Label Security

Microtext is a commonly used method of protection because it provides an opportunity for easy visual inspection. It is a printed string of extremely small symbols that cannot be distinguished clearly, except with the use of magnifying glasses or microscopes. The microtext can be used as a stand-alone element or as part of an image, text or other part of the design so that users may not even notice its existence.

Guilloches are very complex and very fine lines that are arranged in specific sequences that can be checked and compared with a template. They are difficult to counterfeit due to their complex interweaving and color gradients, which require special software to recreate. Some guilloches are entirely artistic and can recreate images or elements, while others are the result of complex mathematical formulas and algorithms that are known only to the owner of the brand and therefore very difficult to counterfeit.

Variable data and images are often used in print, but when the variability and sequence of these elements is the result of a complex algorithm, they can also be used for counterfeit protection. Such images are very suitable for the protection of the product because they can be verified only by machine using special software that is available only to the owners of the brand, that also applies for the algorithm for creating these images.

Another commonly used method of product protection is the use of special materials in the manufacture of product labels and packaging. In this case, the materials themselves have built-in specific security feature, which can be verified in a specific way. For example, materials with phosphorescent fibers, materials impregnated with anti-counterfeiting chemicals, embedded holograms, and others.

The concept of tags means adding unique and manufacturer-specific element, as part of inks, varnishes, or other materials. The element becomes part of the ink or varnish and therefore cannot be removed. The verification is done only by machine or with special equipment that can recognize both the specific element (tag) and its ratio in the solution of the already printed ink. Some tags are produced under conditions similar to the level of protection of banknotes and are made with a specific formula only for a product or brand, which are part of the trade secret of the product.

Security inks and toners are specially designed to protect the product. The most popular are colorless inks, which are visible only in certain light or conditions, such as UV illumination. Some inks contain tags that are pre-set or specially designed for a specific application and can be tracked and verified with special devices. Also, some inks are created with special properties so that they change the image when scanned or photographed, which makes the replication of the appearance very hard.