A lab dip is a small dyed sample used to establish a color target before bulk dyeing. Approving it should identify a particular option on a particular material under agreed viewing conditions. A message saying “looks good” beside an unlabeled photograph leaves too much open.
Separate approval of the color target from approval of bulk shade and colorfastness. Those decisions use related evidence, but none automatically completes the others.
Start with a physical and identifiable target
Give the mill a physical standard or an agreed reference system with the relevant edition and substrate. Record the color name and internal code. A screen image can communicate direction but should not become an uncontrolled master reference.
Ask whether the dip uses the intended fiber blend, construction and finish. A smooth jersey, brushed fleece and rib can show the same nominal shade differently. If a substitute substrate is used for an early round, write down what remains unapproved.
Mark each option clearly and keep the original identification. If the mill submits options A, B and C, approve or reject a specific option rather than asking it to combine unspecified parts of several samples.
Lab-dip and bulk-shade approval form
Use one form from the first submission through the production shade review. Keep the color target version separate from the material lot so a new lot does not quietly become a new standard.
| Record | Required detail | Release question |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Physical reference, color code and version | Are buyer and mill comparing the same target? |
| Substrate | Article, composition, construction and finish | Does the dip represent bulk material? |
| Submission | Option code, date and supplier | Which exact option is being judged? |
| Viewing | Main and secondary light sources, arrangement | Is the result acceptable under each agreed source? |
| Decision | Approve, reject or revise with directional notes | Is a further submission required? |
| Bulk shade | Lot, roll or shade group and comparison result | May this identified material be cut? |
| Performance | Separate relevant fastness evidence | Are performance requirements resolved? |
Agree how color will be judged
Use consistent lighting and viewing conditions on both sides. A color can match under one light and differ under another, so agree which light sources matter for the product and channel. Record disagreements by source rather than choosing whichever condition makes the sample look best.
Where instrumental measurement is used, specify the agreed settings, color-difference formula and tolerances with the color specialist. A number without those conditions is not a complete acceptance instruction. Visual appearance and material surface still need the review defined in the brief.
Compare samples in a consistent orientation, especially where brushing, pile or directional texture changes appearance. Avoid making a final decision from photographs whose exposure and white balance are unknown.
Write an unambiguous response
If an option is acceptable, name it and record any limits: for example, approval for the identified material and finish only. If a revision is required, describe the direction clearly and request another identified submission. Do not write “approved, but change the color” without explaining whether dyeing may proceed.
Keep matching reference cuts with the buyer and mill where practical. Store them protected from conditions that can change their appearance and identify which reference controls if copies begin to differ.
Track the approval date and approver. A new comment from another team member should not silently supersede the released target. Resolve the change in the color record and communicate the effective version before the supplier continues.
Bridge the lab dip to bulk cutting
Request a production-representative shade sample before cutting when the approval plan requires it. Identify the bulk lot and compare it with the agreed target under the same conditions. If several lots or shade groups are present, record how they will remain separated through cutting and packing.
For coordinated pieces, approve the actual combination as well as the individual colors. Two materials can each be within their own acceptance range and still look wrong as a pair. Do not mix shade groups within a garment merely because every roll carries the same color name.
A lab dip establishes a color direction; it does not establish rubbing or laundering performance. Agree suitable fastness tests and acceptance requirements for the bulk material. Retain the dip, bulk reference and decision record so a reorder starts from a stable target rather than from the most recent garment someone happened to keep.
Related sourcing guidance
Apparel Design. Contact. Different sizes of the same colour look slightly different. How do we control shade in bulk?.
