Colorimeters for Accurate Fabric Color Measurement

A colorimeter is a precise optical instrument for measuring color. It simulates how the human eye perceives light, turning subjective color impressions into objective, measurable data. Both regular colorimeters and spectrophotometers can measure color, but their working principles are different.

• Colorimeter: It measures color using tristimulus values. The built-in light source emits white light onto the sample. The reflected light passes through red, green, and blue filters, then reaches the detector. The device directly calculates the tristimulus values X, Y, and Z, and then converts them into Lab or other color space values. A regular colorimeter has a simple measuring principle. It is compact and easy to carry.

• Spectrophotometer: It measures color through spectral analysis. The built-in light source emits white light onto the sample. The reflected light is dispersed by a grating or prism according to wavelength. The detector records the intensity of light at each wavelength. After precise calculation, the device provides the reflectance spectrum data for the visible range, every 10nm. This spectrum curve is integrated to calculate the tristimulus values X, Y, and Z, which are then converted into Lab values. A spectrophotometer can measure the full visible spectrum (400nm to 700nm). Its output spectral curve helps identify metamerism, which is very useful for fabric color measurement.

Colorimeters and spectrophotometers are key tools for color measurement and color difference control in the modern textile industry. Their applications cover the entire production chain, from yarn and greige fabric to finished garments.

1. Raw material color measurement

Colorimeters can measure the color of purchased yarns, greige fabrics, and other raw materials. They compare the results with standard colors to detect any color differences early. This helps control color quality from the start and prevents losses caused by using materials with color deviations.

2. Sample dyeing and processing

Sample dyeing is a critical step in fabric production. It provides accurate and reliable dye formulas and process parameters for mass production. At the same time, it is also one of the most challenging steps in fabric color control.

      Causes of fabric color difference

• Color communication errors: Everyone perceives color differently. Even when using the same fixed color card number, slight color differences may appear between different batches. Over time, color cards may also fade, causing deviations from the original color. This often results in dyed samples that do not match customer expectations.

• Raw material variations: Different batches of cotton, wool, and other fibers may have different levels of whiteness and luster. Greige fabrics can also have uneven bleaching issues. These factors affect the final fabric color. To reduce color differences, the color consistency of raw materials must be ensured first. If raw material differences are unavoidable, the color-matching process should be adjusted accordingly.

• Dye differences: Even with the same dye model, slight variations can exist between different production batches. Using dyes from different batches often leads to noticeable color differences.

• Environmental factors: Non-standard light sources can lead to incorrect color judgments. Another issue is metamerism, where two fabrics may look identical under one light source but show significant color differences under another due to differences in their spectral reflection curves.

• Human factors: Operators may not strictly follow the process requirements, or they may rely only on visual inspection without objective data. Fatigue or lack of experience can lead to inaccurate color judgments.

Using a colorimeter during sample dyeing helps set a unified color standard. This avoids differences in color perception between brands and dyeing factories, preventing the final product from failing to meet customer expectations. The device also provides objective color data. In particular, a spectrophotometer can measure the spectral curve, helping to prevent metamerism and errors caused by human visual judgment.

3. Standard color storage

After sample dyeing, a colorimeter can measure the color difference between the sample and the target color. Once the customer approves the sample, its color can be saved in the colorimeter as a standard color. This makes it easy to measure and match colors in large-scale fabric production later, without worrying about the sample being lost or fading.

4. Assist in quick color matching

When a customer provides fabric, a colorimeter can quickly find the closest color from a color card. This saves the time of manual comparison and avoids errors caused by visual fatigue. Linshang colorimeters and spectrophotometers have a built-in TPG color card, specially for the textile industry. If a fabric manufacturer has its own color card, the colors can also be saved in the colorimeter, enabling fast and convenient color matching and color difference measurement in the future.

The advent of colorimeters has solved errors common in traditional manual color comparison. Today, more and more fabric manufacturers are replacing visual inspections with colorimeters, significantly improving production efficiency and making color measurement more scientific and precise. 

For fabric manufacturers, choosing a colorimeter that is stable, fully featured, and easy to use has become a crucial part of color management. Linshang colorimeters and spectrophotometers, with their comprehensive color measurement capabilities, reliable product quality, excellent cost performance, and high-quality customer service, have gradually become the preferred brand in the textile and fabric industry.