Polymeric thread with miniature pattern and fluorescent taggant for anti-counterfeit applications and method of making same

An authentication tag comprising a barcode layer and an authentication thread layer overlapped with each other, the barcode layer comprising a barcode, the authentication thread layer comprising a polymeric thread, the polymeric thread comprising:

• a transparent polymeric substrate;
• a first patterned layer with a miniature pattern disposed at a side of the polymeric substrate;
• and
• a first florescent layer containing a florescent taggant disposed at a side of the patterned layer that is facing away from the polymeric substrate.

A method for making a polymeric thread comprising:

• making a master microfilm with a miniature pattern;
• transferring the miniature pattern from the master microfilm onto photo sensitive polymeric films;
• slitting the polymeric films into polymeric threads of sub-millimeter width;
• and
• adding a fluorescent coating containing a fluorescent taggant onto the polymeric threads so that each of the polymeric thread comprises:
• a transparent polymeric substrate;
• a first patterned layer with the miniature pattern disposed at a side of the polymeric substrate;
• and
• a first florescent layer containing the florescent taggant disposed at a side of the patterned layer that is facing away from the polymeric substrate.