How to identify a clothing brand

Start with the labels

Most clothes have a brand label at the neck or waist, and a care label in a side seam. Even when the brand label has been cut out, the care label often stays. It can include the brand’s name, a product or style code, the country it was made in and a list of materials.

RN and CA numbers

Clothing sold in the United States often carries an RN number, a registration number for the company that made or imported it, and the US Federal Trade Commission lets you look these up. Clothing sold in Canada can carry a CA number, which Canada’s Competition Bureau lists in the same way. Either can name the company behind an unlabelled piece.

Look at logos and hardware

• Logos on the chest, sleeve, pocket or heel. A small embroidered mark can identify a brand on its own.
• Buttons, zips and rivets. Many brands stamp or engrave their name on them.
• Linings and trims, such as a signature check or stripe.
• Shoes: the insole, the tongue label and the sole often carry the brand and a style code.

Search by picture

When nothing on the piece is readable, search with a photo. Style Finder reads brand names and model numbers printed on a piece when it can see them, and otherwise compares the design with products for sale. Include any logo or label in the photo.

A word of caution

A logo doesn’t always prove who made a piece: fakes copy logos too. If you’re checking whether something is genuine, read our guide to spotting fake clothes.

Questions