Colour and dye lots

The colour you see on a screen is not the colour you will get. Even the same fabric can differ in colour from one batch to another.

How to specify colour

• Use a standard colour code (such as the Pantone system) or a physical swatch, not a name like “beige”.
• Ask for a lab dip: a small piece dyed to your colour to compare against the reference before production.
• Compare the colour in daylight and under indoor lighting.

Dye lot differences

Dyeing happens in batches, and the colour of the second batch may differ slightly from the first. To avoid that, ask for the whole fabric order from one dye lot where possible, agree the acceptable tolerance and approve a reference sample.

A practical precaution

If you will reorder later, keep a piece of the approved fabric with its date and lot number. It is your reference in any dispute.

Exercise

Take the colours of your collection and write a standard code and a lab dip request for each. Decide who will compare the colours and under which light.