Author: Herman · Reviewed by: HMH Hungary Kft. · Last updated: 2026-08-05

Why is ADDICTED copied so often?

ADDICTED is one of the best-known names in men's underwear and swimwear — with a design you can spot from ten metres away. That is exactly what makes it a target. Counterfeiters copy the popular cuts and the AD logo; what they cannot copy is the substance. They work with cheaper yarn, imprecise cutting and weak stitching. In a product photo the difference is almost invisible. In your hand it almost never is.

Where not to buy

• Third-party sellers on large marketplaces (Amazon, eBay, AliExpress, Temu): the counterfeit risk is highest here, because the marketplace only brokers the sale and never sees the goods.
• Unknown shops with no company details, working exclusively with someone else's product photos.
• Offers that are "too good": a brief that normally costs €25–30 does not suddenly appear at €8. Price is the most honest warning signal there is.
• Social-media ads from unknown sellers with unverified payment methods (advance transfer, direct bank transfer).

Five marks of the original

1. Fabric and recovery

The genuine article feels denser and springs back into shape when stretched. Fakes are usually thinner, look glassy and keep a dent after stretching. It shows most on swimwear: the original dries fast and holds its shape, while the copy goes slack after two days at the beach.

2. Seams and waistband

On the original the seams run evenly, with no loose threads, and the waistband is cleanly and firmly bound. Wavy seams, uneven spacing, or a band that curls the first time you put it on all point to a copy.

3. Logo and print

The AD logo and the waistband lettering are sharp, correctly proportioned and cleanly separated in colour — on many models in colour-matched silicone. Bleeding edges, crooked placement or a slightly wrong typeface are the most common giveaways.

4. Label and composition

The original states the exact fabric composition (e.g. 92% polyester, 8% elastane) with care symbols and manufacturer details. Missing, illegible or generic labels without specific percentages are a clear signal.

5. Price and packaging

The regular price tracks the brand's official level; discounts exist, but within a plausible range. The packaging is part of the product too: tidy, labelled, with the correct model code.

Why original quality pays off

The price of an original is not just the name. Better yarn and precise cutting show up in the wearing: the shape holds, the colour stays, the elastic fabric recovers even after washing. A fake often stretches out after a few washes, discolours or loses its support — visually similar, not similar to wear.

The cut matters just as much. A jockstrap or a swim brief only sits the way the brand drew it if the proportions are right. On copies the waistband wanders, the pouch comes out too flat, the leg openings cut in.

Checking the seller: three minutes well spent

Before you order, a quick look at the shop itself catches more fakes than any product photo:

• Company details: is there a physical address, a VAT number, a company name? If any of these is missing, it is not a European retailer, whatever the domain suggests.
• Payment methods: reputable shops offer payment with buyer protection. If only advance transfer, direct bank transfer or crypto is on offer, walk away.
• Product photos: only manufacturer renderings, no photos of their own, no close-ups of the waistband and label? Then the seller has probably never seen the goods.
• Price structure: a single discount is not suspicious — a whole range sitting 60–80% below market level is.

What if you have already bought a fake?

Within the EU you have a 14-day right of withdrawal on distance sales, regardless of whether the goods are genuine. With a counterfeit there is also a defect: what was delivered does not match the description, so you can demand a refund even after the withdrawal period has expired. Keep the order confirmation, the product photos from the listing and the packaging; on marketplaces the claim goes through their buyer protection. If the seller sits outside the EU, the practical chance of getting your money back is slim — which is why checking in advance is worth so much.

What to look for, line by line

Basic underwear: on the original the waistband lettering is woven in cleanly, not printed. A printed "ADDICTED" on the elastic is a reliable mark of a fake.

Push-up and moulded models: the pre-shaped pouch on the original is formed in one piece and keeps its shape after washing. Copies sew in a foam insert instead, which shifts or creases.

Swimwear: genuine swimwear has a mesh lining and a proper drawcord with metal or silicone tips. A missing lining or a frayed cord without tips are the typical places where money was saved.

AD Fetish: on the original, patent and rubber looks are elastically coated — glossy, but still stretchy. Copies use stiff film that cracks at the seams, often on the first wear.

Buying safely: the official routes

You get genuine ADDICTED from us — as an official retailer we source directly from the brand's EU warehouse in Barcelona and from the stock of our own shop in Budapest. Shipping to Austria and Germany is discreet and fast, with an invoice, a right of withdrawal and customer service you can actually reach. Every piece that reaches you comes from the same supply chain as the goods in the brand's Barcelona store — no parallel imports, no clearance stock of unknown origin.

If you are unsure whether a piece is genuine, send us a photo of the waistband and the label. We see these items every day and will tell you honestly what you are holding — even if you did not buy it from us.

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