Denim Tears Authentication

Tremaine Emory founded Denim Tears in 2019, and the brand describes its work as exploring Black American history and the African diaspora. Its range spans Cotton Wreath sweatshirts, hoodies and sweatpants, its own denim, and collaborations with partners including Levi's, Converse and Stüssy.

Denim Tears' current denim collection lists its own Straight and Baggy Cotton Wreath Denim Pants in selvedge, light and dark washes, while co-branded Levi's 501 jeans came out in earlier seasons. A pair has to be compared with the right one of these, not with Cotton Wreath jeans in general.

The Cotton Wreath is one of Denim Tears' most recognizable motifs. Established coverage explains that it refers to cotton's place in the history of slavery in the United States, and Inverse's coverage of the Levi's partnership linked it to Emory's own family history, while Levi's story on the 2023 season says it shows how far Black people have come.

Denim Tears treats the wreath as a trademark. In April 2025 it sued Capri S.r.l., the Italian company behind the Alcott brand, in federal court in New York, alleging that Alcott products were confusingly similar to its wreath, according to The Fashion Law and nss magazine.

Because the motif is so widely recognized, a wreath on its own says little. What matters is whether its method, size, placement and color match the exact product it appears on.

Denim Tears lists its Cotton Wreath Hoodie as 100% cotton in a regular fit with a ribbed hem and cuffs, finished with puff-printed Cotton Wreaths on the front and back and made in Turkey. For The Cotton Wreath Sweatshirt, it says each panel is puff printed and assembled by hand.

Puff print is a raised print, so reviewers look at its texture, edges, color and alignment together with the fabric weight, ribbing and stitching. Because the sweatshirt's panels are printed before being assembled by hand, a reviewer compares how the print meets at the seams with same-style references rather than with an idealized layout.

Washing and wear can flatten or crack a raised print and fade color, so condition should be recorded and read as wear, not construction. Details such as fit or country of manufacture can also change between seasons, so the listing for the exact style and color is the reference.

The Levi's x Denim Tears Cotton Wreath jeans were based on the Levi's 501, and established coverage says the cut drew on the 1954 version of the 501. Washes varied by release, from white and raw denim to black and lighter washes, so the exact release matters.

Levi's also released later collections with Denim Tears, including a 2022 collection on the history of the Gullah Geechee people and a 2023 season with a leather Cotton Wreath Type III jacket and matching pants, sold through Levi's own app and website.

Reviewers compare the denim, wash, cut, wreath print, stitching, patch, tab and every label with the same release, and check that any Levi's or Denim Tears order record names the same item.

Denim Tears says guaranteed authentic goods can only be bought on its website and at the retail locations on its Stores page. That page currently lists its New York flagship on Spring Street, its Atlanta residency at Lenox Square and Dover Street Market stores in London, Los Angeles, New York and Tokyo.

Pieces and collaborations have released in timed drops and seasons, and Complex described the Levi's Cotton Wreath jeans as wildly popular. Many buyers therefore turn to resale, and because we found no Denim Tears authenticity code, QR code, NFC tag or verification service, the item itself has to carry the evidence.

Searches for Denim Tears return many sites that use the brand's name and promise outlet discounts, often on unrelated domains. Denim Tears' own list of places to buy includes no outlet site.

Get a review when you are buying resale and cannot handle the piece, when a listing shows stock images or one close-up of the wreath, when the product or release is unclear, or when the price sits far below comparable resale. It also helps with washed, faded, altered or repaired pieces.

Vereev is independent of Denim Tears and reviews the print, fabric, construction, labels and seller evidence together. Its result is not a brand determination.