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A club colour needs a shared reference before it can be matched across a jersey, shorts, collar and embroidered crest. Start with the brand's colour code or a physical swatch, then agree how the proposed materials will be assessed. A digital proof can confirm the design, but on its own it does not show the final colour on fabric.
Voyager Sportswear can review your colour references together with the artwork and fabric proposal. Tell us which components must match closely and where coordinated colours are acceptable.
Identify the reference precisely
Give a Pantone code with its system and suffix, because similarly named colours for paper and for textiles are different references. If you send a garment or swatch, identify it and note its condition: a faded shirt from last season may no longer represent the original target. If you have only a digital value, state the colour space and keep any profile information with the file.
Screens emit light, while fabric reflects it. The material surface, colour gamut and printing process all affect what can be reproduced, and converting a file between colour spaces needs care too. Agree the output workflow with the factory rather than assuming a CMYK or RGB value alone guarantees a match.
Choose the evidence to suit the material
| Item | Useful reference or sample | Decision it supports |
|---|---|---|
| Dyed fabric | Existing approved fabric or a lab dip where custom dyeing is proposed | Target shade on the material |
| Sublimated design | Strike-off on the selected fabric | Colour, gradients and detail after transfer |
| Embroidery | Thread shade reference and stitched sample as needed | Colour and the effect of stitch coverage |
| DTF or other transfer | Application on the intended fabric | Colour, coverage and interaction with the substrate |
| Whole garment or set | Sample with the components together | Overall relationship between body, panels, trims and logos |
A lab dip is a small dyeing trial and a strike-off is a print trial. Neither name by itself means that the material and process match bulk production, so confirm what was used and any remaining differences. Stock materials can instead be chosen from available shades. Custom colour development is a separate sourcing decision.
Compare under agreed conditions
Two materials can match under one light and differ under another, an effect called metamerism. Agree the viewing light or lights and a consistent way of comparing. A controlled light booth is useful where close colour control matters. An informal daylight comparison can help during development, but changing daylight is no substitute for a controlled standard light source. Pantone's textile guidance explains the use of defined viewing conditions.
Assess the combination rather than each component on its own. A smooth body fabric, an open mesh and a rib collar can look different because their structures and colouring processes differ. State whether each must match one master or whether an approved coordinated relationship is acceptable.
Record what counts as acceptable
Agree the reference, assessment method and tolerance before production. If you require instrumental colour measurement, specify the colour-difference formula, settings and acceptance limit, because a Delta E number without them means little. A visual approval also needs an identified reference and viewing conditions.
Record the fabric or component, sample revision, date, approver and any corrections, and agree how references will be kept or shared. A layout approval, a thread selection and a finished garment approval are different decisions and should be labelled as such.
Carry the reference into bulk and reorders
Ask how bulk materials and printed pieces will be compared with the approved reference. If a fabric, trim, dye lot or process changes, review what that may do to the colour. Reusing the digital artwork alone will not necessarily reproduce last season's appearance.
For a reorder, send the previous order and the approved references and ask which records and materials are still available. If new garments will be worn beside older, washed kits, tell us. Matching the original approved shade and matching a used garment can be different objectives.
Send artwork, colour references and a list of the components involved with your enquiry. The artwork guide covers file and placement preparation, and washing and durability covers how appearance is assessed after care.
Questions and answers
Can a Pantone colour be matched exactly in sublimation printing?
An exact Pantone match in sublimation is not guaranteed, because material surface, colour gamut and the printing process affect what can be reproduced. Quote the code with its system and suffix, since similarly named paper and textile colours are different references. For a sublimated design, approve a strike-off on the selected fabric, which shows colour, gradients and detail after transfer, and agree the output workflow with the factory.
What is the difference between a lab dip and a strike-off in sportswear?
A lab dip is a small dyeing trial used to judge a target shade on fabric where custom dyeing is proposed. A strike-off is a print trial on the selected fabric that shows colour, gradients and detail after transfer. Neither name by itself means that the material and process match bulk production, so confirm what was used for each trial and record any remaining differences before approving the colour.
How should colour tolerance be agreed for sportswear production?
Colour tolerance for sportswear is agreed before production by naming the reference, the assessment method and the acceptance limit. For instrumental measurement, specify the colour-difference formula and settings, because a Delta E number without them means little. For visual approval, identify the reference and the viewing light: two materials can match under one light and differ under another, an effect called metamerism. Record the component, sample revision, date and approver.