Defect taxonomy
A defect you cannot name is a defect you cannot price or disclose. These articles work through the vocabulary GradeThread uses for garment damage, what separates one defect from a similar-looking one, and how each type moves a condition score.
Vintage Dress Zipper Tracks and Slider Teeth: When to Grade Functional, Fair, or Pass
Missing teeth, spread sliders, and separated tracks fail differently. Here's how to grade damaged zipper teeth on vintage dresses correctly.
Fabric Puckering and Gathering: The Difference Between Shrinkage and Structural Failure
A puckered seam can mean shrinkage, bad thread tension, or a failing seam allowance — and each grades differently. Here's the test that tells them apart.
How to Grade Vintage Leather Patina: When Darkening Is Character and When It's Damage
Even oxidized darkening is Cosmetic Appearance, not a defect. Here's the test-based standard for grading vintage leather patina versus real damage.
Color Fastness and Bleeding Risk: How to Grade Dyed Vintage Garments That Might Stain Other Clothes
Fugitive dye doesn't show up in photos. Here's the wet-rub test that catches bleeding risk before it becomes a not-as-described dispute.
How to Grade Vintage Shoe Sole Condition: Cushioning, Tread Wear, and Structural Integrity
Compressed midsoles, worn tread, and separating soles fail differently. Here's the standard for grading vintage shoe sole condition and wearability correctly.
How to Grade Brittle Lace on Vintage Clothing (Before It Tears in Shipping)
Yellowing is cosmetic. Brittleness is structural. Here's how to grade fragile vintage lace before it tears in a buyer's hands.
The Label Fade Test: Why Woven Tags, Care Instructions, and Brand Markers Grade Differently
A faded brand label and an illegible care tag aren't the same defect. Here's how to grade each correctly under the five-factor standard.
Lining Degradation: How to Grade Jacket Lining Damage for Resale
A shattered silk lining and a stained one aren't the same defect. Here's how to grade jacket lining damage for resale without over- or under-calling it.
Fading vs. Discoloration: How to Grade Sun Damage and Chemical Stains Separately
A faded shoulder and a bleach spot look similar but grade completely differently. Here's the defect taxonomy that separates UV fading from chemical discoloration.
Vintage Corduroy and Velvet: How to Grade Pile Flattening and Fabric Nap Loss
Shiny wale tops and bald velvet seats aren't fading or damage — they're pile wear. Here's the grading standard that calls it correctly.
Pocketing and Felting: How to Grade Vintage Knits That Have Consolidated and Changed Shape
Felting isn't pilling and it doesn't brush off. Here's the fiber-consolidation standard for grading felted and pocketed vintage knits correctly.
Fabric Transparency and Thinness: How to Grade Worn-Through Areas That Aren't Holes
A worn-through inner thigh or paper-thin elbow isn't a hole yet — but it isn't Excellent either. Here's the light test and grading threshold that gets it right.
Odor Detection and Disclosure: The Sensitivity Standard That Stops Returns
A garment can look Excellent and still fail on smell. Here's the odor sensitivity standard — musty, smoke, pet — that keeps grades honest and returns low.
Moth Damage and Fiber Loss: How to Grade Insect Damage Without Overstating the Flaw
A single moth hole and a moth-riddled sweater are not the same defect. Here's the fiber loss standard that grades each correctly.
Vintage Jeans Waistband Wear: How to Grade Stretch, Fraying, and Structural Failure
A stretched waistband and a frayed one fail differently. Here's the grading threshold that separates Very Good from Fair on vintage denim.
That Dull Windbreaker Isn't Faded — It's Frosted: How to Grade Synthetic Sheen Loss
A dull polyester shell isn't fading — it's fiber-level frosting. Here's how to grade synthetic sheen loss on polyester and nylon before a buyer calls it damage.
Vintage Denim Color Bleed and Dyeing Defects: Distinguishing Wear From Manufacturing Flaw
Blue-stained pocket linings aren't always a manufacturing flaw. Here's how to identify color bleed in vintage denim and grade it correctly before you list.
Zipper Functionality and Cosmetic Wear: How to Grade Sliders Without Killing the Sale
A stuck zipper and a scratched slider aren't the same defect. Here's how to grade each correctly — and disclose replacements without tanking the sale.
Vintage Activewear Grading: Elastic Recovery, Mesh Integrity, and the Sweat-Stain Standard
Elastic recovery, mesh damage, and sweat staining sink more activewear listings than holes ever do. Here's the grading standard that catches them first.
How to Grade Repaired Denim Seams for Resale Value (Without Killing the Sale)
A professional bar-tack repair can still grade Very Good. A home patch job caps you at Good. Here's how to tell the difference before you list.