Up until very recently I have had a pretty laissez faire approach to fakes in the fashion arena, which currently make up around 20 percent of all counterfeits around the world.

I even picked up a knock-off Fendi weekend bag once when I was in New York and needed the extra luggage space.

When I was asked recently to comment on the iafrica.com piece on Sham Glam, I started to be troubled by the ethics involved and had a good old rethink regarding my position on the issue.

Of course, I totally understand and agree that in a time of economic hardship, getting something pretty close to a real designer item at a tenth of the price is seductive and makes good financial sense for an individual.

I also understand that some fakes are so good, even experts struggle to tell the difference and so it is doubly enticing.

However, just so as to even-out the commonly held, bargain-hunting trend that is currently pervasive on high street and malls around the world, here are some things to consider before you shell out for that wannabe Louis Vuitton.

Quality

As good as the counterfeit goods are these days, you will never get the quality of garment or accessory that you would if you bought the real thing. And while you may not care when it comes to a t-shirt or scarf, it is something to really carefully consider when it is a fake watch or charm bracelet.

These are items that you want to wear for years, and even at the knock-down price of the fake, you will still not be getting good value for money if your fake breaks within days.

A friend of mine spent a reasonable amount of money in Thailand on a fake Cartier watch. Within three months the clasp on the strap broke and she obviously couldn't get it fixed. She still wears it in an attempt to get her money's worth. But every time she has to refasten it (with annoying regularity) you are reminded that it's a cheap knock-off.

And did you know that items such as fake sunglasses can actually hurt you? According to the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition, warnings should be issued on counterfeit sunglasses as they can shatter easily and may fail to provide UV protection advertised, putting your eyesight at risk.

The thin blue line

Bottom line on fake goods is that they are illegal to manufacture and produce. By buying an item that you know is counterfeit, you are directly fuelling an illegal trade. That's a pretty uncomplicated statement of fact.

Put your money where your mouth is

I know at least a dozen people who have been bleating endlessly all week about the cost of the Zuma inauguration and other perceived misspent tax rands. And yet, they are happy to buy the fake Burberry trenchcoat at the market in central Joburg. Really?

When you consider that a recent raid on manufacturers of counterfeit Miglio jewellery are to be fined nearly R23-million due to the discovery of 7500 items of fake stock, we need to consider if we really concerned about the right part of the economy? Is the one any more of a misuse of our rands than the other?

Adding in that counterfeiters don't pay tax on their under-the-radar businesses at all, we realise that it is up to us, the good-old-law-abiding-citizens to line their pockets and pay for all the benefits they receive. That just makes me jolly grumpy.

The winners take it all

For those who don't get caught, they take around 25 percent of the retail sales of legitimately licensed products. This includes items like those in support of your favourite sports club or team. The money you spend on these items does not go (in part) to your team, but all of it goes directly into the pockets of criminals.

The money your team could have used for improving the playing conditions, getting in a better coach or supporting youngsters, has now gone to unscrupulous dealers who will use it to fund a lavish lifestyle that you cannot afford (at best) or the very fines they incur when caught (at worst).

Local designer Craig Native is currently working on a collaboration with adidas for the FIFA World Cup. They are producing a supporters' jersey that we can purchase to show our support for the tournament in South Africa. No argument can convince me that a counterfeit version will be a bargain of any kind, no matter how you balance it.

The artist's pain

Yeah, I know, do we really care that a designer is done out of 25 percent of their income by some clever fraudsters? Probably not until you meet them and get to know them. And while you can laugh off the large international brands being ripped off, can you really have the same cavalier approach when it comes to a local designer or artist?

Struggling anyway in a limited market in a tough economic environment, do our local designers like Craig and Miglio really deserve our disregard and disrespect when it comes to their hard work and creative talent?

I can't possibly argue an ethical divide on this issue, but maybe, like me, you will think twice if the designer being knocked off is not Karl Lagerfeld, but someone living down the road in a flat smaller than yours, with bills mounting and a market shrinking. And when their employees lose their jobs and land up adding to our national unemployment crisis. When someone, very much like yourself — who has struggled to build their business against all the odds — fails, due to this loss of revenue.

I'm afraid that I can no longer look at this as a grey issue. I will personally never knowingly buy fake fashion again. And I urge you to join me on the moral high-ground on this issue. Let's rather laugh in the face of something else from now on.

For more information on Robyn and some of her fashion near-misses, go to: http://styleguidecapetown.blogspot.com