Protection from forgery and counterfeiting

Analysis of the situation: Details determine tactics

In order to fight counterfeiting efficiently, one needs to learn about the strong and the weak points of counterfeiters. Our specialists carefully examine forged products in order to create a full picture of the technological level, qualifications, and financial potential of forgers.

As soon as forgery methods become obvious, it is possible to offer effective means to counteract them. In addition to developing protective technologies, it is also important to consider their economic viability, take into account the convenience for the manufacturer, vendor, and consumer, compliance with the requirements of a given product group, and many other issues.

Choosing protection methods: Finding the optimal solution

Developing comprehensive measures for product protection is an important stage that requires a great deal of responsibility. We fully understand how important it is to offer our clients finished and complete solutions. Why does Neoprint consider this stage so important?

If a client settles for half-measures and basic protection methods, the battle between the original manufacturer and counterfeiters may go on for a very long time. In response to the actions of the manufacturer, counterfeiters also improve their technologies. As a result, the manufacturer is forced to make additional investments. Clearly, in order to prevent counterfeiters from falsifying your product, protection measures must have a long-lasting effect.

On the other hand, excessive protection measures lead to a significant increase in costs of packaging (or other protected media). This results in the decrease of viability of the product itself, which must be prevented.

We see it as our goal to protect our clients from both extremes, and offer solutions in which reliable ideas are combined with minimum costs.

Protective design: Effective and affordable

In developing a design or improving it in order to implement security measures, we use such fraud deterrent methods as special defects, fine graphics (including hidden images), and complex screens.

Regular copiers used by forgers will be unable to reproduce micro-fine printed text or nonstandard screen dots, which, however, can be easily seen on the original when viewed through a magnifying glass.

All these methods result in almost no increase of the cost of the label for the client, yet are impossible to reproduce without advanced and costly equipment. Thus, it becomes highly unprofitable for counterfeiters to infringe on the rights of the legal owner of a protected brand.

Printing and postpress: New horizons

The use of combined technologies-offset, flexography, and stenciling-significantly complicates counterfeiting. Each of these types of printing has its own unique and easily recognizable characteristics, which are impossible to reproduce without specialized equipment. Combining several types of printing in one product lowers the probability of forgery, since it requires significant investment into equipment and highly qualified personnel.

A carefully chosen printing base is another important component of anti-counterfeit methods. For example, there are adhesive films that are impossible to remove, since they leave the word "void" on the label and the material it has been removed from. Special paper mixed with fibers and confetti that are visible only in UV light, and special adhesives that are sensitive to UV rays and resistant to moisture, oil, benzene, or low temperature may also be used.

Finally, inks may also increase the degree of protection of your product. Ink may be visible only in UV light, transparent to infrared rays, or sensitive to temperature changes.

Another protection stage is postpress. In addition to traditional effects (embossing, coating, die cutting) that require special equipment and highly qualified personnel, other special anti-counterfeit measures may be used: perforation that makes the labels easier to break if removed; personalization; and prevention from repeated or unauthorized opening of the product.

We offer a broad choice of anti-counterfeit measures; which method to choose depends on the given task and product.

Hologram: A radical anti-forgery method

A hologram is not just the most efficient method of anti-forgery, but also the most concrete proof of product authenticity.

Neoprint offers its clients an entire range of holographic images, from simple to very complex. Holograms may feature the following elements: 2D and 3D effects (several image planes in a hologram); switch effects (the images changes if the hologram viewed at different angles); color “traversing” the surface of the hologram; micro-fine text; and natural color methods (natural, not pseudo colors visible at a certain angle). You can custom order your holograms to be manufactured as adhesive labels or foil. For more information about holograms, click here.