Upload a photo of any garment. ThreadLore's AI identifies the era, likely brand, material, estimated value, and the cultural story behind it — in under 10 seconds.
Lay it flat or hang it. Natural daylight is best. Include a shot of the label, any hardware, and distinctive stitching or patterns.
Drag and drop or tap to upload — works on any device. Your photo is compressed client-side before sending, so even slow connections work fine.
Within seconds you get era, brand, material, estimated resale value, condition notes, care tips, and the cultural context of the piece.
Use natural light. Avoid flash — it washes out texture and color. A window-lit flat lay gives the AI the most accurate fabric and color data.
Include the label. Brand, size, and care labels carry dating information. Even a faded or partial label helps narrow the era and manufacturer.
Photograph hardware closely. Zipper pulls, buttons, and rivets are era-specific. A YKK zipper with the right font dates a piece precisely. Show them clearly.
Avoid heavy filters. The AI reads true color and weave. Instagram filters or auto-enhance can alter the fabric appearance and reduce accuracy.
Capture the full silhouette. Lapel width, rise, sleeve shape, and hem details are all era markers. A full front shot plus a detail shot is ideal.
ThreadLore achieves high accuracy on clear, well-lit photos. Era identification is typically accurate to within a decade. Brand identification depends on label visibility — when a label is obscured, ThreadLore identifies the likely style tradition instead. The AI is continuously improved with new garment examples.
ThreadLore identifies jackets, denim, knitwear, workwear, military surplus, sportswear, formalwear, and accessories from any era — 1920s through 1990s. It covers American workwear, European tailoring, Japanese selvedge, and licensed band and sports merchandise.
Yes, completely free. Upload a photo and get a full identification report with no account required. Your identifications are saved to a personal collection that persists in your browser.
ThreadLore is optimized for vintage pieces (pre-2000). It can analyze newer garments but is most precise on items from established vintage eras where construction and label styles are well-documented in the training data.
Uploaded photos are stored as part of your identification record so you can review your collection later. You can share individual identifications via a unique link. Photos are not used to train the AI model.
Every ThreadLore identification includes an estimated resale value range. For a deeper guide on factors that affect vintage clothing value, visit our vintage value guide.
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