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Increase your sales with nighttime safety... Explore your options

Starting from the central hub are eight continuous lengths of narrow fabrics woven with Retroglo® reflective yarn or laminated with 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material. The section in the outer white area shows their daytime appearance. The section in the large black circle shows the effect of reflected light at night.

Narrow Fabrics Laminated with 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material

As shown above, Metlon has the ability to laminate single strips, or multiple strips of 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material to narrow fabrics. Various widths of reflective material can be applied as narrow as 1/8" wide, and wider.

More than one width can be laminated to a single piece of fabric, if desired.

For your convenience, Metlon Corp. can laminate 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material to your narrow fabrics, or supply both the ribbon and the reflective material.

Narrow Fabrics Woven with Retroglo® Reflective Yarn

While the narrow fabrics above contain individual narrow strands of Retroglo® at night, the reflected light from the individual strands of Retroglo® blend together and appear as one wide stripe.

* Tip: You can use several regular yarns between the strands of Retroglo® reflective yarns and it will give the appearance of a wider stripe at night.

During the day, Retroglo® blends aesthetically into a variety of patterns. In some constructions, Retroglo® is imperceptible.

Retroglo®, the nighttime safety yarn, is known for its fashion applications as well as its ability to enhance nighttime visibility and safety.

For your convenience, Metlon Corp. can supply Retroglo® yarn for you to incorporate into your fabric, or supply sources of finished fabrics containing Retroglo®.

Which Works Best for Your Application?

Retroglo® Woven or 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material Laminated

Dry Cleaning and Laundering:

Both Retroglo® and laminated 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material maintain their brightness well in laundering and dry cleaning.

Retroglo® is known for its durability. Retroglo® reflective yarn woven into the fabric should last the life of the fabric.

Caution should be taken with laminated materials. The edges of laminated reflective may lift and delaminate after multiple cleanings due to the constant rubbing action and friction.

Nighttime Visibility:

Both Retroglo® and laminated 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material enhance nighttime visibility. The amount of exposed reflective surface determines the brightness of the reflected light, and the effective distance at which it can be seen. Since laminated tapes usually have more exposed reflective surface, they will tend to be brighter and visible at greater distances.

Daytime Appearance:

Retroglo® reflective yarn blends into the fabric when combined with other yarns, and is almost imperceptible in the finished fabric. Yarn offers greater flexibility in design, it is often used in designer fashions and high performance outerwear.

By comparison, laminated reflective films are very visible in the daytime. At times this can detract from the aesthetic appearance of the fabric.

Cost:

Depending upon the amount used, Retroglo® and 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material may add very little to the cost of the finished product. While all reflective materials tend to be expensive, the amount used in any garment is a relatively small percentage of the components in the finished product; therefore, it is important that you analyze the cost in the finished product before discounting reflective use based solely on its unit price.

Substrate Materials:

The adhesive on the 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material adheres very well to polyester, cotton, and polyester blends. It does not adhere well to nylon or polypropylene fabrics.

Retroglo® reflective yarn is incorporated directly into the fabric, and can therefore be used with all fibers.

How Do Retroglo® and 3M™ Scotchlite™ Reflective Material Work?

The reflective surface is covered with miniature glass beads. There are 50,000 glass beads to the square inch. When a light shines on these beads, the light beams are reflected 180°, back to the light source.

 Retroglo® is a registered trademark of Metlon Corporation.
3M and Scotchlite are trademarks of 3M company.