DON’T LET COLOR MAKE A MONKEY OUT OF YOU – HAPPY CHINESE YEAR OF THE MONKEY!
The Monkey’s characteristics are intelligence, inquisitiveness, resourceful, disruptive and naughty, causing problems. Be prepared to have more different colors to manage than ever before. We have now entered the disruptive Year of the monkey…
COLOR TREND AND HEADS-UP #1
The monkey effect can already be seen this year were Pantone for the first time has not one but two colors of the year. The soft pink called “Rose Quarts” and a pale soft blue called “Serenit”.
Calm and tranquility colors are welcomed in the ever changing and demanding world. However being into manufacturing it’s not the time to give a sigh of relief as what at first appears to be simple easy colors just may not be.
Pastel color heads-up:
- Will your pastels shades be clear or will the base greige before dyeing be too yellow, giving you a dull shade…?
- Will these pale gentle shades only require a small amount of dye, and fade as soon as the sun comes out…?
- How does the colors flare in other illuminants, will Rose Quartz show good color constancy between daylight and store light…?
natific’s number one pastel tips:
Depending on the fiber type, the light fastness may be challenging to achieve (e.g. cotton). After the first domestic laundering the color may change due to the OBA in the washing powder.
Are you considering using the two colors of the year, 13-1520 Rose Quartz or 15-3919 Serenity?
Reply to this email with a YES and ask for the natific support team’s recommendations before sending these colors to your suppliers.
COLOR TREND AND HEADS-UP #2
Look at the color palate from the Australian open. We will have bright vibrant fresh energy colors too. The winners will reveal which color that will be the tennis color of the year. Then the race is on – to manufacture fast track color in the wining shades.
Bright colors heads-up:
- Will the brightness of your color standard be achieved on every fabric type…?
- How do these colors look after a certain time of exposure to light or after a number of laundries…?
- How about adjusting the brightness to allow the use of better performing dyes…?
natific’s number one bright tips:
Depending on the fiber type, the light-fastness may be poor. Fluorescent orange and red colors on nylon for instance require C.I. Acid Red 52, a dyestuff with lowest fastness performance to light, wash and perspiration.
COLOR TREND AND HEADS-UP #3
We have whites to contend with too. The Brit effect at Wimbledon, or cricket at the Oval in London. Everyone will want the purest of whites.
Are your ready to deal with this destructive monkey business coming your way? White is the most difficult color to assess correctly.
White color heads-up:
- If you use physical swatches, does your swatch still represent the original whiteness…?
- How is the color vision of the observer…? (if you do visual assessment)
- How about variations in spectrophotometers for digital assessment…?
natific’s number one white tips: If retailers allow digital assessments of white, the proper UV filter calibration must be executed at least once per week. Without a filter calibration results can vary widely depending on the UV content of the lamps age in the spectrophotometer.
Calibrate the UV filter with the AATCC Textile UV Calibration Reference Fabric (learn more about the reference fabric at AATCC’s homepage).
natific is ready to tame the monkey
Click YES if you want clear pastel shades to enjoy in the summer sun, to get the winning colors to your customer really fast, or the purest of whites.