Overview
Two effects in one surface. In daylight the fabric reads as a dark grey textile; under a light it returns a rainbow reflection; with the light off it glows green. That combination covers both a torch beam and a power cut with a single panel.
The two effects answer different failures. A retroreflective surface is useless without a light aimed at it, which is exactly the situation in a power cut. A glow surface needs no light at the moment of use but must have been charged beforehand, which is exactly the limitation in bright conditions. Putting both on one cloth removes the gap between them.
Specification
- Base fabric: Polyester textile
- Daytime colour: Dark grey
- Reflected colour: Rainbow
- Glow colour: Yellow-green
- Width: Up to 140 cm
- Afterglow: Confirmed per build
Why the sequence of an evening matters
A glow surface charges in daylight and then fades over the hours that follow, so what a wearer gets at midnight depends on how much light the panel saw at noon. The rainbow surface works instantly and only while a light is on it. Designing with both means thinking about the order of events rather than a single snapshot: lit and moving, then dark and still. That is why afterglow is confirmed per build — it is a function of the specific luminous layer, not of the panel size.
Typical use
Event and festival apparel, cycling and running accessories, children's wear, bag panels and promotional garments where the reflective line also has to work with the lights off.
It is also the practical choice for safety pieces used in places where lighting fails without warning, such as stairwells, tunnels and unlit yards.
What to confirm before ordering
- Charging exposure: how much light the panel sees before use determines the afterglow. State the expected condition.
- Afterglow duration: confirmed per build — give us the target rather than assuming a default.
- Attachment: sewn or heat applied; heat affects both the luminous and the reflective layer.
- Viewing angle for the rainbow: the returned spectrum shifts with the angle, so agree how the effect will be judged.
- Wash cycle: luminous layers dim with washing over time — state domestic or industrial so the build matches the expected service life.
Compliance note
Photoluminescence and retroreflection are different mechanisms. A glow surface stores light and emits it slowly; it does not return a beam back to its source, so it is not a qualifying retroreflective material under EN ISO 20471 and cannot be counted toward a hi-vis claim.
Both effects can appear on one garment, but they are assessed separately: the glow layer for visibility after dark with no light source, a plain silver element for retroreflection. Afterglow brightness and duration are confirmed per build rather than assumed.
Related formats
For glow on its own, see Glow-in-the-Dark Fabric and Glow-in-the-Dark Printed Reflective Fabric; for the rainbow effect without glow, Rainbow Reflective Fabric.
Samples and lead time
A4 swatches are free so your team can check the effect, hand feel and colour under your own lighting before committing. Standard lead time is 2–4 weeks from order confirmation.
