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UK vintage clothing wholesale

Archive Wholesale

24 Hour Dispatch

How we grade

Grading guide

Every lot we sell carries a grade, and every grade means one thing. This is what Grade A and Grade B mean at Archive Wholesale, and what to expect when a listing says A/B.

The short version

Two grades, graded by hand

In vintage and mixed-rag wholesale, a grade describes the physical condition of a garment — nothing else. Not the brand, not the era, not how well it will sell. Condition only.

We sell two grades, Grade A and Grade B, and every piece is graded by hand. Standard lots are aimed at 80% Grade A and 20% Grade B, with a 10% tolerance. Nothing below Grade B goes into a lot.

What follows is exactly what each grade means.

On our listings

Grade A/B

Our standard lots are graded A/B: a mix of Grade A and Grade B pieces. Grade A carries no stains, holes, tears or repairs — fading is expected on vintage and does not cost it the grade. Grade B carries honest wear — a small hole, a small stain, heavier pilling or a faulty zip — and the lot is priced to reflect that. Nothing graded C goes into a lot.

The split: we aim for 80% Grade A and 20% Grade B in every A/B lot, with a 10% tolerance.

The grade is the constant. The exact pieces, brands and colourways in a lot vary with each intake, which is why product photographs are a representative sample rather than the items you will receive.

Browse the lots →

Our grades

What each grade means

Grade A

Excellent condition.

No stains, no holes, no tears and no repairs. Fabric is sound throughout. Fading does not cost a grade — on a piece this old it is expected, and it is what vintage looks like. One minor broken fastening, a clasp or a popper, on a garment that is otherwise perfect does not cost a grade either, and nor does a pluck in the weave or light pilling. Everything ships as graded rather than laundered, so wash it before it goes on the rail.

Acceptable at this grade

  • Fading appropriate to the age of the piece, including wash fading on dark cottons
  • A pluck or small snag in the weave
  • One minor broken fastening, such as a clasp or popper, where the rest of the garment is sound
  • Light softening of the fabric consistent with age
  • Light pilling

Grade B

Good condition with honest wear, priced to reflect it.

Small holes, small stains or small marks, heavier pilling, or a zip that no longer works. Grade B is where a fault is named and reflected in the price, and it sells hard as workwear — Carhartt, Dickies and Lacoste especially. The line is size: a small hole grades B. A large hole, several holes, or a stain that would stop the piece being worn even as workwear is Grade C, and we do not sell Grade C.

Acceptable at this grade

  • A small stain or mark
  • A small hole, pull or thinning patch
  • Heavier pilling or bobbling on knitwear
  • A broken, stuck or missing zip

The process

Every piece is checked by hand

Grading is done piece by piece, in daylight, before anything is counted into a lot. Each garment is checked for the same things in the same order, so a Grade B from one intake means the same as a Grade B from the next.

  1. 01

    Fabric

    Held up to the light for thinning, holes, pulls and moth damage.

  2. 02

    Surface

    Front and back checked for marks, stains, fading and print wear.

  3. 03

    Construction

    Seams, hems and cuffs checked for splits, unpicking and repairs.

  4. 04

    Fastenings

    Every zip run, every button and popper counted and tested. A zip that sticks, breaks or is missing grades the piece B.

  5. 05

    Grade

    The piece is graded A or B. A large hole, several holes, or a stain that would stop it being worn even as workwear grades C, and Grade C is kept out of the lots.

Common questions

Grading, answered

What does Grade A mean in vintage clothing?
Grade A is the top grade: no stains, no holes, no tears and no repairs. Fading does not cost a grade — on a thirty-year-old garment it is expected, and it is what vintage looks like. A single minor broken fastening, such as one clasp or popper, on a piece that is otherwise perfect stays Grade A, as does a pluck in the weave or light pilling. Lots ship as graded rather than laundered, so everything is washed before it goes on the rail.
What does Grade B mean in vintage clothing?
Grade B is a piece that still wears and still sells, but carries a visible sign of use: a small hole, a small stain or mark, heavier pilling, or a zip that no longer works. The fault is reflected in the price, and Grade B moves quickly as workwear — Carhartt, Dickies and Lacoste especially. Size is what separates B from C: a small hole is Grade B; a large hole, several holes, or a stain that would stop the piece being worn even as workwear is Grade C.
What does 'Grade A/B' mean on an Archive Wholesale listing?
It means the lot is a mix of Grade A and Grade B pieces. Grade A carries no stains, holes, tears or repairs, though fading is expected and does not cost it the grade. Grade B carries honest wear such as a small hole, a small stain, heavier pilling or a faulty zip, and the lot is priced to reflect that. Nothing graded C goes into a lot.
What grade is a garment with a hole in it?
It depends on the size and the number. A single small hole, pull or thinning patch is Grade B: the piece still sells, and the fault is reflected in the price. A large hole, or several holes, is Grade C, and Archive Wholesale does not sell Grade C, so it never goes into a lot.
What grade is a garment with a broken zip?
Grade B. A zip is the fastening a garment is worn by, so when it no longer works the piece is graded and priced as B. Smaller fastenings are treated differently: one broken clasp or popper on a garment that is otherwise perfect stays Grade A.
What split of Grade A and Grade B is in an A/B lot?
We aim for 80% Grade A and 20% Grade B in every standard A/B lot, with a 10% tolerance. On a lot of 50, that is around 40 Grade A pieces and 10 Grade B. Nothing below Grade B goes into a lot.
Are all pieces guaranteed authentic?
Yes. Every branded piece Archive Wholesale sells is guaranteed genuine. Labels, branding and construction are checked as part of grading, and anything that does not pass is not sold.
Can I see photos of the actual pieces before I order?
Every lot has photographs on its product page, and several carry a short video of the rail, showing the kind of pieces and the condition in the line. Like every wholesaler, we do not photograph stock to order: lots are counted out from a fresh intake at dispatch, so the specific pieces do not exist as a lot until they are picked. The grade is the constant.
Do the pieces arrive washed and pressed?
No. Lots ship as graded — checked, counted and packed, not laundered. Wash and iron everything before it goes out on the rail, as you would with any vintage intake.
Will I receive the exact pieces shown in the product photographs?
No. Photographs show a representative sample of the line. Each lot is graded from a fresh intake, so the exact items, brands and colourways vary. The grade is what stays constant.

Want a lot graded tighter than A/B, or a run picked to Grade A only? Tell us what you are after and we will say what we can do and what it costs.

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