Beyond Pigments: Idvac’s Vacuum Process Redefines Red Security Holograms

Idvac is a private company based at Manchester Science Park in the UK, founded in 2004 to develop new processes and products for holographic, packaging, and solar window films. It has now developed an innovative process that introduces enhanced design features for security holograms and optical films.

Commercial red-coloured polyester films are typically produced using methods that involve organic dyes (such as azo dyes) or pigments, such as Iron(III) Oxide (Fe₂O₃), which provide a natural red tone. In conventional manufacturing, dyes or pigments are mixed into molten plastic before being cast into film.

While more environmentally friendly alternatives exist, such as beetroot extract, hibiscus, or red cabbage, they tend to fade in colour over time.

Vacuum-based red films, by contrast, rely on thin-film interference (Fabry-Perot) or absorption to selectively transmit red light. This is achieved through dielectric multi-stack coatings composed of multiple thin layers.