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A fabric can match the approved colour and still show visible differences between rolls, between dye lots, or even between the head and tail of one roll. This is shade variation, and it is the single most common reason a finished garment looks inconsistent even when each piece is individually acceptable. The cause is almost always lot management and process consistency, not the target colour itself: different dye lots, roll-to-roll variation, weak shade segregation at cutting, and finishing differences.
The textile trade grades colour difference with a neutral grey scale (AATCC EP1 Grey Scale for Colour Change, equivalent to ISO 105-A02). Two samples are compared side by side under standard D65 daylight-simulator lighting, and a grade is assigned from 5 down to 1:
| Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | No change — a perfect match |
| 4.5 | Very slight change |
| 4 | Noticeable change |
| 3.5 | Moderate change |
| 3 | Significant change |
| 2 / 1 | Severe to very severe change |
Half grades are used for in-between differences. The grade describes overall difference, not whether the shift is lighter, darker or a change of tone.
The same grey scale is used to set the acceptance line, and the line is tighter inside a roll than between rolls:
| Comparison | Typical commercial bar |
|---|---|
| Roll-to-roll / lot-to-lot | Not below Grade 4 (Grade 4 or above is the usual commercial acceptance level) |
| Within one roll (edge-to-edge, head-to-tail) | Not below Grade 4-5; Grade 4 or below marks the roll as Grade B |
These are industry norms, not universal law. The number that matters is the one written into your purchase contract — always confirm the grade and the lighting condition before bulk.
For tighter control, mills use a spectrophotometer that reads a sample across the visible spectrum and returns CIE L*a*b* coordinates: L is lightness (0 = black, 100 = white), a is red-green, and b is yellow-blue. The total colour difference from the approved standard is Delta E. Commonly cited bulk tolerances are a Delta E of about 1.0 or less for fashion fabrics, with anything above roughly 1.5 visible to the naked eye under controlled light and premium programmes sometimes specifying 0.8 or less. These figures vary by mill and product, so the band we can hold for your construction is confirmed in writing at enquiry.
Shade sorting is the practice of measuring every roll and sorting them into shade bands (often labelled A, B, C) so a production batch is cut from rolls that fall within a tight Delta E range of one another. It is the control that prevents one garment from having a sleeve darker than the body, or front and back panels that do not match. Once mismatched panels are sewn together, the fix is far more limited — so sorting belongs before cutting, not after.
These are exactly the controls we apply on request; see also our 4-point inspection guide for the physical-defect side of the same acceptance step, and our spec-sheet guide for how each number is recorded.
Our integrated woven mill runs yarn dyeing, weaving, fabric dyeing, printing and finishing on one site, so a development does not change hands between steps. We can measure each dye lot, record the Delta E against the approved standard, and group rolls into shade bands on request. For designs where near-zero cross-lot variation matters (uniform programmes, repeat deliveries), we will propose a route such as yarn-dyed or solution-dyed that avoids re-matching a dye bath each lot. Our certificates (OEKO-TEX, GRS, GOTS, OCS, BCI) are listed on the compliance page with numbers available on request — note that none of these certify shade consistency, which is a separate, per-order control. Minimum order is 2,000 metres per colour, sampling is charged and credited against the bulk order, and lead time is confirmed in writing at enquiry; see the published terms for the standing details.
Grade 4 on the grey scale is the widely used commercial acceptance level for roll-to-roll and lot-to-lot difference. Within a single roll the bar is tighter, Grade 4-5. Always confirm the number and the lighting condition in writing before bulk.
For piece-dyed cloth made in separate dye lots, a small difference is expected because each dye bath is a separate event. Routes such as yarn-dyed or solution-dyed avoid re-matching a bath each lot and give tighter cross-lot consistency. Tell us if your programme needs near-zero variation and we will propose the right route.
We can measure every dye lot and record the Delta E against the approved standard, and group rolls into shade bands on request. The specific tolerance we can hold for your construction is confirmed in writing at enquiry.
No. OEKO-TEX, GRS, GOTS, OCS and BCI are about chemical safety, recycled and organic content, and farming practice — none of them grade shade consistency. Colour matching is a separate, per-order control. Our certificate numbers are available on request.