X-Rite Color Blog

Why Converters Should Upgrade to eXact 2 For packaging converters, accurate color is tied directly to brand trust and customer approval. Labels, folding cartons, corrugated, flexible packaging, and mixed-substrate jobs all bring different measurement challenges, and customers still expect the final package to match the approved standard. If your team is still using first-generation eXact instruments, the upcoming end of life offers a timely reason to evaluate whether your current packaging...

Why It’s Time to Upgrade to eXact 2 Commercial printers are under constant pressure to deliver accurate, repeatable color while keeping presses moving, controlling waste, and meeting tighter customer expectations. If your team still relies on first-generation eXact instruments, the upcoming end of life is a practical opportunity to assess whether your current measurement tools still support the speed, consistency, and reporting needs of today’s commercial print environment. Eff...

5 Material Challenges You Can Finally Measure Accurately with the CiF3200 For years, color teams across industries have faced the same frustrating truth: many modern materials are simply too small, too decorated, too textured, or too complex for traditional spectrophotometers to measure reliably. When your components don’t fully cover the aperture, or include multiple colors, intricate patterns, or uneven surfaces, your options shrink quickly. Many organizations fall back on visual assess...

Hitting offset lithographic color targets isn’t always fast or easy. The manual process of measuring color bars and making ink key adjustments takes time and opens the door to operator error. Meanwhile, the press is running (and wasting) paper and ink. To achieve accurate and repeatable color, printers need to convert their printing operation to an efficient manufacturing process and drive efficiencies in all phases of their operation. For many, a closed-loop automated solution is the...

Why Optically Brightened Whites Are So Difficult to Manage Optically brightened whites are everywhere in textiles, and they are also one of the most misunderstood areas of color measurement and quality control. Optical brightening agents (OBAs) are added to fabrics to increase perceived whiteness by absorbing ultraviolet (UV) light and re emitting it in the blue region of the visible spectrum. While this effect can make whites appear cleaner and brighter to the human eye, it also introduces sig...

Navigating Volatility and Embracing Innovation The textile industry stands at a crossroad, shaped by economic uncertainty, shifting consumer priorities, and rapid technological change. According to the McKinsey State of Fashion 2025 report, brands are rethinking operations to build resilience and efficiency amid tight margins and evolving global supply chains. Sustainability, digital transformation, and value-driven shopping are now central to industry strategy. Key Trends Shaping the Textile I...

In the textile industry, delivering consistent color and appearance is essential for brand reputation and customer satisfaction. As digital transformation accelerates, brands and suppliers rely on standardized file formats to communicate color and appearance data accurately across global supply chains. Three formats—CxF, AxF, and QTX—are at the heart of this process. What Are CxF, AxF, and QTX? CxF (Color Exchange Format): CxF, developed by X-Rite and standardized as ISO 17972, is ...

The Challenge of Printing Whites The PANTONE Color of the Year 2026, Cloud Dancer, is more than just a trend, it’s a technical challenge for packaging converters. While white may seem simple, its appearance is impacted by substrate color, ink formulation, and the presence of optical brightening agents (OBAs). For converters, the goal is to deliver consistent, accurate whites across every run, between every plant, and throughout every region. Why Whites Are Complex in Packaging Whites are ...

Advancing Surface Texture Measurement for Accurate 3D Visualization In today’s digital design landscape, color and surface texture are inseparable when it comes to accurately visualizing materials. Whether you’re working with textiles, plastics, coatings, or automotive finishes, the way a surface interacts with light—its texture, gloss, and reflectivity—can dramatically alter perceived color and appearance. Why Surface Texture Matters Historically, color has been the pri...

The Pantone Color of the Year 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer, is described as an airy, billowy white that opens space for creativity, quiet reflection, and calm. A white that is both warm and cool, its serene presence symbolizes the need for clarity in a noisy world. And as soon as the choice was announced last week, an old debate resurfaced: Is white even a color? White is often thought of as the “absence” of color. But color science says otherwise. To understand this critical c...