The Truth About Pantone Matching on Fabric

"I need this to match Coca-Cola Red exactly." We hear this often. In the world of digital design, color is easy. In the world of textiles, color is a negotiation between physics, chemistry, and fabric dye. Here is how we use the Pantone Matching System (PMS) to get as close as possible.

What is Pantone?

The Pantone Matching System is a standardized color reproduction system. It ensures that "Red 186 C" looks the same in New York as it does in Nevada.

Coated (C) vs. Uncoated (U)

When you look at a Pantone book, you’ll see suffixes like 186 C or 186 U.

• C (Coated): What the ink looks like on glossy paper. This is the standard for screen printing because plastisol ink is naturally glossy/shiny.

• U (Uncoated): What the ink looks like on matte paper.

• Note: We almost always mix to Coated formulas for screen printing, even on matte t-shirts, because the ink sits on top of the fabric.

The "Fabric Factor"

Here is the hard truth: Fabric color changes ink color.

• White Shirts: The ink is pure. Pantone matching is 99% accurate.

• Black/Dark Shirts: We must print a white underbase first. Even with a good underbase, the top color might lose 5-10% of its vibrancy or shift slightly due to the white beneath it.

• Red/Poly Shirts: Polyester dye can "sublimate" (gas out) and turn your white ink pink or your yellow ink orange. We use "low-bleed" blockers to fight this, but subtle shifts can happen.

How to Request Pantone Matching

1. Don't say: "Match the red in the logo."

2. Do say: "The red is Pantone 186 C."

3. If you don't know: Ask us! We can use software to identify the closest PMS match from your artwork, but we will ask you to approve it physically or digitally before we mix the ink.