Added 2026-10-22 from trending overseas buyer search questions. We update this centre daily.
A lab dip is a small dyed swatch — typically about 10 × 10 cm (roughly 4 × 4 inch) — produced in the dye house to match a target colour before any bulk dyeing begins. It is the physical proof that the mill can hit your shade on your actual fabric. The approved dip then becomes the contractual reference: what arrives on the roll weeks later is judged against that piece of cloth, not against a description of the colour.
Two points buyers miss: a lab dip is your real base fabric, dyed — not a paint chip and not a digital mock-up. And the same colour target reads differently on different fibres, weaves and finishes, so a dip prepared on the wrong substrate tells you almost nothing about the production roll.
| Sample | Used for | Confirms |
|---|---|---|
| Lab dip | Solid-dyed fabric | Colour match to a standard |
| Strike-off | Printed fabric | Print colour, scale and registration |
| Shade band | Large bulk runs | Consistency across many rolls |
A strike-off is the print-side equivalent of a lab dip: a small printed sample that proves the artwork prints cleanly, the colours are right and the repeat lines up. Printed programmes approve a strike-off, not a lab dip. A shade band (sometimes called a blanket) is pulled from the start, middle and end of a master roll during bulk to confirm the whole run sits within tolerance.
Metamerism is when two fabrics match under one light source but diverge under another — for example a pair that looks “true blue” in daylight (D65) but shows a green cast under shop fluorescent (TL84). It is one of the largest causes of retail-floor colour complaints. The fix is procedural, not magical: approve under at least two illuminants and ask the mill to confirm the swatch holds under both. Changing dye supplier mid-season is a common trigger, so keep the chemistry stable.
ΔE (Delta E) is the numeric distance between the standard’s and the sample’s CIELAB colour coordinates. A common working point is ΔE ≤ 1.0 for premium orders and ΔE ≤ 2.0 for general commercial lots — but that is the brand’s limit, not a universal law, and shade-sensitive colours (nude, grey, cream) usually warrant a tighter threshold than saturated shades. Mature programmes also set component tolerances (ΔL* lightness, ΔC* chroma, ΔH* hue) and check metamerism under several illuminants. The colour space, the CIEDE2000 formula and the measurement conditions are standardised in AATCC EP6 (instrumental colour measurement), AATCC EP9 (visual assessment), AATCC TM173 and ISO 105-J01 / J03, reported under the D65 standard daylight illuminant with the 10° observer. Always confirm the exact figure in your own approval standard.
| Include | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Colour standard (Pantone code + version year, or a physical swatch) | Everyone must mean the same target |
| Exact fibre content, weave and GSM of the base | Dye reads differently on different substrates |
| Light sources for review (minimum D65 + one store light) | Catches metamerism before bulk |
| Accepted ΔE tolerance, numeric | Turns “close enough” into a pass/fail gate |
| Sealed physical reference, dated | The contractual benchmark for the shipment |
As an integrated woven mill, our yarn dyeing, weaving, fabric dyeing, printing and finishing sit on one site, so colour development moves through the same line that makes the bulk. We prepare lab dips on your actual woven base, evaluate them in a light box (D65 plus a store light), retain the sealed approved reference, and confirm the shade is reproducible at bulk volume before sign-off. Colour fastness is a separate specification, confirmed by lab test after bulk dyeing — see our colour-fastness guide — while roll-to-roll consistency is covered in the shade-sorting guide. Minimum order is 2,000 metres per colour; sampling is charged and credited against the bulk order; lead time is confirmed in writing at enquiry. Send your standard and end use through the quote request, or ask about certificates on the compliance page.
Most solid colours need two rounds. Difficult shades — neon, deep red, true black, pale grey or cream — commonly need a third. Build that into the calendar before you confirm a launch date, because each revision moves the production date.
No. Screens, file compression and ambient lighting all strip information a fabric carries. Evaluate the physical piece in a light box under the named illuminants, or at minimum in daylight, never from an image.
A lab dip proves a solid dyed colour match; a strike-off proves a printed design (colour, scale and registration). Printed programmes approve a strike-off, not a lab dip.
A common working point is Delta E ≤ 1.0 for premium orders and ≤ 2.0 for general commercial lots, but that is the brand's limit, not a law, and shade-sensitive colours warrant tighter thresholds. Pair the number with component tolerances (Delta L*, Delta C*, Delta H*) and a multi-light check. The maths (CIELAB, CIEDE2000 under D65/10°) and the measurement are standardised in AATCC EP6, AATCC EP9, AATCC TM173 and ISO 105-J01/J03. Confirm the exact figure in your own approval standard.