Why Your Factory Got the Color Wrong (and 7 Fixes That Work)

Most "wrong color" problems are not the factory being careless. They happen because the brand and the factory were never looking at the same physical standard, under the same light, for every part of the garment. Fix that with a proper lab dip approval process, clear written comments, and a per-part status tracker, and most color surprises go away.

Why did my sample come back the wrong color?

Rarely because someone ignored your spec. More often the spec left room for interpretation, or the color shifted somewhere between a screen, a swatch, a dye beaker, and a bulk dye machine. These are the usual root causes.

You approved a screen, not a standard

A hex or RGB value describes light from a monitor. Fabric reflects light. Two monitors rarely show the same hex code the same way.

Screen color is a planning guide. The final word is a physical, approved standard: a dyed swatch, a color-book chip, or an approved lab dip that both sides hold.

Hex codes do not translate into dye recipes

A dye house does not "type in" a hex code. A colorist builds a recipe from dyestuffs that suit the fiber, then adjusts it until a dyed sample matches a physical target. If the only target you gave was a hex value, the colorist had to guess what you meant, usually by picking the nearest swatch in a color book.

Metamerism: it matched in one light and not another

Metamerism is when two colors match under one light source and split apart under another, because different dye combinations reflect light differently across the spectrum. That is why color is judged in a light booth with standardized sources. The common ones:

• D65: simulated average daylight, the usual primary source for textiles.
• TL84: a fluorescent store-lighting source, widely used for retail in Europe and parts of Asia.
• CWF (cool white fluorescent): store lighting commonly used in the US.
• A: incandescent or tungsten light, similar to warm home lighting.

A navy that passes in D65 can drift purple in store lighting. If nobody checked under a second source, you find out when customers do.

Different fibers take dye differently

Cotton, polyester, and blends use different dye classes, so a cotton body and a polyester drawcord are two separate recipes. Even within cotton, jersey, fleece, and 1x1 rib read differently because texture changes how light bounces off the surface. That is how a perfect body ends up with "off" cuffs.

Trims and thread are sourced separately

Drawcords, labels, and thread often come from different suppliers, and thread is frequently poly-core on a cotton body. If each supplier got a slightly different reference, every part is "close" and nothing quite matches.

Dye lots vary

No two dye lots are identical. Dyestuff batches, greige goods, cotton crops, and humidity all vary, and a beaker lab dip is not a production machine. Some drift is normal; the question is whether it stays within an agreed tolerance.

Vague specs like "navy" or "heather gray"

"Navy" covers dozens of shades, from almost-black to bright royal-leaning blues. "Heather gray" depends on the blend of dyed and undyed fibers. If your tech pack says a color name without a code and a physical reference, the factory will choose for you.

No approved standard on file

Sometimes a swatch photo was emailed, someone said "looks good," and bulk went ahead. Without an approved physical standard, neither side has a fair reference in a dispute.

Quick reference: cause, symptom, fix

What is a lab dip, and how does lab dip approval work?

A lab dip is a small piece of your actual fabric or yarn, dyed in a lab to test a color recipe before bulk dyeing. It is the dye house's proposal: "Here is how we think we can hit your color on this material."

Lab dip approval is the step where you accept or reject that proposal. Bulk dyeing normally waits until a lab dip is approved, unless the buyer explicitly waives it.

How to request lab dips

When you request lab dips, send the factory or mill:

1. A physical color reference for each color: a color-book chip, a dyed swatch, or a previously approved standard.
2. The color code you are matching, for example a Pantone reference written as "19-XXXX TCX," or a mill's own code.
3. The material for each part: body fabric, rib, hood lining, drawcord, thread, labels.
4. The primary light source you will judge under (often D65) and any secondary source.
5. How many options you want per color.

A quick note on Pantone for fashion. TCX references are dyed on cotton, which makes them the usual choice for textiles. TPX and TPG references are paper versions. The same number on paper and on cotton can look different because they are made with different dyes and inks, so agree with your factory which book you are both using, and check a physical chip rather than a screen preview.

