| If you are a seasoned apparel designer, you have | | | | may appear as yellow #j010 with your fabric labels |
| inevitably been frustrated with the color matching | | | | supplier's graphics interface program with perhaps a |
| process, no matter which type of textile you have tried | | | | different screen resolution. The differences aren't huge, |
| to source out for manufacturing. If you are new to the | | | | but if color matching is a must, it is imperative to obtain |
| business, you probably get stalled by your apparel label | | | | a physical sample of your apparel label before you go |
| source when you indicate the colors "blue" or "red". | | | | to full production. Graphic interfacing technology has |
| Coloring is a very technical art and science. Let me | | | | not yet caught up to the resolution the human eye has. |
| explain why. | | | | However, there can be a big downside to physical |
| Oftentimes, garment label manufacturers utilize a | | | | sampling: Time. If each sample takes 3-7 days to |
| technical color library called the Pantone Color System. | | | | produce, and if the textile factory is not domestically |
| Just as you are overwhelmed with numbered colors | | | | located, then you also have long shipping times. There |
| samples when you go to the hardware store to match | | | | maybe substantial costs incurred with sampling that |
| paint, such is the reality with textile fabric labels. | | | | may exceed an experimental minimum fabric label |
| For example If you contact your garment label | | | | order. |
| manufacturer and indicate you need blue, they will | | | | If your budget and production is constrained, then it is |
| request a Pantone or a RGB color because there are | | | | highly recommended you allow for a small margin of |
| literally dozens of shades of blue. Even then, there are | | | | error with respect to color shading. You can always |
| technical challenges for exact matching that will be | | | | go back with a second apparel label order to make |
| covered in follow up article. | | | | small adjustments as needed. Don't sweat the small |
| If you are sending a scanned sample or a graphics file | | | | stuff. |
| for your textile label manufacturer to match, there is | | | | The next segment covers the color technology and |
| another subtle challenge: Slight digital format alterations. | | | | chemistry in an easy to understand manner. |
| For example, what may appear to be yellow #j005 on | | | | Coordinating your clothing line, is challenging, yet when |
| your screen using your graphics interface program | | | | organized efficiently, can be highly rewarding. |