English-Speaking World (North America, UK, Australia, etc.)
This is the region with the highest search volume and most variations.
Most Common/Consumer-Level Terms:
Glow in the Dark Powder: The most common and colloquial name, preferred by ordinary consumers and DIY enthusiasts.
Glow Powder: A shorter, more colloquial way of saying it.
More Professional/Industrial-Level Terms:
Phosphorescent Powder: Emphasizes the principle of "phosphorescence," more professional and scientific, often used in industrial and safety products.
Luminous Powder: Meaning "luminescent powder," with a broad scope, possibly including fluorescent powders.
Strontium Aluminate Pigment: Directly specifies the main chemical component (strontium aluminate), the highest level of professional terminology, used by suppliers and technical documents.
Summary: Use "Glow in the Dark Powder" for general customers, while also optimizing for "Phosphorescent Powder" for B2B or professional users.
2. Continental Europe
The European market places great emphasis on safety certification and environmental protection, with terminology leaning towards professionalism and precision.
German-speaking region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland):
Nachthleuchtendes Pulver: Literally "luminescent powder," most commonly used.
Leuchtpigment: "luminescent pigment," commonly used in the industrial and coatings industries.
Phosphoreszierendes Pigment: "phosphorescent pigment," a technical term.
French-speaking region (France, Belgium, Quebec, Canada):
Poudre phosphorescente: "phosphorescent powder," the most standard term.
Poudre luminescente: "luminescent powder," a broader term.
Poudre qui brille dans le noir: "powder that glows in the dark," a colloquial description.
Spanish-speaking region (Spain, Mexico, and Latin America):
Polvo fosforescente: "phosphorescent powder," the most accurate term.
Polvo brillante en la oscuridad: "powder that glows in the dark," a descriptive term.
Pigmento luminiscente: "luminescent pigment."
Portuguese-speaking regions (Brazil, Portugal, etc.)
Portuguese naming conventions are similar to Spanish, but the vocabulary differs significantly, especially in Brazil, where online search terms are highly localized.
Pó Fosforescente (Brazil preferred)
This is the most common and standard term in the Brazilian market, directly corresponding to "phosphorescent powder." This term typically has the highest search volume on Google Trends and e-commerce platforms.
Pó que Brilha no Escuro (Common in Brazil)
Literally translated as "powder that glows in the dark," this is a very colloquial and descriptive expression frequently used by ordinary consumers and DIY enthusiasts, similar to the English "glow in the dark powder."
3. East Asia: A huge market with strong demand for its use in handicrafts, toys, and textiles.
Chinese (Mainland China, Taiwan, Singapore):
夜光粉 (Ye Guang Fen): "Glow in dark powder". The most common and direct name.
荧光粉 (Ying Guang Fen): "Fluorescent powder". Often used interchangeably with "glow in dark powder," but strictly speaking, "fluorescent powder" requires ultraviolet light excitation, while "glow in dark powder" is light-storing. This is an important semantic distinction.
蓄光粉 (Xu Guang Fen): "Light-Storing Powder". Emphasizes the characteristic of "storing light," a more professional term.
发光粉 (Fa Guang Fen): A general term for Glowing powder.
Japanese (Japan):
蓄光材 / 蓄光パウダー: Light-Storing Material. The most mainstream professional and commercial term, emphasizing the "light-storing" function.
夜光塗料 / 夜光パウダー: Luminous Coating. Also commonly used, but "luminescent" sometimes specifically refers to traditional zinc sulfide materials.
ルミネセントパウダー: Luminous Powder. A loanword for "Luminous Powder."
Korean (South Korea):
야광가루: "Neon-luminescent powder".
형광가루: "Fluorescent powder".
발광가루: "Luminescent powder".
4. Other Important Markets
Russian (Russia and CIS countries):
Светящийся в темноте порошок: "Powder that glows in the dark".
Люминофор: "Luminescent/fluorescent powder", technical term.
Arabic (Middle East and North Africa):
مسحوق متوهج في الظلام: "Powder that glows in the dark".
مسحوق فسفوري: "phosphorescent powder".
FAQ
1. What are the main differences between glow in dark powder and fluorescent powder?
People often confuse glow in the dark powder and fluorescent powder. They are actually two different types of functional pigments with different effects.
Simply put, "glow in the dark powder" is a photoluminescent effect pigment. It absorbs light energy from ultraviolet light and sunlight to store light energy and releases it in the dark.
Fluorescent powder, on the other hand, is a very vibrant effect pigment. It cannot glow in the dark. However, under low light, when exposed to ultraviolet light, its fluorescent color becomes more prominent.
If you need to learn more about their difference, please check these below product articles.
Understanding What Fluorescent Pigment is and How They Work?
What is the difference between Fluorescent Pigment and glow in dark powder?