What you get back: A, B, C options

Mills typically send a few dyed options per color, often three, labeled A, B, and C. Each is a slightly different recipe: one may be a touch redder, one a touch greener, one a touch darker. The swatches are commonly mounted on a card next to your reference.

Your job is to pick the closest one, or reject all of them with directions for the next round.

How to evaluate in a light box

Use a light booth if you can. If not, ask which booth and sources the factory uses. When viewing:

• Place the lab dip and the standard side by side, same orientation, flat, with no overlap gaps.
• Look under your primary source (usually D65) first, then switch to a secondary source such as TL84 or CWF, then A.
• If they match in one and split apart in another, you are seeing metamerism. Flag it.
• Avoid judging by a window; daylight changes through the day.

Approve, reject, or approve with comments

You generally have three outcomes:

• Approved: this option becomes the standard for bulk.
• Rejected: none of the options are acceptable; request a new round with comments.
• Approved with comments: close enough to proceed, with a small correction for bulk, for example "approve B, bulk slightly cleaner."

Keep one half of the approved swatch and make sure the factory keeps the other.

How to write color comments a factory can act on

"Too dark" or "not right" leaves a colorist guessing. Good comments describe direction (which way to move the color) and amount (how far). Colorists generally think in terms of three things:

• Lightness: lighter or darker.
• Hue cast: redder, yellower, greener, bluer.
• Chroma: brighter (cleaner, more saturated) or duller (flatter, grayer).

A comment like "Option B closest. Needs to be slightly greener and a little brighter. Lightness OK. Checked in D65 and TL84" gives a colorist a clear target.

Copy-paste lab dip comment template

LAB DIP COMMENTS
Style: [style number / name]
Color: [colorway name], target [19-XXXX TCX or mill code]
Part: [e.g. body fleece / rib / drawcord / thread]
Material: [e.g. 100% cotton fleece 320gsm]
Round: [1 / 2 / 3]
Viewed under: D65 (primary), TL84 (secondary), A

Option A: [Reject] – too red, too dark
Option B: [Closest] – slightly greener needed, slightly brighter; lightness OK
Option C: [Reject] – too dull/gray

Metamerism: [None seen / B shifts redder under TL84]
Decision: [APPROVED / REJECTED / APPROVED WITH COMMENTS]
Next step: [Resubmit 3 options based on B / Proceed to bulk, keep B as standard]
Notes: Please match all trims for this part to the approved standard.

One comment block per part, per round.

Shade bands and tolerances, in plain terms

Delta E as a concept

Delta E (ΔE) is a number that describes how different two colors are, measured with a spectrophotometer. Smaller numbers mean a closer match. Textiles commonly use a formula called CMC (often set at 2:1), and some buyers use CIEDE2000.

There is no single industry-wide pass number. Tolerances vary by buyer, mill, color, and product. A deep navy fashion basic may need a tighter tolerance than a mid-gray workwear fabric. Some industry guides describe critical fashion matches in a rough range of about 1 to 2 ΔE and more general apparel somewhat looser, but treat those as varies-by-mill ballparks, not rules. Agree the formula, the light source, and the number with your factory in writing.

Instruments screen; visual assessment in a booth usually makes the final call, especially on textured fleece and rib.

Shade bands

Mills may sort bulk rolls into shade bands, groups of rolls close to each other, and hold back rolls outside tolerance. Ask whether rolls are shade-sorted and that each garment be cut from one band.

PP samples and bulk shade checks

Pre-production (PP) samples

A pre-production sample uses bulk fabric and trims, so it is the first time every approved color appears together. Check it part by part against your lab dips:

• Body versus rib: does the cuff and hem read as the same color?
• Hood lining versus outer body, especially if one is jersey and one is fleece.
• Drawcord and thread against the body, under a store light source as well as daylight.
• Labels and printed elements against the garment color.

Bulk shade checks

Before shipment, ask for cuttings from several rolls or lots on one card next to your approved standard. Resolve anything outside tolerance before the goods ship, while re-dyeing or re-sorting is still possible.

7 fixes that work

1. Make the physical approved standard the final word. Use screens to plan, never to approve. Every color on every part needs a physical standard both sides hold. In a disagreement, the approved swatch wins.

