Marker Retention
Authentication technologies for paper and board packaging embed microscopic markers into pulp to trace fibre origins and verify recycled content. The tracer survival rate measures the proportion of these chemical or physical markers that remain intact after the sheet runs through the high temperature and high shear conditions of the papermaking process. This retention level determines the reliability of the forensic test used to detect counterfeit packaging or verify sustainable forest claims.
It provides a quantitative measure of the durability of the marking technology in heavy industrial environments.
Shearing Resistance
Chemical tracers must withstand the aggressive bleaching agents and drying cylinders used in paper mills. A low rate indicates that the marker has dissolved or degraded, making it impossible to read under forensic light.
Verification Reliability
High survival rates are necessary to ensure that the tracking markers remain detectable in the finished cardboard box throughout its entire retail lifecycle. If the markers degrade during production, the security system fails to distinguish genuine brand packaging from cheaper counterfeit boxes. This threshold forces technology providers to encapsulate the tracer particles in heat resistant and water insoluble polymers to survive the pulping process.
It ensures that environmental and brand claims can be verified by inspectors anywhere in the global supply chain.
