Color Management Workshop
July 22, 2025 - July 23, 2025
ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Technical Center
1 Davis Drive
Durham, NC
Early Registration Deadline: July 8, 2025
Notice of Consent and Contact Information Sharing
By attending this meeting, you consent to ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥using any photos, videos, or images of you or your likeness in ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥media or materials. Additionally, your name, company, and email address will be shared with other event attendees. If you prefer not to consent or share your contact information, please email Kim Nicholson to opt out.
This workshop is designed for merchandisers, retailers, manufacturers, product developers, color approval managers, specifiers, and designers. Participants will learn basic color principles; how lighting affects color; what to consider when developing your color palette and how these choices affect cost, fashion, durability, and dyeing reproducibility; how to implement a digital color program with suppliers; how to control shade from concept to production and much more.
Attendance is limited; early registration is encouraged. Registration includes luncheons, breaks, access to the ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Color Guidebook, Textile Coloration for the Retail Supply Chain and available presentations.
Attendance is limited; register early.
| COLOR MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP TIMETABLE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| TUESDAY, JULY 22, 2025 | |||
| 8:00 AM | Welcome—Gregg Woodcock, ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Executive Director | ||
| 8:15 | Color Basics: Balancing Theory and Application—Tim Williams, Color Solutions International This session will address basic color principles and the color experience components of light source, object, environment, and observer. Topics will include descriptive color terminology, color space and protocols for consistency. These will be applied to instrumental measurement, calculations of color difference, and tolerances. The advantages of visual and instrumental evaluation will be presented with a summary of best practices. |
||
| 9:15 | Break | ||
| 9:30 | Color Basics: Balancing Theory and Application (continued) | ||
| 10:00 | Color Communication—Tim Williams, Color Solutions International Color is one of the key influential buying components for the consumer. Designers spend hours studying trends, analyzing color and shopping key markets in order to identify and assemble their seasonal color palette for their target customer. During this session we will review the key steps necessary to provide accurate color communication from the designer’s inspiration to the supply chain. |
||
| 11:00 | Leveraging Digital Technology to Speed the Color Approval Process—Doug Bynum, natific AG | ||
| 12:00 PM | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | Understanding Whites and other Fluorescent Materials—Tanga Crosby, Archroma This presentation will discuss the unique requirements for both visually and instrumentally viewing and controlling the color of optically brightened whites and other fluorescent materials. Because of the unique properties of fluorescent colorants, special considerations are required to properly and effectively view and measure these materials. The lighting conditions needed, and instrumental procedures will be explained as well as the metrics used for rating differences. Issues with new lighting types in relation to these materials will also be discussed. |
||
| 2:00 | Networking Break with Hands-On Activity Attendees pair up for visual observation of three samples |
||
| 3:00 | Breakout A: Illumination and Observer Issues Facilitator: Tim Williams (lead) and Steve Paolini •Describe/demonstrate Best Practice for visual evaluation of color difference •Use samples, light booth, and Simultaneous Color Viewer to demonstrate color inconstancy and lead discussion of consequences of color inconstant standards. •Show Farnsworth-Munsell Color Vision Test, describe its use •Show ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Gray Scales, describe their use | Breakout B: Sample Analysis and Measurement Technique Facilitators: Tanga Crosby (lead) and Carol Revels •Proper Procedures for good measurements •How to deal with different materials •How to select procedures for specific required uses |
|
| 4:00 | Breakout B: Illumination and Observer Issues Breakout A: Sample Analysis and Measurement Technique |
||
| 5:00 | Q&A Session | ||
| 5:15 | Adjourn | ||
| WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2025 | |||
| 8:00 AM | Welcome Back | ||
| 8:15 | Color Sample Follow Up | ||
| 9:00 | Fundamentals of Dyeing and Challenges to Meet Performance Standards—Fred Gliddon, Archroma This presentation will include the fundamentals of the major dye classes and application parameters to the respective fibers, types of equipment used in production, and challenges often involved in meeting performance specifications. |
||
| 10:00 | Break | ||
| 10:15 | Light, Color, and the Impact on our Business—Steve Paolini, Telelumen Overwhelmingly, light sources have changed to LED. This is largely due to regulations around the world pertaining to energy efficiency and hazardous substances. In the past, the choice of lighting technologies was mostly limited to incandescent lamps, CWF-style fluorescent tubes, tri-phosphor fluorescent tubes, and various forms of simulated daylight. Today, nearly all residential and commercial customers use LEDs in some form. This brings many more choices (SPD, form-factor, controls, …) but product availability can change yearly. We are past the time when LED lighting should be incorporated in the supply chain. This presentation will review various lighting technologies and the practical implications of using the technologies to view colored objects. |
||
| 11:15 | Supply Chain Conformance—Why Don’t my Numbers Match Yours?—Ken R. Butts, Datacolor This session will focus on how to implement a digital color program with suppliers. The concepts of color guidebooks, standard best practices in color measurement, communication, visual assessments, along with ideas on supplier certification/accreditation requirements will be covered. Also included is accreditation program successes (and challenges) and global color management. Factors that contribute to poor agreement in digital color exchange will be discussed - measurement technique, instrument variation, sample conditioning, and the human factor. |
