Last year the global fashion industry is estimated to have lost more than $50 billion due to the sale of fake products including those claiming to be from top clothing and accessory brands. Hologram-marked threads weaved into a fabric can be used to tackle fakes in the multi-billion-pound textile industry. This would work just like holograms printed on bank notes to deter fraudsters.
“The holographic technology being developed at De Montfort University is targeted for brand protection, being able to identify a genuine article from fake. Counterfeits now proliferate consumer goods and its vital to protect both public, and industry, if we are to continue developing a strong and safe economy,” said Richardson, who is regarded as an imaging pioneer.
At the ongoing Dubai Expo, on display are Richardson’s hologram-marked threads that have been weaved into the material use for safety-critical fabrics used for parachutes.
DMU is one of the only official founding partners for the UK Pavilion at the Expo, which is run by the Department of International Trade (DIT). DMU is home to a specialist technical facility known as the HOLO-Lab which is led by Richardson. He has been working in the holographic industry for decades and earlier this year, produced one of the first true-colour holograms.
Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RKS)