The production of reflective tape uses the principle of retro reflection. Reflective tape is made of high quality PVC reflective material. The highly reflective tape on the surface of the cloth works by reflecting light back to the light source only, such as a car’s headlights. In other words, the reflective tape only lights up for the person with the light source or in line with it. This happens because the tape contains either prisms that collect light, focus it and bounce it back to the source.
How does it do this? Imagine that you are in a round room and you are in the center of the room. If you throw a ball towards the wall it is always going to come back to you. Reflective tape works in a similar manner. The diagram below shows how the prisms do this.
Since very little light is scattered when the light is returned, retro reflective tapes appear brightest to an observer located near the original light source, therefore, it can help the eye perceive light in low-light conditions. Normally, man who wears clothes with reflective tape on can be seen by drivers hundred meters away in darkness, which can surely avoid the occurrence of traffic accident.