Embedding QR Codes in Garment Fabric for Authenticity
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in garment manufacturing lies in authenticating bespoke garments due to the ease of duplicating both the garments and their labels, which exacerbates counterfeiting issues despite advancements in automated template generation and three-dimensional imaging.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for embedding a QR code, generated from a garment's serial number or SKU, directly onto the fabric patterns during the assembly process using a large format printer, ensuring the authenticity is printed onto the garment itself.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional labeling methods are used with separate labels attached to garments, then the labeling process is simple and flexible, but the authenticity verification is compromised due to ease of label duplication and counterfeiting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the label with the garment fabric by printing authentication data directly onto the fabric during the garment manufacturing process. This integration ensures the authentication marker becomes an inherent part of the garment, making it extremely difficult to separate or duplicate without detecting the absence of the marker.
Solution Approach 2:
The authentication data is printed onto the fabric during the initial garment manufacturing process before the garment is completed and distributed. This preliminary action embeds the authentication marker at the source, ensuring authenticity is established before the garment enters the supply chain.
2Reliability
If authentication data is printed directly onto fabric during manufacturing, then authenticity verification is enhanced and counterfeiting is reduced, but the labeling process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a multi-functional printing approach that combines garment manufacturing processes with authentication data printing. The same printing infrastructure used for garment design and manufacturing is leveraged to embed authentication markers, eliminating the need for separate labeling equipment and processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The garment manufacturing system itself performs the authentication labeling function by integrating data printing into the existing manufacturing workflow. The system serves dual purposes: producing the garment and embedding its authentication marker, eliminating the need for external labeling operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If separate labels are used for authentication, then the labeling process is flexible and easy to modify, but the labels can be easily duplicated and counterfeit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the authentication marker with the garment fabric through direct printing, making the marker an integral part of the garment structure. This merging eliminates the possibility of label removal or duplication while maintaining the flexibility to encode authentication data directly into the manufacturing process.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present provide a method, system and computer program product for garment labeling by way of digitally engineered pattern garment assembly. In particular, a garment labeling method includes loading into memory a digitally engineered specification of patterns forming a garment and retrieving from memory, at least one data record pertaining to the garment. For example, the data may be a serial number of the garment so as to indicate an authenticity of the garment. Thereafter the data is transformed from the at least one data record into a symbol such as a bar code and more specifically a two-dimensional bar code such as a quick response (QR) code. Then, the symbol may be embedded onto one of the patterns of the template and the digitally engineered specification may printed with the symbol onto fabric selected as a basis for the garment so as to form the unassembled set of patterns forming the garment.