# Condition grading by category > The 1.0–10.0 scale is universal, but wear isn't. How grading plays out for denim, knits, leather, shoes, and vintage — and what to photograph for each. The 1.0–10.0 scale and the five weighted factors stay the same for every garment. What changes is *where* a category fails: pilling sinks a sweater, a blown inseam sinks jeans, sole wear sinks sneakers. Knowing each category's weak points tells you what to clean up before listing and what to photograph for an accurate grade. ## Same standard, different failure modes Each category leans on a different [grading factor](https://gradethread.com/condition-grading). Here's where to look — and what to shoot — by type: ### Denim Leads on: Structural integrity What lowers the grade: Blown inseams, frayed belt loops, and stress at the crotch and knees; fading the design didn't intend. Distressing the maker built in isn't a flaw. Photograph: Inseam, hem, waistband, and any factory rips up close. ### Knits & sweaters Leads on: Fabric condition What lowers the grade: Pilling, felting, thinning at the elbows, and snags. Knits can look fine on a hanger and grade lower up close. Photograph: A close surface shot, the cuffs, and the elbows. ### Leather & outerwear Leads on: Cosmetic + functional What lowers the grade: Scuffs, dryness or cracking, lining tears, and a smooth-running main zipper. Hardware that sticks pulls the functional score down. Photograph: Corners and creases, the lining, and the zipper mid-travel. ### Shoes & sneakers Leads on: Cosmetic + structural What lowers the grade: Sole and tread wear, toe-box creasing, heel drag, and any sole separation. Box and extras help but don't change the grade. Photograph: Soles, toe box, heel, and both shoes together. ### Vintage Leads on: Design vs. damage What lowers the grade: Age-appropriate character — soft hand, gentle fading, a single-stitch patina — is expected, not penalized, and quality period-appropriate repairs (professional reweaving, sympathetic darning) preserve value rather than cost points. What counts against the grade is damage layered on top: moth holes, stains, brittleness, and crude or unstable repairs. Photograph: Tags and construction details, plus any flaw and any patina. ## Why one scale still works A category-specific scale would make grades incomparable — a "9 for denim" wouldn't mean the same as a "9 for knits," which defeats the point of a standard. Instead, one published rubric scores every item, and the category just changes which factors carry the wear. That's how an [Excellent](https://gradethread.com/grading/excellent) sweater and an Excellent pair of jeans land at the same grade for the same reason: low wear against their intended condition. Vintage is where this gets subtle — see [intentional design vs. damage](https://gradethread.com/design-vs-damage) for how character is told apart from wear. ## Explore the grading standard These pages build on one published standard. Start with [what condition grading is](https://gradethread.com/condition-grading) and the [methodology behind every grade](https://gradethread.com/grading-standard), see the published accuracy on our [transparency report](https://gradethread.com/transparency), or look up resale value by condition in the [Condition Index](https://gradethread.com/condition-index) and the [What's It Worth tool](https://gradethread.com/whats-it-worth). ### Grade tiers [NWT](https://gradethread.com/grading/nwt)[NWOT](https://gradethread.com/grading/nwot)[Excellent](https://gradethread.com/grading/excellent)[Very Good](https://gradethread.com/grading/very-good)[Good](https://gradethread.com/grading/good)[Fair](https://gradethread.com/grading/fair)[Poor](https://gradethread.com/grading/poor) ### Grading factors [Fabric Condition](https://gradethread.com/grading/fabric-condition)[Structural Integrity](https://gradethread.com/grading/structural-integrity)[Cosmetic Appearance](https://gradethread.com/grading/cosmetic-appearance)[Functional Elements](https://gradethread.com/grading/functional-elements)[Cleanliness](https://gradethread.com/grading/odor-cleanliness) ## Grading by category FAQ ### Does condition grading work the same for every garment type? The 1.0–10.0 scale and the five weighted factors stay constant, but what counts as wear differs by category. Pilling matters most on knits, seam slippage and inseam blowouts on denim, sole and crease wear on shoes, lining and structure on tailoring. The factors are universal; the failure modes are category-specific. ### What lowers a denim or knit grade fastest? On denim, structural integrity does the damage — blown inseams, frayed belt loops, and stress at the crotch — alongside fading the design didn't intend. On knits, fabric condition leads: pilling, felting, thinning at the elbows, and snags pull the grade down even when the garment looks fine on the hanger. ### How are vintage items graded differently? Vintage is still graded against its as-made condition, but age-appropriate character — a soft hand, gentle fading, a single-stitch tee's patina — isn't treated as damage. Holes, stains, brittleness, and repairs are. That's why getting the design-versus-damage call right matters most on vintage. ### Does category change how I should photograph for a grade? Yes — shoot the parts that fail for that category. For denim, capture the inseam, hem, and waistband; for knits, a close-up of the surface and cuffs; for shoes, the soles, toe box, and heel. Showing the category's known wear points gives a higher-confidence, more accurate grade. [Grade an item free](https://gradethread.com/signup) ## Grade any category to one standard Denim, knits, leather, shoes, or vintage — get an objective grade and a certificate buyers trust. [Start Grading Free](https://gradethread.com/signup) --- Canonical: [https://gradethread.com/grading-by-category](https://gradethread.com/grading-by-category) Last updated: 2026-06-13 Source: GradeThread (gradethread.com). Please cite and link the canonical page.