Nike Dunk Low Panda Real vs Fake: How to Spot Fake Panda Dunks

Updated November 2026.

To check a Nike Dunk Low Panda original vs fake, work through the pair in this order: the overall shape, the Swoosh, the toe box perforations, the heel embroidery and stitching, the sole, the size tag and the box label. Compare every detail with a genuine Panda, because a good fake passes most checks and fails one or two.

"Panda" is the nickname for the black and white Nike Dunk Low Retro, style code DD1391-100. It first released in January 2021 and has been restocked many times since, so it is one of the most copied sneakers on resale sites. In every photo below, the genuine pair is on the left and the fake on the right. For other Dunk models and collabs, start from our Nike Dunk guide.

30-Second Checklist for Panda Dunks

Short on time? These are the flaws we see most often on fake Pandas, in the order an authenticator checks them. A genuine pair passes all nine, and each point links to its section below.

1. Style code: DD1391-100 on men's sizes, DD1503-101 on women's, CW1590-100 on grade school.
2. Side profile: a toe that sits too tall or a heel that looks flat, and uneven seams.
3. Swoosh: a flat curve and a thick, heavy look.
4. Toe box: small, widely spaced holes that are not cleanly punched, and a boxy toe.
5. Heel: NIKE embroidery with badly shaped letters, thin thread or the wrong size and position.
6. Size tag: crammed characters, or a style code, size or UPC that differs from the box label.
7. QR code: a QR that opens a site other than Nike's, or a printed code with the letter O, I, L or U.
8. Box label: a barcode that belongs to another shoe or size.
9. Extras: spare laces in the box are worth a question, because genuine retail Pandas usually come without them.

• 30-Second Checklist for Panda Dunks
• Which Panda Do You Have?
• The Overall Look
• The Swoosh
• The Toe Box
• The Heel Counter
• The Sole
• The Size Tag
• Made in China, Vietnam or Indonesia?
• The QR Code on the Tag
• The Box and Box Label
• How to Avoid Fake Panda Dunks Online
• Frequently Asked Questions
• See If Your Panda Dunks Are Authentic

Which Panda Do You Have?

Read the style code on the size tag before you compare anything, because several black and white Nikes are sold as "Pandas":

• Nike Dunk Low Retro White/Black (this guide): men's sizes DD1391-100. The women's version is DD1503-101 and the grade school version is CW1590-100. The construction is the same, so the checks below apply, but compare the size tag with a genuine pair of the same size range. Kids' sizes have their own base style code but share the colour suffix -100, and their sizes end in Y (big kids) or C (little kids and toddlers).
• Nike Dunk High Panda: a taller shoe with its own pattern. See how to spot a fake Nike Dunk High.
• Nike SB Dunk Low in black and white: an SB skate shoe with Nike SB branding. It is a different shoe, and these photos do not apply to it.

The Overall Look

Start with the side profile. Put the shoe on a flat surface and photograph it at shoe height, the way the pairs in our photo are shown. Compare the height of the toe, the slope from the toe to the collar and the line of the midsole. A fake built on the wrong last often looks taller at the toe or flatter at the heel.

Then look at how the panels meet. On the genuine pair the overlays lie flat, and the stitching that joins them runs in straight, even rows close to the edge. On the fake we compared, the seams along the heel and the overlays are uneven, with stitches of different lengths. The same panel checks work on other Dunk Low colorways.

Leave the leather finish out of it. Genuine Dunk Low leather can look smooth or grainy depending on the batch, the light and how the pair has been worn, so the surface alone does not decide anything. Genuine Panda toe leather usually feels firm and holds its shape, while fake toe boxes often collapse when pressed.

Keep one more fact in mind. The Panda is reported to be made in seven or eight factories, with small differences in insole glue and stitching between them. That is why a single detail is never a verdict, and why we compare a pair with genuine references from the same release.

The Swoosh

The two close-ups under the side profile show the Swoosh. The genuine Swoosh has a pronounced curve in its upper edge and a slim, pointed tip, which makes the whole logo look slender. On the fake we compared, the curve is flatter and turns more abruptly, so the Swoosh looks thicker and heavier.

Check the stitching around it too. On the genuine pair the stitches follow the edge of the Swoosh at an even distance all the way to the tip. On the fake, the line drifts away from the edge in places.

Also Read: How to Tell if Nikes are Fake?

The Toe Box

Look down at the toe box from above. The perforations are the clearest difference in this pair. On the genuine Panda the holes are larger and sit closer together in neat rows. The fake copies the pattern, but its holes are smaller, spaced further apart and less cleanly punched.

