What is the Difference Between UV Marking and Fibre Marking

UV marking and fibre marking are both methods used for covert or semi-covert identification, but they differ in terms of visibility, application, and detection methods. Here’s a breakdown of their differences:

1. UV Marking (Ultraviolet Marking)

• Visibility: Invisible to the naked eye under normal light but glows under UV (blacklight) illumination.

• Inks Used: Special UV-reactive inks that absorb UV light and re-emit it as visible light.

• Applications:

• Security marking (e.g., banknotes, passports, tickets).

• Property marking (e.g., anti-theft tagging).

• Event wristbands or entry passes.

• Detection: Requires a UV light source (365–395 nm wavelength).

• Durability: Can fade over time with exposure to sunlight or cleaning agents.

• Advantage: Easy to apply, cost-effective, and widely used for security purposes.

2. Fibre Marking (Forensic or Anti-Theft Fibres)

• Visibility: Tiny synthetic or natural fibres (often fluorescent or colored) that are hard to see without magnification.

• Materials Used: Microfibres, synthetic threads, or forensic-coded fibres (some glow under UV).

• Applications:

• Forensic tagging (e.g., embedding unique fibres in products to trace theft).

• High-security documents (embedded fibres for authentication).

• Anti-counterfeiting measures.

• Detection:

• Some fibres are visible under UV light.

• Others require microscopic examination or specialized forensic analysis.

• Durability: More resistant to wear and environmental factors compared to UV ink.

• Advantage: Extremely difficult to replicate, making them ideal for forensic tracing.

Key Differences