Adidas

How Adidas labels evolved over time. Match the markers below against the tag in hand to place a garment in its era.

1. 1980–1985

   Thin Polyester Country-Code Tags

   Early-80s Adidas used thin polyester tags carrying the Trefoil and a spread of international size codes; the rare silver Olympic-collection tag belongs here.

   
   • The tags from this time were often a light, thin polyester material which included sizing in a variety of different country codes as can be seen on the left and middle tags.
   • Both the left tags include the Adidas typeface and the Trefoil at the top of the tag, with sizing details below.
   • The tag on the right is from the Adidas Olympic collection.
   • The Adidas Olympics clothing is some of the most desirable and rare vintage Adidas about, and this silver tag is the mark of a truly rare vintage piece.

   How to spot it

   A thin, light tag with the Trefoil and several country size codes.

   Value signal

   Strong vintage; silver Olympic-collection tags are genuinely rare and command a premium.

2. 1986–1989

   Shiny Silver F1 Tags

   Tags moved to a thicker, shiny silver material, often with no size on the tag itself — sizing migrated to a wash label at the waist.

   
   • Tags from this era tended to be higher quality, using a thicker shiny silver material.
   • They often do not include sizing information.
   • The sizing information is often included on the wash tags by the waist on Adidas items from this time.
   • The thin rectangular tag on the left is the older of the two.
   • The square tag on the right was used throughout the late 80s and even into the early 90s.
   • Tags with the product codes beginning with F1 are often referred to as F1 tags in the vintage community and are a sign of truly vintage Adidas.

   How to spot it

   A thick silver tag and a product code starting 'F1'.

   Value signal

   Highly sought after; F1-coded 1980s Adidas sells at a clear premium.

3. 1990–1995

   Trefoil Dropped, Typeface Only

   The Trefoil left the neck tag in favour of the Adidas typeface alone, the period the prized Equipment line launched in 1991.

   
   • Tags from this time stopped using the Trefoil symbol and instead opted for just the Adidas typeface.
   • 1991 saw the introduction of another highly sought-after Adidas line, the Adidas Equipment line.
   • Notably the Mountain logo was nearly always used on Adidas Equipment clothing or shoes, but was not used on Adidas tags until later.
   • The two tags on the left are examples of early Adidas Equipment tags used in the early 90s.
   • The tags in the middle are from mid 1990s, the thin one on the top being the slightly older of the two.
   • The white tag on the right is also from the mid 1990s.
   • Notice how nearly all the tags here include a product code that begins with F1, reaffirming their vintage status.

   How to spot it

   Adidas wordmark with no Trefoil, and an 'F1' product code.

   Value signal

   Desirable; early Equipment-line pieces are especially collectible.

4. 1996–1999

   Mountain Logo Introduced

   The Mountain (Equipment) logo arrived on neck tags; a black variant with the wash tag sewn directly behind it appears late in the decade.

   
   • The Mountain logo was introduced onto the neck tags at this time.
   • Between the two tags on the left small differences like the boldness of the font can be seen.
   • These tags were most prominent in the mid 1990s.
   • The middle right Adidas Equipment tag was introduced at the end of the 1990s.
   • The far right black Adidas tag is from the late 1990s and has the wash tag directly behind it.

   How to spot it

   The three-bar Mountain logo on the neck tag.

   Value signal

   Solid 90s vintage; value tracks the garment and colourway.

5. 2000–2004

   Trefoil Returns

   The Trefoil made its comeback on neck tags, alternating black and white to suit the garment colour.

   
   • The Trefoil logo made its big return in the early 2000s.
   • The tag alternated between black and white depending on the color of the item it was on.

   How to spot it

   A returned Trefoil on a plain black or white tag.

   Value signal

   Common; the Originals revival keeps steady but modest demand.

6. 2005–2009

   Mountain Logo, Multi-Code Sizing

   The Mountain logo took pole position again on tags carrying sizing across multiple country codes.

   
   • The mid 2000s saw the Mountain logo once again take pole position.
   • These tags include sizing in a variety of different country codes.

   How to spot it

   Mountain logo paired with multi-country size codes.

   Value signal

   Modern; priced on the piece itself rather than the tag.