A common objective in color technology is the control and accurate reproduction of a colored material under a set of specified conditions. In the textile industry, effective color control and communication between designer, dyer and retailer are critical to obtaining high product quality and cost efficiency. Ideally, the color of an object perceived by an observer (e.g., a consumer) is very close to the color specified in the original product design. Commonly, color control is achieved both via visual assessment and color measurement (colorimetry), and lighting plays a key roll in both methods. Accurate color control requires that the color and intensity of the lighting used for illumination is measured and controlled. The textile industry is in the process of incorporating digital color communication protocols, with the goal of reducing processing costs and the time to market of apparel products. An accurate color model, particularly color difference, is essential. Color difference models utilize illuminant data that may or may not correlate with the actual store lighting. This paper presents new quantitative data on the variability of lighting in retail stores and standard viewing booths. The potential impact of the variability in lighting at various stages of the color control cycle is discussed and ongoing work to develop a global approach to color control is reviewed.
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