U.S. customs seizures proving the knockoff runway is busier than ever.
