Abstract: A fabric or article has a pattern on an exposed surface that encodes a unique identification code, wherein the pattern is configured to be read and decoded by a mobile computing device in a manner wherein the selected article is contextually recognizable. A two-dimensional plaid pattern may be used to carry the identification code, which can be decoded according to described methods. The pattern may be a plaid code or may be incorporated into a representational aesthetic environment. Fabrics may include optical transmitters embedded therein and configured to transmit information that can be detected by a mobile computing device, directed to the wearable article, and executing a suitable application. Fabrics may include optical receives configured to receive information such as from a free-space optical communication system of certain embodiments.