How Many Pantone Colors Are You Missing?

Every year, Pantone launches new guides that contain new colors. If you haven’t updated your Pantone guides for several years, you are actually missing out on a lot of colors, resulting in insufficiently meeting market demand.

Pantone guides and books are produced using the highest manufacturing standards, but they don’t last forever. Handling, fading due to light exposure and aging creating paper yellowing effects, render the colors in your guides inaccurate over time. Pantone itself recommends that you replace your guides every 12 to 18 months.

But the expiration date is not the only reason why you should replace your Pantone guides regularly. Pantone adds new colors every year, efficiently meeting market demand. If your guide is new but your printer’s guide is even just a few years older, then your colors will no longer accurately match, which can cause miscommunication, frustration and unnecessary reworks. So date your Pantone Guide the day you unwrap the packaging, so you can keep an eye on the expiration date.
 

If you’re concerned your production partners’ guides aren’t current then Pantone recommends PANTONE Solid Chips always accompany artwork to ensure color accuracy. Solid Chips are an excellent tool for color communication because when attached to artwork files, they instantly depict specific color expectation and intent and they give your printer a physical representation of the color to strive for on press. When they are attached to artwork files, they instantly depict specific color expectation and intent and they are perfect for easily shipping and sharing, giving your printer a physical representation of the color to strive for on press.