colorway tolerance

Direct answer

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

Key facts
  1. Not usefully.
  2. Ask the factory what it can hold on the specific material and finish, then write that number into the approval.

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

What it changes for you

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

In practice

colorway 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. color 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 colorway

Can I approve a color 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

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