What is Pantone?

Pantone is a standardized color matching system used in various industries, including printing, graphic design, and apparel decorating. The system was developed in the 1960s by Lawrence Herbert, who noticed that the printing industry lacked a standardized color system. He created the Pantone Matching System (PMS), which assigned a unique number to each color, allowing for consistent and accurate color communication across different industries and geographical locations.

Pantone colors are often used in branding and marketing to ensure consistent color representation across different mediums, such as print, web, and packaging. Pantone colors are commonly used in custom apparel decorating to ensure color consistency and accuracy in the design process.

Pantone in Apparel Decorating

Pantone colors are used in apparel decorating whenever there is a need to ensure color accuracy and consistency. Pantone colors are also helpful when working with clients, as it allows designers and printers to communicate about color choices and ensure everyone is on the same page.

Here are some specific instances when Pantone color matching may be necessary:

1. Custom Apparel Orders: When a client requests custom apparel, they may specify that the design needs to match specific Pantone colors. This allows the apparel decorator to ensure that the final product matches the client's desired color exactly.

2. Corporate Apparel: Companies may choose to use Pantone colors in their branded apparel to ensure consistency with their overall brand identity.

3. Sports Teams and Schools: Sports teams and schools may use Pantone colors in their uniforms and apparel to create a consistent look and feel across their various teams and organizations.

Pantone Matching System

In screen printing or custom transfer manufacturing, the Pantone matching system that is commonly used is the Pantone Solid Coated (PMS) system. This system is specifically designed for use with coated paper stock, but it is also suitable for use with screen printing inks, which are typically thicker and more opaque than other types of inks.

The Pantone Solid Coated system includes over 1,800 colors, each of which is identified by a unique number. When creating a design for screen printing, the designer will choose the appropriate Pantone color for each element of the design. The screen printer will then use this information to mix the appropriate ink colors for the printing process.

A typical Pantone Solid Coated number will look something like: PMS 376C.

Using Pantone colors in screen printing helps ensure that the final product matches the desired colors exactly, creating a consistent and professional look. It also helps streamline the design and printing process by providing a standardized color system that can be easily communicated between designers and printers.

Pantone Color Guide

A Pantone Color Guide is a book or chart that displays and categorizes thousands of colors in the Pantone Matching System (PMS). This is an essential tool for any custom apparel decorator who may utilize Pantone colors in their business.

The Pantone Color Guide includes color swatches for all the colors in the Pantone Matching System, along with their corresponding Pantone numbers. The guide is organized into color families, such as reds, blues, and greens, to make it easy for users to find the colors they need.

Utilizing Pantone Colors with Howard Custom Transfers

Howard Custom Transfers offers the option to request a Pantone color match, which carries a one-time fee of $30 per color for screen printed custom transfer products. Once you purchase a custom color, we will stock the ink on our shelves for future use at no added cost.

Pantone color matching available for the following products: Howard Multi-Purpose, Howard Hot Peel, and Ultra Stretch.