Next, follow the stitching along the black toe cap. On the genuine pair it is dense and runs at an even distance from the edge. On the fake it is looser and less regular.

Finally, check the toe box from the side. The genuine toe is low and slim, and on many fakes it looks raised or bulky. Shoes that have been stored with shoe trees or worn a lot change shape, so judge this together with the perforations and stitching, not alone. In one comparison, the genuine toe curved smoothly while the fake looked boxy.

The Heel Counter

Turn the shoe around. The heel tab carries NIKE in embroidered letters. On the genuine pair the embroidery is dense, the letters have clean edges and the spaces between them are even. On the fake we compared, the letters are shaped differently, the K and E in particular, and the thread lies less densely. Look for loose threads and for letters that are noticeably thinner or thicker than on a genuine pair.

Below the tab, check the stitching on the heel counter. Genuine rows are dense and straight, and the seams are neat. Shallow stitches, thin thread or rows that wander are worth a closer look.

Size and position matter too. In one side-by-side comparison, the genuine heel NIKE was smaller and sat higher on the tab, while the fake's was larger and centred, and the heel is often where fake Pandas go wrong. The same comparison showed more space above the Nike logo on the genuine tongue label than on the fake. Compare both with a genuine Panda in the same size.

The Sole

There is no photo of the sole in this comparison, so check yours against a clear photo of a genuine Panda outsole. Look at the Nike logo moulded into the rubber: on a genuine sole it has clean lines and sharp edges. Then look at the small markings around it and at the tread pattern, which should be crisp all over. Soft edges, a blurred pattern or moulding that differs from the genuine sole are reasons to look more closely. Wear rounds off the tread over time, so compare a worn pair only in the parts that touch the ground least.

The Size Tag

The size tag sewn inside the tongue is the busiest label on a pair of Nikes. It shows the size in several systems, the country of manufacture, the style code, a UPC barcode, a short factory code and two dates. Nike has never said what the two dates mean. They are often read as the production window, but that is not confirmed, so treat them only as a rough check that they suit the release. Tags printed from around 2019 often add a QR code, while many genuine older pairs have a barcode only. Counterfeiters copy genuine tags field by field, so a tag that agrees with itself shows the label is consistent, not that the shoes are real.

On a men's Panda the tag should read DD1391-100, and its size and UPC should match the box label. Because the Panda has been restocked many times since 2021, genuine tags carry many different dates, so a date from a later year is normal. Old versions of this guide said fake tags have bigger, thicker letters. That held for one pair, but tag printing changes with the printer and factory, so compare the print only with a genuine Panda tag. Genuine Panda tags usually space every character evenly, while fake tags often look crammed.

DD1391-100 also shows how Nike's colour codes work. The three digits after the dash name the colorway. Nike has never published the scheme, but the first digit usually follows the first colour in the colorway name: 1 for white, as in White/Black, and 0 for black. Exceptions exist, so a mismatch is a reason to check the code, never proof of a fake.

On the genuine tags we have read, the later date fell two to five months before the release. With a shoe restocked as often as the Panda, a later date is usually a restock, so treat dates only as a question for the seller. Genuine tags also print a patent line, www.nike.com/patentsvirtualmarking. A misspelt address is one of the details an authenticator compares.

If the insole lifts out, genuine Panda pairs usually show a clear pattern of white glue strips under the insole, and a textured insole surface where fakes are often smooth. Glue varies by factory, so use this as a supporting check only.

Made in China, Vietnam or Indonesia?

Nike does not own the factories that make its shoes. Contract manufacturers build them in 11 countries, and Nike's 2025 annual report says factories in Vietnam, Indonesia and China made about 51, 28 and 17 percent of its footwear. One colorway can come from more than one country, and Nike's own product pages list some models as made in one country for one size range and another country for the rest. So "Made in Vietnam" or "Made in China" proves nothing alone. What matters is that the country, the factory code and the tag layout fit each other and the release, which only a genuine pair from the same release can show.

The QR Code on the Tag

The QR code on a recent Nike size tag opens an address on qr.nike.com followed by a 13-character code, and the same code is printed beside the QR. It opens a Nike page, not an authenticity check. In our November 2026 test, qr.nike.com logged each scan and sent every well-formed 13-character code, even ones we made up, to the same Nike page. Malformed codes went to the Nike home page. So a scan proves nothing either way, and fakes print working codes too. A QR that opens a site other than nike.com is a strong reason to get the pair checked, and many genuine older pairs have no QR at all. See what a Nike QR code and UPC can show.