||
| 12:15 PM | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 | The Evolution and Revolution of Global Color Management—Carol T. Revels, Lands’ End Inc. This presentation will discuss the many facets of color management and what we can do – big or small – to drive improvement. Anything from tweaking processes and improving communication to tackling color workflow management, print/pattern color management, bulk color management, or mill accreditation for self-approval – all have value in reducing time, costs, and improving quality. |
||
| 2:00 | Ultra-Portable Color Measurement: A Spectro in Your Pocket?—Ken R. Butts, Datacolor With the introduction of ultra-portable color measuring devices, the need for designers to purchase garments – or discreetly cut a corner – may be coming to an end. The promise of these devices is that designers can easily measure inspiration colors at the fashion show or in the competitor’s store and quickly determine whether or not the color is in their own library or available from a color standards provider. This session will review the possibilities and limitations of ultra-portable color measurement, not only for design but as a potential low-cost QC tool for some supply chains. |
||
| 2:45 | Break | ||
| 3:00 | Breakout A: Processes and Technologies for Better Color Control in the Supply Chain Facilitators: Tim Williams (lead) and Tanga Crosby •What specifiers need to know to better communicate with suppliers about color control •Things to know about dye selection, formulation and dyeing processes for better color control •Who should be making these decisions? •How this can lead to more efficient product development | Breakout B: Realities of Color Management in Retail Facilitators: Carol Revels (lead) and Ken Butts •Real-world challenges/successes in retail/apparel implementation of digital color management •Global process standardization in the supply chain •Effective color management in multi-sourced programs •Moving beyond labdips to production performance monitoring | |
| 4:00 | Breakout B: Processes and Technologies for Better Color Control in the Supply Chain Breakout A: Realities of Color Management in Retail | ||
| 5:00 | Closing Remarks, Distribution of Certificates, and Adjourn | ||
| COLOR MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP PRESENTERS | |
|---|---|
 | Ken Butts is Global Key Account Team Manager at Datacolor. With over 30 years’ experience as a solutions consultant in the textile/apparel industry, Ken has analyzed existing product development processes and implemented effective color management solutions for over 40 of the world’s most well-known retail/brand apparel companies and their global supply chains. Ken is a past chair of RA-36 and regular speaker at AATCC’s annual Color Management Workshop. |
 | Doug Bynum is current Chief Executive Officer at natific USA, Incorporated. |
 | Tanga Crosby is a 1992 graduate of North Carolina State University College of Textiles. Her previous experiences include Manufacturing Mgmt; Shade Control; Color Mgmt & Swatch book Palette Design; Textile Specialist; and Lab & Quality Mgmt (Textiles and Latexes). With many years in the Textile Color Management scope, Tanga has recently joined the Archroma family. Some of her favorite things are light reading, movies, long car rides on pretty days, and meeting new people. |
 | Fred Gliddon, Archroma Color Management – Sales and Dyeing Operations Manager (2013 – Present). Prior roles include: International Textile Group (now Elevate Textiles) – Div. Tech. Svcs. Mgr. / Div. Lab Mgr.; Consumer Testing Laboratories – Color Approval Lab Mgr. Fred has 34 yrs of color, dyeing process development of natural and synthetic wovens, and business development experience. He graduated from the University of South Alabama with a degree in Chemical Engineering. Fred is a husband, father, foodie, and enjoys being outdoors. |
 | Steve Paolini is President of Telelumen LLC. Steve earned a BSEE from Penn State University in 1981 and joined Hewlett Packard, Optoelectronics Division. While at HP he held a variety of engineering and management positions in California, Japan, and Malaysia. In 2000 he joined Lumileds as a founding member. In 2007 he founded Telelumen, where he is currently the President. He was also the CTO at Lunera Lighting and the CTO at NEXT Lighting. He speaks frequently on a variety of topics related to solid state lighting, particularly daylight replication and spectrum. He holds 27 issued patents. |
 | Carol Revels is Director of Color and Sustainability with Lands’ End. She received a BS and Masters in Textile Chemistry form North Carolina State University. Prior affiliations and roles include Gap Inc., Director of Global Color Services; Cone Mills, Manager Color Technology; and SheLyn, Sr. Color Applications Specialist. |
 | Tim Williams is the Marketing Manager for CSI. Tim he has been involved with all aspects of the CSI business, assisting most of the major US Brand and Retailers’ supply chain needs. He is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science in Textile Chemistry. His career spans 35 years and includes a diverse background in Dyeing, Printing, Garment Washing, Color Formulation, and Electronic Color Communication and Color Standardization. |
Attendance is limited; early registration is encouraged.
Registration includes luncheons, breaks, access to the ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Color Guidebook, Textile Coloration for the Retail Supply Chain, and available presentations.
Refunds (less $75 cancellation fee) will be honored if received on or before July 8, 2025. No refunds will be given after July 8.
| ÐãÉ«Ö±²¥Individual & Corporate* Members | Nonmembers | |
|---|---|---|
| Early Registration (Before July 8, 2025) | US$970 | US$1445 |
| Regular Registration (After July 8, 2025) | US$1030 | US$1505 |
| *If your company is a corporate member of AATCC, please contact Kim Nicholson to register at the discounted member's rate. | ||
BEST VIEWED IN CHROME AND FIREFOX BROWSERS. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.
Okay