A label can tell you more than the person who sold you the piece. Read labels, stitching and hardware well and you can price with confidence, make era claims you can stand behind, and catch fakes before they cost you a refund or your account.
What counts as vintage
UK law does not set an age for vintage, but Etsy's rules and Depop's Top Seller code do. eBay's help pages do not, so use the same line everywhere.
Anything newer is not vintage, however old it looks, and Depop's rules against misleading descriptions cover decades too: Era words (70s, 90s, Y2K) must match the item's real age; say 'style' for newer pieces (checked 28 Sep 2026, source 2). Etsy can also ask how you dated an item (Etsy playbook).
| Word | Use it only when |
|---|---|
| Vintage | Your clues show it clears the line above |
| 90s style, Y2K style, retro | It looks like an era but is newer, or you cannot date it |
| Deadstock | It is genuinely old, never sold or worn, ideally still tagged |
| Reworked or upcycled | Someone other than the brand cut, altered or rebuilt a genuine garment |
| Preloved or second hand | It really has been owned before. Never for new stock: Vinted bans calling new items second hand, and so does Depop's Top Seller code |
Y2K has no fixed definition. Collectors use it for late 90s to early 2000s fashion, and a piece genuinely made then now clears the vintage line. For new clothing in that look, or anything you cannot date to that era, write "Y2K style".
Reseller Pass
This lesson is part of the Reseller Pass
Part 1 is open to everyone. The other 7 parts of this lesson unlock with the Reseller Pass, along with the full school, every playbook and all 8 tools at full power.
In this lesson
- 8 parts: part 1 above, 7 more with the Pass
- 31 checked facts, each with its source and the date we checked it
- Tools: Listing title builder
The Reseller Pass includes
- The full Reseller School: 17 lessons in 5 levels
- All 6 platform playbooks
- All 8 tools at full power
- The Starter Pack printables
£19.99 One payment, 12 months of full access, UK only
Or £9.99 added to an order with stock from our shop. Discount codes don't apply to the Pass.
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12 months, then renew if you want to. No automatic renewal.
No Pass needed for lesson 1, the glossary, and the fee comparer and box planner basics.