Covectra says the StellaGuard upgrade means clothing and footwear brands can rely on its cloud-based mobile authentication solution to protect buyers, identify sellers of fakes, provide universal brand protection, and strengthen track and tracing capabilities throughout the supply chain.
New features include mobile support for Android and Apple devices for consumers to protect themselves from purchasing counterfeit or unsafe products online or in stores. Consumers can simply scan the product’s barcode using the free StellaGuard mobile app and verify the product’s authenticity within seconds.
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StellaGuard 2.0 also incorporates more random holographic flecks that combine with a serialised QR code, unique for that label, to make the product virtually impossible to counterfeit, according to Covectra. The StellaGuard app reads the QR code and compares the random fleck pattern and count to that QR code and once verified, will indicate Authentic or Counterfeit, preventing the purchase of any counterfeit products.
According to inspection and certification company SGS, fakes now account for 3.3% of global trade, which is negatively impacting economies, brands and individuals. Counterfeiting and piracy cost the global economy around US$4.2 trillion a year, with footwear and clothing the most heavily bootlegged industry.
