How should lab dips, colour standards and bulk fabric colour be approved?
Direct answer
A colour card or master standard defines the intended colour. A lab dip is a small dye proposal on an actual or representative substrate. A fabric swatch shows how colour interacts with construction, lustre and finish. Bulk colour still requires confirmation after the process is scaled up. These references do not replace one another and should not be covered by one vague statement that “the colour is approved”.
Every colour approval should record the reference standard, material, viewing conditions where specified, supplier option, approver, date and scope. Screen images and chat photographs are useful for communication but should not be the only accurate colour standard.
Scope
This guide applies to custom-dyed fabrics, yarns, elastics, zips, buttons, prints and other colour-matched garment materials. Suppliers may use terms such as lab dip, colour swatch, strike-off or sample differently, so the intended purpose and actual substrate should always be stated.
What each stage confirms
Colour card or master colour standard
Defines the target direction. It may be a physical customer standard, a specified colour-card reference or an approved product. Paper or plastic standards differ from textile fibres, texture and lustre, so they normally define a target rather than the complete bulk-fabric appearance.
Lab dip
Used to compare dye formulations and closeness to the target on a small material sample. The buyer can select, reject or request adjustment, but should confirm whether substrate, fibre content and finish represent bulk. Approval of a lab dip does not mean every bulk lot will be identical.
Fabric swatch or representative material
Shows colour on the intended construction, weight, surface and finish. It can also be assessed next to trims, prints and contrast materials.
Bulk colour
Requires review of production lots against the approved standard, variation between dye lots and rolls, and how the factory will control those differences during cutting and garment assembly. Where appropriate, the parties may agree physical shade limits or another written evaluation method.
What the buyer should provide
- A clear, traceable colour standard
- Colour name, reference and applicable material
- Specified viewing conditions or customer colour requirements
- Whether physical upper and lower limits are accepted
- Relationship to contrast fabrics, trims and artwork
- Final approver and expected response time
- Shade-continuity expectation for repeat orders
What the factory and supplier should confirm
- Substrate, fibre content and finish used for the lab dip or swatch
- Option number, date and supplier
- Any significant change in colour relationship under different lighting
- Bulk dye-lot, batch and roll identification
- Expected lot variation and proposed control method
- Ability of trims to follow the same colour target
- Time required for redips, dyeing and approval
- Effect of colour approval on MOQ, price and lead time
What NiceDay Tex coordinates
NiceDay Tex coordinates the connection between colour standard, lab dips, fabric swatches and bulk lots so that every option has an ID and status. When fabric and trims must match, we encourage suppliers to work from the same colour target and a clearly defined material basis.
The supplier confirms dye capability and lot conditions. The factory confirms matching, cutting and production effects. The buyer approves colour. NiceDay Tex coordinates samples, records and timing without treating a screen display as a substitute for physical colour review.
Common mistakes and warning signs
- Using only a phone or computer screen as the final colour standard
- Failing to disclose that the lab-dip substrate differs from bulk fabric
- Approving a colour name without an option number and date
- Approving fabric while elastics, zips or prints follow another standard
- Producing several dye lots without a plan for grouping, cutting and matching
- Assuming a repeat order can reproduce the previous shade exactly
Approval records to retain
- Master colour standard or customer-approved reference
- Lab dips, swatches and option numbers
- Approver, date, status and comments
- Applicable substrate, finish and supplier
- Bulk dye-lot, batch and roll references
- Agreed variation or physical shade limits
- Historical colour record used for a repeat order
Checklist
- Colour standard is identifiable and traceable
- Applicable material and colour reference are clear
- Lab-dip substrate representation is explained
- Viewing basis and final approver are defined
- Fabric and critical trim matching are confirmed
- Bulk batch and dye-lot controls are agreed
- Accepted variation and decision method are recorded
- Redip time is included in the schedule
- Approval is connected to the correct specification version
- Repeat-order shade continuity is not assumed
Related articles
- Why are fibre content and fabric weight not enough?
- Why does changing fabric affect price, testing and lead time?
- Fabrics and trims sourcing
If you need to source or custom-dye fabric to a target colour, provide the physical standard, colour-card reference and intended product. NiceDay Tex can coordinate swatches, lab dips and supplier confirmation of colour and timing.