I order kit for my team and we’ve now had a couple of instances where how it looked on my screen isn’t quite how the kit has turned out. What’s the best way of avoiding this?

I was thinking that if I had a pantone chart or similar, I could just quote the reference from that but a quick look on eBay and Google shopping suggests that they’re at least 30 quid if not more and that’s overkill for my use.

Any suggestions on alternatives or cheaper sources?

Thanks

Were are you? Maybe I can lend one if local. Could you buy one, use it, sell it ?

Adjust your screen to match the kit you bought.
Everything else that comes from online with be an accurate colour.

Maybe.

I’m Bristol-ish – I really want to have one ideally as we do quite a lot of kit ordering.

Keng – thanks 😉

What are you having printed?

Pantone references are only any good if the ink used is mixed to that Pantone Ref.

Cycling jerseys. If Pantone isn’t the right thing, would appreciate guidance on what is.

I work as a comms designer and echo what’s said above, your printer may not neccesserily Pantone match. Adjusting your screen to match won’t solve the issue. Are you designing the kit yourself and for example entering the Pantone ref in photoshop? If your doing a lot of ordering it sounds like you need a chart if you want it accurate, no real shortcuts.

I have had a client in the past complain as she printed a Pantone swatch on the office laser and inform me my Pantone chart was wrong 🙂

I just design the kit so it looks right on my screen and email to the company – that’s where the issue is since obviously screen colour reproduction is variable. I’ve emailed them asking if they use pantone or anything else.

If you use the same firm all the time can they not send you swatches to keep on hand?

The only sure way is to get some sample swatches printed on the kit being used.

Create an A3 or A2 image with blocks of each colour you intend to use and create various shades of each colour which are lighter and darker on your screen. Ask you printer nicely if this can be tagged on to another job!

Your printer is also likely to be working in CMYK mode. Most low/end free photo software works in RGB only. So an RBG file will be converted to CMYK at the print stage creating some colour shift.

Yeah, just got an email back from them saying that’s what they do. Thanks for your help.

Giving them a Pantone is the correct thing, whenever i colour match for people i always ask for a Pantone ref or just to send me in a physical example of what their colour is. I’ll also ask that their pdf is set up with a uniquely named spot colour, so I can select that and affect it on the printer.

CMYK or RGB numbers will differ on every printer/screen.