Indication tags

Abstract

A method for determining whether a garment has been used comprising integrating an indicator tag to a garment having an indicator material which reacts with any one of body sweat, water or dry cleaning chemicals or provides wear down indication to provide a visual indication of such use. A garment with an indicator tag having an indicator material which reacts with any one of body sweat, water or dry cleaning chemicals or provides wear down indication to provide a visual indication of such use.

1 . A method for detecting whether a clothing garment has been worn, comprising the steps of:
 a) providing an identification tag element with an element for detection and providing an indication of contact of said tag element with any one of: human sweat, clothing garment cleaning materials, and materials foreign to the garment and elements normally associated therewith;   b) integrating the tag element with the clothing garment at a position on the clothing garment which is accessible to one of: human sweat when worn, clothing garment cleaning materials and materials foreign to the clothing garment and elements normally associated therewith, respectively.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the detection element comprises a visual indicator when said tag element is in contact with one of the human sweat, clothing garment cleaning materials, and materials foreign to the garment and elements normally associated therewith and wherein the tag element, with visual indicator, is viewed to effect the detection of the garment having been worn. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the detection element, which provides a visual indicator comprises indicia comprised of a water based ink which fades or disappears upon contact with sweat or water. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the detection element, which provides a visual indicator comprises a material which disintegrates or is damaged upon contact with sweat or water. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the material which disintegrates or is damaged is comprised of tissue paper. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the detection element comprises a litmus preparation dye. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the detection element comprises a material which reacts with a material used in dry cleaning of clothing. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the material used in dry cleaning of clothing is tetrachloroethylene and the material which reacts with the tetrachloroethylene is an oxidizing agent which reacts with tetrachloroethylene to release hydrogen chloride which discolors the tag to provide the visual indication. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the tag includes a material having tack characteristics whereby residue materials of an environment wherein the wearer of the garment is located is retained for subsequent analysis. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein said residue material is selected from gunpowder, explosives, and illicit drugs. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the tag is of a preselected color and said colored tag is coated with a material which is activated by any one of water and body sweat whereby the coated material reacts with the tag to visibly change the color to provide the visual indicator of use. 
   
   
       12 . A garment having an indicator tag integrated therewith wherein the indicator tag is positioned such that when the garment is worn or cleaned it comes into contact with a material which reacts therewith to provide a visual indication of the garment having been worn or cleaned. 
   
   
       13 . The garment of  claim 12 , the indicator tag including a detection element which comprises a visual indicator effective to indicate when said tag element has contacted one or more of human sweat, clothing garment cleaning materials, and human excretions which produce indicative odors. 
   
   
       14 . The garment of  claim 13 , wherein the visual indicator is structured to provide visual indication of the wearing of the garment by a human and which comprises one or more of water-based ink, material which disintegrates or is altered upon contact with sweat or water, and dry cleaning materials. 
   
   
       15 . The garment of  claim 14 , wherein the visual indication is in the form of a color change of at least a portion of the area on the indicator tag. 
   
   
       16 . A garment with an indicator tag thereon wherein the garment is a shoe and the indicator tag comprises a rub-off wear indicator constructed to be indicatively visible with a predetermined amount of wearing use.