That's a load of rubbish that they've told you. I have an ID that has handmade on everything but only occasionally does AR drop off before it should.

Unbranded doesn't necessarily imply a knock-off. There are plenty of products in the world that are unbranded but aren't handmade. Just think about when you go to the supermarket - processed foods usually have a brand but most unprocessed foods don't. I know it's not quite the same thing but the same principle applies.