Overview
A reflective ribbon built on a woven webbing: high visibility tape bonded to grosgrain or tricot, then sewn onto the garment. It is the trim used along hems, pocket flaps, shoulder lines and bag edges, where a flat reflective tape would be too stiff to follow the seam.
Why it suits garment trim
- Fluorescent yellow, red and green webbing by day, up to 420 cd/(lx·m²) at night
- Grosgrain for a firm, structured edge; tricot for a softer hand on knits and bags
- Reflective face bonded along the full length, so it reads as one continuous line
- Widths, colours and cut lengths made to the garment spec
- Domestic wash performance confirmed per construction
Specifications
| Codes | RS-F-RB-01 (grosgrain), RS-F-RB-02 (tricot) |
| Daytime colour | Fluorescent yellow, red, green, or custom |
| Reflective face | Silver / grey reflective fabric |
| Reflectivity | up to 420 cd/(lx·m²) |
| Width | 5 cm standard, cut to 10 cm lengths or continuous |
| Attachment | Sew on |
Sewn-on is slower but stays put
A sew-on ribbon does not depend on an adhesive surviving the wash cycle, so it holds where heat-applied trims lift. The cost is assembly time and a seam that has to be planned into the panel.
What to confirm before ordering
- Measured coefficient and test method: a figure without its method is not comparable between suppliers.
- Wash cycle: domestic or industrial - the adhesive changes with the cycle.
- Substrate or shell fabric: send it, so the bond can be matched rather than assumed.
- Width and slitting: state the finished width, since slitting changes the edge.
Compliance note
The silver glass-bead face is stated at over 420 cd/(lx·m²), which clears the 330 cd/(lx·m²) floor that EN ISO 20471 sets for retroreflective material. Clearing the figure is not the same as holding the claim: the standard also fixes minimum areas and placement, and the assessment is made on the finished garment. Confirm that the 420 figure applies to the material as supplied, at the wash cycle you will specify.
If the finished article has to carry an EN ISO 20471 or ANSI/ISEA 107 claim, say so before the order: the grade and the evidence are chosen together, and changing either afterwards means a new build.
Related formats
Related builds: Rainbow Reflective Ribbon, Reflective Ribbon with Heat Transfer Face. Overview at Reflective Materials.
Samples and lead time
A4 swatches are free so your team can check colour and hand feel before committing. Standard lead time is 2–4 weeks from order confirmation.
