JeffB Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 The last week while I have been out shopping at the malls I have come across a couple of stores that carry NHL jerseys from CCM and have disappointed to see the quality of the customizing has taken a turn for the worse. I first noticed a Los Angeles Kings Gretzky jersey. The "sewing" on the 9's on the sleeve didn't look right so I turned the sleeve inside out and found that the "stitching" on the numbers was fake! There were no threads from the stitching on the inside. There was a line of zig-zag thread on the surface of the 9, but it didn't go through the number and into the jersey at all. It was glued on! I also went into the Minnesota Wild Hockey Lodge offical team store at the Mall of America and found some jerseys where the stitching was real, but also found others with the same fake stitches on the surface of glued on numbers. Sure, the other ones look the same, but it just seems like a deception to me and I'd rather buy a blank jersey and pay to get it done with a certain level of quality if I'm going to spend that much. If gluing the numbers on was ok in the first place, why fake the stitches at all? JeffB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 Fake stitching, sign of armadgeddon. I saw a Crosby jersey (CCM) yesterday that had the correct lettering, even tick-weave textured tackle twill, but the numbers were glued on. There was stitching around them, but it was ornamental, nothing was stitched onto the jersey. It had one of those "NHL Player" tags that you clip off with the price tag, also. Dirty pool! The average fan probably wouldn't know the difference or wouldn't care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnothaVictim Posted December 24, 2006 Report Share Posted December 24, 2006 the jerseys with the glued on numbers and fake stitching were pre-customized by CCM. they don`t sew, they use glue but on semi pros only. they`ve been doing this for at least 10 years now. I hate these jerseys coz the numbers and letters on the jerseys are completely stiff and can be very annoying when wearing it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cray- Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 I hate these jerseys coz the numbers and letters on the jerseys are completely stiff and can be very annoying when wearing it What are the big team logo's made out of on the authentic jerseys? I just got my two devils replica's for xmas and yeah the big logo on the front is stiff like cardboard. I know its only a replica with fake stiching...but ive never seen any hockey jerseys before...replica or authentic so I wasnt aware of all the differences. They still look great in photos. Unfortunately you just can't buy this stuff from shops anywhere over here so I had no choice but to buy from icejerseys, sight unseen. If the logo on the authentics is much softer and maleable then I might have to save my pennies for an upgrade cause im a wee bit dissapointed No offence to icejerseys or anyone else, its not their fault. Its just something I had to learn the hard way cause of the above circumstances. Merry Christmas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finny Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 There is isn't anything wrong with replicas, but if money is no issue then yes authentic is far better to purchase. I won't go back now that I have a couple. Well unless this form fitting goes through then I will end up reverting back I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 It is disappointing to know that the ones that are available in many major retail stores are not the best in quality. I am glad that the replicas I get online are all top quality, though I don't have any purchased authentics to compare it too as the only Authentic I have is a game worn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnothaVictim Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 What are the big team logo's made out of on the authentic jerseys? On most of the authentic jerseys the logos are made of embroidered tackle twill. Some teams have pre-sewn multi layered tackle twill logos like the Bruins, Devils, Flames, Whalers... teams with "easy" logos. There are CCM replicas made in korea, I heard those were fakes because CCM only make their jerseys in Canada, but the Korean quality is way better. The logos are softer and sewn onto the jersey, comparable to Starter/Pro Player replica jerseys which were made in Korea too. Starter and Pro Player imo are the best replicas you can get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Starter replicas were poor quality and I believe that has been discussed in the earlier days of this board. The logos would often be wrong (for example, Canucks skate pointing in the wrong direction, Stars Texas patches upside down, Coyote shoulders not leaving enough room for a sleeve number - which they never corrected). The crests on most Starter replicas were applique, which were softer, lighter and embedded into the jersey. The ones I had often frayed. I never had a problem with any ProPlayer jerseys, but for some reason they more were difficult to obtain at the time (1999-2000?) and then went out of business or just out of the licensed sports business. I have never seen a CCM replica made in Korea, maybe I don't get around as much as I used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnothaVictim Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 I have never seen a CCM replica made in Korea, maybe I don't get around as much as I used to. Maybe the Korean made jerseys were only made for the european/asian market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 The Korean ones were not actual Starter jerseys. They were hand sewn by Korean employees and