Top Clues To Identify Fake From Authentic Hello Kitty Items - How To Spot Hello Kitty Fakes

How to Spot Hello Kitty Fakes?

The worst thing that a customer can experience is being hoaxed by sellers vending counterfeit products including fake Hello Kitty and other Sanrio merchandise. The convenience that online shopping can bring is undeniable. Ironically, the same benefits that entice many to turn to the Internet for buying what they need and want have been viewed by deceitful vendors as easy ways to facilitate their scams. Knowing how to identify counterfeit items would help reduce the risk of being cheated online. If you are a Hello Kitty fan like me, who loves buying authentic HK and other Sanrio characters, it helps to be aware on how to recognize a fake from authentic items.

There are several things you need to check to assess if the Hello Kitty product is fake or authentic. The following are some of the easiest and most important clues to look into: 

1. No Mouth! 

True-blue Hello Kitty fans know very well that their favorite feline friend lacks mouth (except in TV shows and videos where she needs to talk, of course!). But in case you are just starting out to collect authentic Hello Kitty stuffs especially plush toys, don’t buy one with a mouth. It’s absolutely not genuine!  

2. Copyright Label

Several years ago, the fastest way to identify a fake item is when it has no tag. But with the advancement of technology dishonest sellers/manufacturers have become on the ball and decided to put tags on their merchandise to make it look like original items. In order not to be deceived, you need to check the dates on the tag and make sure that it is correct. Since all authentic Hello Kitty and friends merchandise are either manufactured or licensed by Sanrio, all of them have tags with the correct labels on them. There ought to be two dates specified on it. The first date is fixed, 1976 for HK since this is the year when Hello Kitty was created. The second date is the date when the item was made.  It may be in written in full or abbreviated form. Say for example, a Hello Kitty item created in 2010 should have a trademark that looks like this: 1976.2004 Sanrio Co.,Ltd. Or ’76.’04 Sanrio

In some items, the licensing label can also be found on the actual merchandise like the bottom portion or the package or box of the item. The trademark label is the primary indication of authenticity regardless if it is made in Japan or licensed in China. So, don’t forget to check the label.

3.Light-Sensitive Security Mark

In the desire to protect the authentic products they release to the   market, Sanrio placed a security hologram on each one of them. Original pieces can be confirmed by inspecting the hologram under the light.  Since the hologram was designed to be photo-  sensitive, you can catch sight of Hello Kitty’s face clearly when you check it under the light. With the clear face of Hello Kitty, Note: This image belongs to another blog. Genuine, without it or a blurred image only it’s a fake.

4.Hello Kitty Bow Position= Left 

Have you seen Hello Kitty with her bow on the right? Did I hear a Yes? Sorry to say, that is not an authentic Hello Kitty! And you are not alone because there are indeed lots of fake ones with Hello Kitty’s bow placed on the right side of her head. Don’t waste your penny on those products if you want a smart purchase to add up to your own Hello Kitty collection. The bow should be positioned on the left unless you are buying Mimmy, Hello Kitty's twin sister. Yes! Hello Kitty has a twin sister. And most of the time, she wears her yellow bow on the right. It's worn that way to distinguish Hello Kitty and her twinnie! Here's Hello Kitty with her twin sister, Mimmy!

5.Even Hello Kitty Eyes If you want to make sure that you are buying a true Hello Kitty item, you need to check the tiniest details of the product – including the EYES! Both eyes should be similar in size and overall outlook. If one eye is bigger, BEWARE! It’s another clue that defines fake merchandise. 

6.Zippers for Hello Kitty purse, bag or any zippered products

In case you are looking to buy Hello Kitty bag, coin purse or any item made with zipper enclosures, you need to check the outward appearance of the zipper. Hello Kitty zippers were created more solid and wider compared to fake ones that feels and looks insubstantial or light in weight. The ‘teeth’ of the zipper are precisely arranged to look really tidy and the edges carefully trimmed.  On the other hand, edges of counterfeits are pretty asymmetrical and uneven in layout. 

7.Big and Thick Zipper Pulls 

Zipper pull of an authentic Hello Kitty is bulkier and more hardwearing in appearance. Just like the zipper, of an original item, the zipper pull were created to feel and appear heavy. The borders of the zipper pull are smooth and suave in form. So if the one you are buying has splits or any part out of place, most likely this is not genuine. 

8.Precise Stitching

All branded items with sewn portions are expected to be flawless. It goes the same way with any Hello Kitty merchandise with embroidered or stitched sections. The stitching of real Hello Kitty for example, the whiskers are in straight line, have even intervals and precise in the entirety. If you noticed that the sewing is roughly, uneven, crooked and imperfectly made, it’s an imitation. It would be easy to identify a fake from an authentic Hello Kitty, if you already have genuine pieces because you can compare the differences from the one you have. It is also important that you don’t merely believe that one is not a counterfeit just because it comes with an expensive price tag. Don’t forget that the primary goal of fraudulent sellers is to make a lot of money from their sub-standard merchandise. It would be safe not to rely on the price tag when making your authenticity judgment. 

Thinking of Buying Fake Hello Kitty?

When you are lured to buy fake Hello Kitty items because they cost less than authentic ones, you should think better than that. Why? These items are cheaper because they are made of low quality materials and not as durable as authentic ones that you can use for many years. For example, an authentic Hello Kitty bag can still possess its great form even after many years of usage. You cannot expect this from fake imitations sold by dishonest sellers. Take this Hello Kitty bag for example      

The risk of being exposed to toxic substances used to manufacture the products is most likely too. These companies don't have strict quality standards in the merchandise they are making. And the most important advantage of buying a genuine Hello Kitty item is having the assurance of getting a merchandise from a legitimate company, Sanrio. Their priority includes the welfare of the buying public. They would not hesitate to announce product recalls for items that have problems that may put the safety of customers at risk. Even if the items are already out in the market or have been sold.  This is something you can't expect if you purchased defective and unsafe fake items.

So, if you think you are getting a good deal because they are priced cheap, you are actually bound to suffer the negative effects of your poor choice down the line. Buying fake Hello Kitty products entitles you to get something that is not durable, unsafe to use and not licensed by Sanrio. Does that seem like a good deal, for you?

When all is said and done, the most sensible guideline that you should stick with is to draw on your best judgment. Starting with the clues mentioned in this blog, I believe you will be able to differentiate a true from a fake Hello Kitty item.

 

 

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