SAFEGUARD®
Substrate
De La Rue is the trusted partner enabling central banks worldwide to transition to durable, recyclable polymer banknotes that enhance security, design, and integrity in cash cycles.
Secure and durable SAFEGUARD® Substrate
Securing your currency and the future of the environment
Polymer banknotes offer a more sustainable and durable solution than paper banknotes. SAFEGUARD® can withstand prolonged periods in boiling water, washing machines, harsh chemicals, heat and much more. It passes multiple standard industry tests, sailing through many with ease. De La Rue is the only provider of polymer substrate who also manufactures finished banknotes, combining substrate and print design for exceptional product integration.
Benefits of SAFEGUARD®
Clean
Polymer banknotes are non-porous which prevents dirt and moisture penetrating into the substrate. This means polymer notes stay cleaner and look better for longer.
Sustainable
Polymer substrate is 100% recyclable at the end of its life. De La Rue offers solutions and guidance for end-of-life banknote waste recycling.
Secure
Polymer substrate is inherently secure. The substrate requires special techniques to make the ink adhere. Windows within polymer bank notes are complex and hard to replicate.
Durable
Greater cleanliness and longer banknote life mean fewer banknotes need to be printed, reducing the overall cost and environmental impact when using polymer banknotes.
SAFEGUARD® windows explained
SAFEGUARD® windows enhance security, preventing counterfeiting and simplifying authentication. At De La Rue, we use a design technique that injects vivid colour and unique textures into the window, allowing for a secure window that is as bespoke as the rest of your banknote.
The layered construction of the SAFEGUARD® substrate allows the creation of distinctive and easily identifiable windows to be designed into the banknote. This is a feature unique to polymer banknote substrate.
Creating a window requires the correct substrate and techniques and it is obvious if the window is lacking. This feature of the substrate raises the threshold for the counterfeiter forcing them to use new materials and techniques.
SAFEGUARD® windows act as a frame for primary security features like holographic stripes or gravure effects. Pseudo-relief imagery and dynamic effects mean that the next generation of holographic stripes are more secure and more engaging than ever before. Holographic stripes in windows are a very popular choice for mid to high tier denominations. They can capture people, animals and objects in high resolution and full three dimensions, creating secure art within the feature.
We leverage our knowledge and experience to create remarkable banknotes. SAFEGUARD® provides De La Rue’s banknote designers with a platform to create polymer specific designs that take full advantage of the SAFEGUARD® substrate and enable the creation of a secure, pleasing and consistently themed series. Banknotes designed on SAFEGUARD® can adopt a more modern aesthetic to stand out or blend into an existing series of banknotes.
Additional banknote security features
Layering banknote security features, makes replication nearly impossible and provides a multitude of simple authentication tactics. Our banknotes feature a range of security elements to prevent counterfeiting, including embedded holograms in patches or strips. These holograms shift colours or display 3D effects when tilted, making them exceptionally difficult to replicate and a highly effective anti-counterfeiting measure.
Security threads are a highly effective anti-counterfeiting feature in banknotes, providing enhanced protection. Woven directly into the polymer substrate, they offer optimal security and durability. These threads can be customised with microtext to indicate the note’s denomination and integrated with unique holographic effects, such as pulsing patterns, making them even more difficult to replicate.
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