Product having combined phosphorescent-reflective appearance and method

A method for preparing a decorative laminated filaments offering a combined phosphorescent and retroreflective decorative appearance, comprising:

• A. providing a length of a thermoplastic resinous film having a thickness of up to about 1 mil;
• B. coating the thermoplastic resinous film with a phosphorescent coating composition comprising
• i. a phosphorescent colorant component, and
• ii. a resin binder material,
• iii. said colorant component present in an amount by weight of up to 50% of the total weight of said composition,
• iv. said resin binder material selected from the group consisting of polyester resins, polyurethane resins, acrylic polymers and copolymers, polyolefins, elastomers, and mixtures thereof;
• C. drying the film coated in accordance with Step B above;
• D. preparing a second indefinite length of a retroreflective film comprising a thermoplastic resin base having bonded to it a plurality of glass beads on one broad surface and a layer of an adhesive coating disposed on the opposite broad surface thereof;
• E. laminating the coating film prepared in Steps A-C above to the retroreflective film with said phosphorescent composition and the surface bearing exposed of said beads disposed to be on the outer surfaces of said composite, and with said adhesive coating disposed between the two, by passing the films in this orientation together through heated pressure rollers;
• and
• F. longitudinally slitting the composite laminate product prepared in Step E to form a plurality said filaments.