2. Specify every part, not just the body. A hoodie is not one color. It is a body, hood lining, cuffs, hem rib, drawcord, thread, main label, and care label. List each part in your tech pack with its material, its color code, and its reference. If you need a refresher on structuring this, see how to make a tech pack. If a part should "match body," say so explicitly and send the body standard to that supplier too.

3. Use real codes and name the system. Replace "navy" with a code and a system: "19-XXXX TCX" or "Mill code NV-XXX." State which book you are using and confirm the factory has the same one. If you use a mill's own color card, record the mill name and card edition. A clear colorway is a list of parts and codes, not a mood.

4. Request lab dips per material and judge them under at least two light sources. Separate lab dips for body, rib, polyester drawcord, and thread when materials differ. Review under D65 and TL84 or CWF, and flag any option that shifts.

5. Write comments with direction and amount. Use the template above: name the closest option, the direction to move, roughly how far, and the light source.

6. Track lab-dip status per part, in one place. Problems often come from one forgotten part, like thread that was never submitted. Keep a tracker per style and colorway.

   Example for one hoodie colorway:

   Part	Material	Target code	Round	Status	Notes
   Body	Cotton fleece	19-XXXX TCX	2	Approved	Option B, keep as standard
   Hood lining	Cotton jersey	19-XXXX TCX	2	Submitted	Check against body under TL84
   Cuffs and hem rib	Cotton 1x1 rib	19-XXXX TCX	1	Rejected	Too red, too dark; resubmit
   Drawcord	Polyester	19-XXXX TCX	1	Requested	Send body standard to cord supplier
   Sewing thread	Poly-core	Match body	1	Submitted	Confirm thread shade card number
   Main label	Woven polyester	11-XXXX TCX	1	Approved	Ground color only
   Care label	Printed satin	Mill code	0	Not started	Request with next round

   Statuses like requested, submitted, approved, and rejected make it obvious what is blocking bulk. This is the kind of tracking Colorsea is being built around: per-part codes and lab-dip status in one place.

7. Close the loop with PP samples, bulk checks, and an archive. Approve a PP sample, get a bulk shade check before shipment, and ask for one shade band per garment. Archive approved standards with dates, codes, and light sources so reorders start from a known reference.

If you want to see how a per-part colorway looks before you send anything to a factory, the free demo editor at /try lets you color each part of a garment flat. Treat what you see there the same way as any screen: a planning guide, with the approved physical standard as the final word. Colorsea is not launched yet, but the waitlist is open.

FAQ

Why does my bulk fabric look different from the approved lab dip?

A lab dip is dyed in a small beaker, while bulk is dyed in production machines with different dyestuff batches, greige goods, and conditions. Some difference is normal. What matters is whether the bulk falls within the tolerance you agreed with the factory. Ask for a bulk shade check against your approved standard before shipment, viewed under the same light sources you used for lab dip approval.

Can I approve lab dips from a photo?

You can use a photo to narrow options or spot an obvious miss, but a photo should not be your final approval. Cameras, compression, and screens all shift color, and none of them show metamerism. If you cannot see swatches in person, ask the factory to judge in their light booth against your physical standard, and request the approved swatch be mailed to you for your records.

What light source should I use to approve color?

D65, a simulated daylight source, is the usual primary standard for textiles. Add a secondary store-lighting source such as TL84 or CWF, depending on where your product sells, and consider incandescent A for clothing worn mostly indoors. The important thing is that you and the factory agree on the sources in writing and both check under the same ones.

How many rounds of lab dips are normal?

It varies with the color and material. Many colors land in one or two rounds, while difficult shades such as blacks, deep navies, nudes, grays, and bright colors on polyester can take more. Clear directional comments shorten the process. Plan time for at least one resubmission in your calendar so a second round does not push back bulk.

Do trims and thread need their own lab dips?

Yes, when they are a different material or come from a different supplier than the body fabric. Polyester drawcords, poly-core thread, and woven labels take dye differently from cotton fleece, so each needs its own match. Send each supplier the same physical body standard, and confirm their submission against it before bulk.