USAGE:

By the means of the system offered by PANTONE^®, a worldwide colour communication is possible. In America PANTONE^® 1235 C looks just like PANTONE^® 1235 C in Germany, provided that some restrictions are observed.

Disregarding different observation conditions such as illuminant, observer, environment etc. there are still many influencing factors which may lead to colour shade differences.

INFLUENCING FACTORS:

The PANTONE^® System is most suitable for colour communication or would you like to explain to your customer on the phone that a product should be „frog green“? As easy as this task seems to be due to the indication of the PANTONE^® description, as fast problems may occur.

Colour shade differences between the editions:

The formula guide is a printed product and is therefore subject to print variations. The tolerances from edition to edition are of up to +/- 5% in the density of each colour. Therefore, differences in the shade may occur depending on the colour shade. It is therefore especially important to also indicate the respective edition of the formula guide. (The edition is printed on the first page e.g. Fourth Edition, Fourth Printing).

Change of printing substrate:

PANTONE^® is regularly adjusted to the different kinds and qualities of paper offered by the paper industry. Therefore, it is also possible that paper with optic brightener and/or paper that have different surface smoothness are used. This can also lead to a difference in observance of the colour shades.

Optical brightener:

The different kinds of paper used by PANTONE^® contain many optic brighteners. Especially in case of spectral photometric measurements, this may lead to problems. Optical brighteners convert radiant energy in the UV area (400-480 nm) into visible light which is more in the bluish area. Paper with optical brighteners appear more bluish and therefore cleaner than paper without optical brighteners. Of course, this also influences the colour shade. Often optical brighteners lead to special problems as they dissolve very fast under the influence of UV and then the paper appears more yellowish and dirtier. Therefore, products on these printing substrates wear out and yellow faster.

Ink layer thickness:

In single cases colour shades of PANTONE^® have been printed with a very high ink thickness (e.g. PANTONE^® 280 C). These colour shades can often only roughly be achieved or when printed twice. If these colours are needed with special fastness properties, the differences in colour shade can even be higher.

Light resistance:

As the PANTONE Matching System^® is a pure means of communication and not a colour standard, the basic inks are indeed very pure in colour, however, they partly show only few fastness properties. Colour shades of PANTONE Matching System^® have sometimes only a very low light resistance e.g. 134 C, 270 C, 434 C, 444 C, 469 C, 553 C. If such colours are required with higher light fastness, they can be formulated with basic inks which are more light resistant.

Fastness properties:

As already mentioned concerning the light resistance, basic inks have sometimes only low fastness properties. This also has to be observed if you would like to print finish your product. For dispersion varnishing, laminating, UV varnishing as well as other factors that might influence the colour after printing (e.g. laser printers, heat, lyes), PANTONE^® basic inks often do not have the necessary resistances. Should you nevertheless need a colour shade with certain resistances for a certain finishing method, or a filling with which the product might come into contact, we will formulate this colour shade for you with the corresponding inks. For this, however, it has to be observed that a substitute pigment often has a lower purity and colour strength than the basic inks used by PANTONE®. By the substitution of pigments, also metamerism effects may occur.

Print finishing:

In the colour guide the colour shades are all shown without print finishing. If the print product is later on, however, varnished or laminated, this may also lead to changes in the colour shade.

Bronze effects (e.g. Reflex blue) can be reduced. The colour shade can under certain circumstances become stronger and purer but also more yellowish. In order to estimate in advance in which direction the colour shade is going to change, we print a press proof of the colour shade with your varnish for you.

Differences between C and U:

As PANTONE® prints the same formula on different kinds of paper the colour shade also looks different. Therefore, it is extremely important to indicate whether you wish the colour shade in C or U. This information has to be indicated with the PMS number at every order.

PANTONE^® 116 C for example is very different to PANTONE^® 116 U.

Ageing:

Caused by the optic brighteners in the paper as well as the partly low light resistances, a formula guide is subject to certain ageing. These changes in the colour shade can be delayed by storing the formula guide away from light.

Colour shade adjustment to different editions:

As the formula guides can change with each edition regarding the paper and/or for printing reasons, it is possible that a colour shade that was produced 7 years ago is different to a colour shade that is produced today.

Especially concerning „Product Branding“, „Corporate Design“ or „Corporate Identity“ this may have negative consequences.

In this case a new formulation of a colour shade on your printing substrate is the best way to avoid a continuing and unforeseeable change. You will receive a colour that was especially formulated for you on your printing substrate for which an unchangeable formula is used. In future you therefore do not order your ink according to the PANTONE^® number but according to the order number (item number) of the new formulation.

Colour shade formulation:

Do you wish a PANTONE^® colour shade with certain fastness properties or on a certain printing substrate formulated especially for you and with a formula that cannot be changed?

For that we only need a sample (printed, wet, colour sample, PANTONE^® number with formula guide edition etc.) and for each colour shade ca. 15 sheets (DIN A4) of the printing substrate on which the colour shade should be matched.

Pantone® colour guide

PANTONE® has added more colours to the existing colour guide editions and is now no longer called PANTONE Matching System® but PANTONE® Plus Series.

The new colour guides have the following differences:

PANTONE® Plus Series Formula Guide C+U

• 224 new colour shades for brown and mineral colours have been added to the colour guide.
• The colour guide consists of 1338 colour shades which were arranged chromatically.
• At the end of the guide a search index for a detailed search is available.
• In addition, the colour guide has a „Light Indicator“ for a D50 standardized light examination.
• The colours are mixed out of the existing BMS basic inks
• The used printing substrate of the C colour guide has a grammage of 118g/m² and is therefore thinner.

PANTONE® Plus Series Premium Metallics Guide C

• The colour guide consists of 300 new colour shades from 10101C-10399C.
• The used silver is a so-called „none Leafing“ silver.
• The colours have been especially designed for print finishing.
• The inks should be print finished for better rub resistance and metal effects.
• Ther Metallic Formula Guide coated remains unchanged.
• The inks are mixed out of the existing CMS basic inks for GOE®.
• In addition, the colour guide has a „Light Indicator“ for a D50 standardized light examination.

PANTONE® Plus Series Pastels & Neons Guide C+U

• The existing colour guide has been expanded with fluorescent colours.
• The colour guide contains 14 existing 801-814 plus 35 new fluorescent colours.
• The 35 new colour shades are mixed out of the colour shades 801-814 and transparent white.
• The colour guide was arranged chromatically according to colour shades.
• At the end of the guide a search index for a detailed search is available.
• In addition, the colour guide has a „Light Indicator“ for a D50 standardized light examination.
• The used printing substrate of the C colour guide has a grammage of 118g/m² and is therefore thinner.

The PANTONE^® Premium Metallic Silver can be ordered with the following item number:

0101555001    PANTONE^® PREMIUM Metallic Silver

The PANTONE^® Premium Metallics colour shades are currently not available as BoFood MH.

In case of further questions regarding PANTONE^®, fastness properties or colour shade formulations please do not hesitate to contact us.