Tag Archives: Robin Pagnamenta

Pashmina fabrics saturated with nanotechnology-enabled anti-counterfeiting labels

A byword for luxury and elegance, Pashmina shawls are hugely expensive, highly coveted fashionwear consequently they present an opportunity for counterfeiters. Ishfaq-ul-Hassan’s Feb. 26, 2013 article for DNAIndia.com describes a nanotechnology-enabled anti-counterfeiting measure being undertaken,

You’ve got to hand it to technology. It is now proving handy in preserving the exclusivity of the famed handmade Kashmiri Pashmina shawls across the globe.

The exquisite Pashmina shawls will carry a secure fusion label (SFL) with an identity (ID) number that can be used by a buyer to check its genuineness anywhere in the world.

Robin Pagnamenta takes  a slightly different approach to the subject in a Feb. 27, 2013 article for The Times Asia,

It is among the most exquisite and expensive fabrics on earth, hand-spun from a few precious combs of wool collected in spring from the soft underbelly of the Himalayan mountain goat.

Only about 50,000 genuine pashminas are made in Kashmir every year. In stores in London and New York they can cost thousands of pounds each — making the potential rewards for dealing in counterfeits made from ordinary wool or cheap synthetic fibres highly lucrative.

The new tags, known as secure fusion labels, cannot be replicated or removed. The technology can withstand repeated washing and can only be read using a special pen.

Unfortunately neither article offers any technical details or information about the company or agency that has developed this nanotechnology-enabled anti-counterfeiting measure.