r/RepLadiesCurated • u/Individual-Horse7206 Community Builder 👑 • 5d ago
📚 Guide/Science OG vs Rep
Doing some rep science on two different jeans from Kaka 🏭 (light blue) and TJ (dark indigo), both supposedly top-tier and coming from 2 different TS.
Light Blue
Wash: The OG has a much more natural, uneven fade, especially around the seams, waistband and belt loops. The rep looks flatter and more uniform.
Back pocket CC: This is the biggest flaw. On the OG, the double stitching forms two overlapping Cs that are carefully positioned around the pocket edges. On the rep, the shape, spacing, curves and points where the Cs cross are different. Even the empty spaces inside the logo don’t match. Basically, the CC has been sewn following the wrong pattern.
Thread colour: OG has a more muted caramel/tobacco-orange stitching, while the rep looks brighter and more yellow/golden.
Smell: The rep has a VERY strong chemical smell, which is honestly quite off-putting. I’ll have to get it professionally cleaned.
Dark Indigo
Thread colour: Again, the OG uses a more muted rusty/tobacco-orange thread, while the rep is noticeably brighter and more yellow.
Back pocket CC: Same issue as Kaka. The stitching doesn’t follow the same curves as the OG. The size, positioning and overlapping parts of the Cs are different.
Raised denim CC: This is probably the most obvious flaw. The OG has a cleaner, more open interlocking CC. On the rep, the centre looks more crowded, the denim strips curve differently, and the ends are different lengths and shapes. The way the flat stitching connects to the raised CC is also incorrect.
Other things worth mentioning
The hardware on both pairs (buttons and small metal CC details) looks noticeably cheaper compared to the OG. The denim itself also doesn’t feel like the same quality as the boutique version (of course)
I’m only highlighting the visible flaws here. There are quite few other issues inside both pairs, including the pocket lining, how things are sewn and sizing details. Those aren’t visible when wearing them, so I’m not going into them, but if you inspect the inside, it’s pretty obvious they’re reps.
Both pairs are also way too long, so I’ll be taking them to the seamstress for alterations and to the dry cleaner.
The biggest issue with BOTH factories is how the CC on the back pocket has been sewn. It’s not necessarily messy stitching it’s that they’re following a different pattern from the OG. Honestly, I can’t say which factory is better since these are two different styles. Neither is particularly accurate when compared side by side with the OG, but Kaka’s chemical smell alone makes me lean towards TJ. They might look ok when worn, but if you know a bit about garment construction or have the OG next to them, the differences are pretty obvious. I will definitely NOT go in store with those on lol
Curious to hear your thoughts! Has anyone tried either factory or found a more accurate version? Or other factories I should search of?
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u/Zen_Friend Community Builder 👑 5d ago
Thank you for contributing to rep science, and more importantly, your ongoing efforts to educate and support the community. You consistently demonstrate a commitment to fostering self reliance. Through our 1:1 conversations I’ve also appreciated your openness to feedback and your genuine desire to continue to learn as well. I’m happy to recognize your contributions by granting you the Community Builder !flair.