RFID Sewn In

We’ve started to see the introduction of RFID to track things like store inventory, travelers in airports and passport holders - and next, we may find our clothing trackable too. Tests my clothing manufacturers in Italy have created a trackable RFID tag that can be sewn into garments and withstand washing machines and ironing. We’re sure the guys behind this test don’t intend to make us all trackable at anytime - but it makes you wonder how connected our clothes will be in the future. RFID Journal reports:

Another of RFID Lab’s pilot programs involves Ley Tricot, a contract clothing manufacturer whose clients include Calvin Klein and Trussardi. The lab worked with the company to test whether it could embed RFID tags into clothing labels—rather than merely attaching them to hangtags—in order to better track the items through production and through its shipping process. The lab attached a UPM Raflatac EPC Gen 2 tag called The Web to a label that was then sewn onto knitwear and put through industrial laundering and ironing processes.

The laundry processes included submersion in detergent and fabric softener and exposure to temperatures of up to 60 degrees Celsius for up to two hours. The ironing process exposed tags to 98 degree Celsius heat for up to 30 seconds at a time.

These tests showed that the tags could still function after going through the manufacturing process.

RFID Journal - - RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) Technology News & Features