Tested in November 2026, qr.nike.com sent every correctly formatted code, including made-up ones, to the same Nike page, with no product details and no verdict. The 13-character code uses digits and every letter except I, L, O and U, and Nike's own server rejects a code that contains one of those four letters. A clear O or U printed in the code is a strong warning sign, while a zero that looks like an O is normal.

The Box and Box Label

The label on the end of a Nike box repeats the shoe's details: the model name, the style code, the size, the colorway and a UPC barcode, and recent labels add a QR code. On a genuine pair in its own box, the UPC on the label matches the one on the size tag, while the box QR carries a different code from the tag QR. Box colours and designs change between lines, years and collaborations, so compare only with a genuine box from the same release. A second sticker from a resale platform is normal, and so is a regional label on pairs sold in Asia. A missing or replacement box is not a sign of a fake.

In our side profile photo, the genuine and the fake pair both sit on a red Nike box with the large printed logo, which is why the box colour cannot settle anything. For a Panda, check that the label reads DUNK LOW RETRO, gives the colorway as WHITE/BLACK, prints DD1391 100 with the size, and carries the same UPC as the size tag. A new pair sold without its box is a reason to ask the seller why, not proof of a fake.

The tag prints the UPC as 14 digits starting 00, while the box label prints the same number as a 12-digit UPC with a small two-digit add-on. Ignore the leading zeros and the add-on when you compare them. Codes can expose a fake but never prove a pair is real. A counterfeit label can print a real Nike barcode that belongs to another shoe or size, and a fake barcode passes the standard check digit like a genuine one. The barcode, the style code and the size must agree. To test the codes on your pair, use our Nike code checker.

Look inside the box as well. In one comparison, the genuine retail Panda came with no spare laces, while the fake shipped with an extra pair. Extras vary by retailer and are often lost on resale, so treat them as a question, not a verdict.

How to Avoid Fake Panda Dunks Online

If you are buying online, check the listing before you check the shoes:

• Ask for your own photos. You need the side profile, the toe box from above, the heel, the size tag and the box label, sharp and in daylight. Stock photos or blurry pictures are a warning sign.
• Use retail as the floor. The Panda retailed at $110 in June 2023. A new pair offered far below retail is a warning sign.
• Check the seller. Read the negative reviews, not just the score, and see how long the account has been selling.
• Check the whole pair. In March 2025 Shanghai police broke up a gang that combined genuine soles with fake uppers and sold them as custom editions, so one genuine part does not prove the rest.
• Know the platform's rules. Some resale sites refund buyers who receive counterfeit items. Read the policy before you pay.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you tell if Panda Dunks are fake?

Compare the pair with a genuine DD1391-100 in this order: the side profile, the Swoosh curve and stitching, the toe box perforations, the NIKE heel embroidery, the sole, the size tag and the box label. A genuine pair passes every check. One correct detail, such as the style code, proves nothing on its own.

What's the difference between Panda Dunks and black and white Dunks?

There is none. "Panda" is the nickname for the Nike Dunk Low Retro in White/Black. Other black and white Dunks exist, such as the Dunk High and SB versions, and they are different shoes with their own style codes (see Which Panda Do You Have?).

Are Panda Dunks made in China fake?

No. Nike's contract factories in Vietnam, Indonesia and China make about 96 percent of its footwear, and one colorway can come from more than one country. The country on the tag proves nothing alone.

What does "first copy" mean for Panda Dunks?

"First copy" is a seller's term, common in South Asia, for a replica. It is a counterfeit, not a genuine Nike product, whatever grade the seller claims.

Does a QR code that opens Nike's site mean my Pandas are real?

No. Fake tags print working qr.nike.com links, and Nike's page shows the same thing for any correctly formatted code. A QR that opens another site, or a printed code with the letter O, I, L or U, is a strong warning sign, but one that opens Nike's site shows only that the tag was copied well.

Can I check the DD1391-100 barcode online?

You can test whether the barcode is valid and fits the style code and size with the Nike code checker linked in The Box and Box Label. A barcode that fits proves only that the label was copied well, because fakes print real Nike numbers.

See If Your Panda Dunks Are Authentic

If you are still unsure after these checks, send clear photos of both shoes from the side and from behind, the toe box from above, the heel embroidery, the soles, the size tags and the box label. LegitGrails authenticates Nike from photos you upload, with results in under 30 minutes and a digital certificate with every order.

If your Panda Dunks fail any of these steps, send photos to our Nike authentication service.