The resale market for fashion is extremely hot, and the RealReal has discovered a sweet formula to become a trusted and authoritative partner for buyers, resellers, and all those in between. "We are all about sustainability, extending the lifecycle of fashion, and giving your product new life," says Sean Conway, the RealReal's sneaker & streetwear valuation manager. "There will always be a second buyer ready to buy your items."

To ensure that every item that you sell or resell at the RealReal is 100% the real thing, a dedicated team of experts put each item through an authentication process to differentiate what's real from counterfeit, what's pristine from poor quality, and more. Highsnobiety took a trip to their NYC shop to catch up with Conway to get a deeper look at how each item gets authenticated and priced.

For authenticity, Conway looks at brand signifiers, interior tags, build, quality of materials, and more. For construction, he pays a closer attention to tearing, pealing, discoloration, cracking on prints, and other incidents during wear. After,  he classifies each garment under four conditions: pristine, excellent, very good, and good.

"Pristine" items are measured as deadstock, never worn, and brand new pieces. "Excellent" products are similar never worn items, but have no collateral like missing tags. "Very good" items are categorized as slight, faint wear, or lightly worn, while "good" pieces are moderate and noticeable wear.

To learn more about the RealReal's authentication process, watch Sean break down his formula in the video above.