Why I would never buy a fake.

The counterfeit industry is booming. We have all seen the sellers in the streets blatantly selling pretty awful fakes, and now you can even buy them online. No need to go hunting down the bag you want in a market, you can just hop online and buy what you want. There is now also a booming market of so called super fakes. Some of these are alarmingly convincing. Even the professional authenticators have a hard time spotting these. The super fakes aren't as cheap as your average fake. If you want a super fake Birkin you can expect to pay a couple thousand pounds easily. The consumer carrying that bag doesn't want anyone to know its a fake.

I would guess the majority of consumers that are buying fakes want the look but don't want to spend the price tag. I understand that. I would also guess that the majority of those consumers think that the only harm done is the big fashion house losing out on the money and that it doesn't really matter. . And although I see their point to an extent, we all know the big fashion houses have a huge mark up on their goods, but, that is still illegal and it is Intellectual Property Theft.

However for me the biggest issue with fakes are who makes the item, who runs the businesses and where the proceeds from the sales go.

So - who makes the fakes?

Sadly a large amount of the people making the fakes are young children. Usually in "factories" with little to no health and safety in place and no one looking after them. A lot of these children have been sold into the industry by their families out of desperation and poverty. They often believe they are giving their children a better life, unaware what is actually happening to them. These children are often housed by the owners of the businesses in slum dorms. If the factory is raided the children are often left to fend for themselves. When a factory in Thailand was raided they discovered a group of children making fake bags, they had all had their legs broken by the owner who had tied the childrens lower leg to their thigh so they couldn't heal!

Where do the proceeds go?

Did you know that the FBI believe the World Trade Centre bombing was funded by the counterfeit industry? From t-shirts sold in a store in NYC. It is believed that profits from counterfeit goods have gone to many terrorist groups. Personally I think it is terrifying that buying a cheap fake bag could be funding any of that. Or adding to those childrens suffering. I am not going to try and list all the groups that are believed to have benefited from the industry here but please do your own research and see for yourselves.

So why buy a fake?

People want the look without the cost, that's the ultimate reason. However. You are not getting the look really, that fake Gucci isn't a Gucci, its a cheap knock off and there is a good chance everyone can tell it's a fake, I know I usually spot them a mile off. The quality won't be as nice, the item likely won't last as long, and it won't feel the same. For me if I want a particular designer piece I find it preloved and save up for it, if it's too expensive I just don't get it. I would rather invest in a beautiful quality non designer item that is well made and ethical. I could not not live with the knowledge that my bag was made by children in appalling conditions and funding terrorism! So please do your own research before you dive into the world of fakes.

I am not claiming to be an expert on all this and fake bags are just a tiny part of it. Everything can be faked, medicine, clothes, music, the list goes on. I couldn't begin to do such a big subject justice but I wanted to put something out there in the hope you might think twice before you add to the problem .There are many amazing affordable and ethical brands out there that offer luxury, quality and great design.