they put a Starter logo on them. When I was stationed in Korea, you could go into any of the shops downtown at Osan AB, and you would sometimes see them sewing the Starter logo into the jersey. The quality of those was not that great either as they only had books and magazines to go on for their designs. Sometimes you would find a shop that was really good at making them but usually you would find major differences in them. The most common thing to find wrong was the coloring of the jersey, the colors would usually be off. I picked a few of these up when I was stationed there in 1998 but have gotten rid of most of them as I discovered how poorly they were actually made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomZoom18 Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 All of the customized jerseys I have are the glued on versions. I've gotten a Buffalo Sabres Curtis Brown jersey from 2000 that was glued on and my last customized jersey, Phoenix Coyotes Mike Johnson jersey also is glued on. That'll explain why they always said not to put it in the dryer...haha. Starter and Pro Player imo are the best replicas you can get. Disagree about Starter, but my Pro Player Blues jersey is awesome, its very comfortable. Pro Player jerseys seemed like a great quality. Starter replicas were poor quality and I believe that has been discussed in the earlier days of this board. The logos would often be wrong (for example, Canucks skate pointing in the wrong direction, Stars Texas patches upside down, Coyote shoulders not leaving enough room for a sleeve number - which they never corrected). The crests on most Starter replicas were applique, which were softer, lighter and embedded into the jersey. The ones I had often frayed. I never had a problem with any ProPlayer jerseys, but for some reason they more were difficult to obtain at the time (1999-2000?) and then went out of business or just out of the licensed sports business. I have never seen a CCM replica made in Korea, maybe I don't get around as much as I used to. I had an old Starter New Jersey Devils jersey that the logo came off completely. It soon after became a hockey practice jersey. I was never a big fan of Starter just because some of the jerseys looked a little odd compared to the old CCM Maska ones plus the Pro Player jerseys. The Canucks jersey was one I didn't want to get because I always thought that skate looked odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 The Starter jerseys were never the greatest quality, especially when compared to what is out there now. One major complaint I had about them was the material that the jersey was made out of would shrink if you washed it and put it in the dryer but the crest wouldn't shrink so it would basically ruin the jersey. Ever since then I have washed the jerseys in the washer and air dried them (including all newer ones as well). Glad the Starter ones weren't that pricy so I didn't lose out on much. The ones in Korea were a bargain considering the quality. You could get one for $10-15 USD in most of the shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustAnothaVictim Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 did you ever read the washing instruction on the tags in the jerseys? never put something in a dryer that's made of polyester or nylon. no wonder you got your jersey shrinking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lafountain Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 did you ever read the washing instruction on the tags in the jerseys? never put something in a dryer that's made of polyester or nylon. no wonder you got your jersey shrinking I was young and stupid. Once I finally figured it out (only shrunk two jerseys) it was never a problem again. As for the tags, nope never read them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted December 26, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 I liked the Starter jerseys myself. One in particular was my Dallas Stars Alternate. This is the black and green one that later became the primary dark jersey. The Starter has a separate piece of fabric for the gold and white stripe that separates the main black and green color areas, where on the CCM it's dye sublimated. Also, my Starter has the main crest embroidered right into the front of the jersey. On a CCM - even my game worn one - the main crest is a embroidered patch that is then added to the jersey. At least the gamer has it sewn on though. ProPlayers were great. There's never been a main logo crest softer and pliable as those. When I get the itch to do a jersey project, I'm usually pretty happy if I can get a ProPlayer one. It's too bad they didn't last longer. They just made really nice jerseys instead of trying to reinvent the wheel like Reebok is doing to us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DesertRat Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 I have an authentic ProPlayer Coyotes alternate (green). The crest is indeed very soft, softer than what I expected on an authentic jersey. And then the ProPlayer jerseys went away, far far away... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoomZoom18 Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 ProPlayers were great. There's never been a main logo crest softer and pliable as those. When I get the itch to do a jersey project, I'm usually pretty happy if I can get a ProPlayer one. It's too bad they didn't last longer. They just made really nice jerseys instead of trying to reinvent the wheel like Reebok is doing to us. I don't want to think about what Reebok is planning to do to the replicas next year, if the rumours I've heard are true... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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