GradeThread

Tag: functional-elements

Understanding Wash Care Tags on Vintage Garments: What Grade Changes When Instructions Are Missing or Illegible

A missing wash care tag doesn't always hurt a grade — but a cut-out one does. Here's how to tell the difference before you list.

Vintage Elastic Band Degradation: How to Grade Waistbands, Hems, and Cuffs That Have Lost Recovery

Dead elastic caps a grade even on spotless fabric. Here's the stretch-and-recovery test that separates Good, Fair, and Poor on waistbands, hems, and cuffs.

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.

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.

Drawstring and Cord Damage: How to Grade Missing or Damaged Cords on Vintage Outerwear

A missing hood drawstring isn't a cosmetic ding — it's a Functional Elements failure. Here's how to grade it, disclose repairs, and price it right.

Button and Hardware Replacement: When Grading Changes and When It Doesn't

A replaced button doesn't always drop a grade — a mismatched one almost always does. Here's the rule resellers keep getting wrong.