Colourway tolerance

The measured range a factory will hold between sample and repeat production.

What it changes for you

A colourway reference should be physical or measured, never a screenshot.

In practice

Colourway tolerance is the measured range a factory will hold between the sample you approve and repeat production. A physical or measured reference with a stated tolerance is checkable; a photograph is not, because screens and lighting differ. Colour drift between batches is the most common complaint on repeat orders, and it is almost always caused by an unstated or unmeasured reference rather than by a bad factory.

Questions about Colourway

Can I approve a colour from a photo?

Not usefully. Screens and lighting differ, so a photo cannot be measured against production. Approve a physical swatch, or a measured value with a tolerance the factory agrees to hold.

What tolerance should I ask for?

Ask the factory what it can hold on the specific material and finish, then write that number into the approval. The useful answer is a measured range, not "very close".

Other terms

• FOB (Free On Board) - Seller delivers the goods on board the vessel at the named port; cost and risk transfer there.
• EXW (Ex Works) - Buyer collects at the factory gate.
• MOQ (Minimum Order Quantity) - The smallest quantity a factory will run for one specification.
• Tooling cost - The one-off cost of the injection mould, die or print plate.
• AQL (Acceptable Quality Limit) - The sampling standard (ISO 2859-1) defining allowed defects per inspected lot.
• HS heading 9507 - The Harmonized System heading covering fishing rods, hooks, reels and artificial bait.

Send a specificationAll 14 terms