What is the Pantone Color Matching System (PMS)?
Designing and artwork are important aspects of packaging. However, to make your packaging impressive and identical, you have to choose your colors carefully. It is paramount to be consistent in color and design selection. Whether you are creating a logo for your brand or designing a big advertisement board. It is crucial, to follow the same color tones and themes in all mediums. CMYK and RGB are some popular color theories or patterns. Do you know what is PMS?
In this blog, we will do a detailed analysis of the PMS color system. Also, explore how they are effective for your printed Custom boxes.
What is PMS
PMS is a color-matching system that helps you in retrieving the exact shade of color for printing. However, this system allows designers and manufacturers to match colors precisely, no matter the medium or material that is going to be used for printing.
What does PMS Stand For?
The Full form of PMS is the Pantone Color Matching System. Which was developed by Pantone Inc. PMS matching system is a standardized color reproduction system.
The Pantone Color Matching System allows the designer to regenerate the same color by providing a universal language of color. PMS ensures that everyone involved in the production process can communicate and reproduce exact colors without any ambiguity.
“Pantone: Where Precision Meets Perfection”
How does it work?
Let’s suppose that you hire a designer to design your brand logo. The designer designed that logo at his/her place and sent that file to you through an email. You get the printout of that design at your location and then forward it to your printing company for your custom packaging.
Are you sure, the logo maintains the same color tones in all three locations?
Pantone introduced a Universal Color Matching Standard that can help the designers and manufacturers achieve the exact color tones for printing.
At this point, you can define PMS color as it is a set of standard colors that ensures the consistency and accuracy of color reproduction across different materials. However, these colors are widely used in various industries, including printing, graphic design, fashion, and manufacturing, to maintain uniformity in color across different mediums.
Types of PMS Colors
PMS colors are generally categorized into two main types.
- Spot Colors
- Process Colors
Spot Colors
Spot color is premixed PMS color, this mixed ink is used to achieve specific hues. However, every spot color has its unique PMS and Pantone number. The required color is created according to proper formulation and method.
Process Colors
Process colors are used in four-color (CMYK) printing, where cyan, magenta, yellow, and black inks are combined in various proportions to produce a wide range of colors.
Spot colors are crucial when you need to do exact color matching like logo and branding items. Whereas, Process colors are ideal for full-color printing jobs, such as brochures, magazines, and posters. However, you may not achieve the exact match of the color with process colors as you can do accurately in spot colors.
The Process of PMS, How to use.
To regenerate the actual color few things may help you to get a perfect color match. Here are some key elements discussed here:
Color Guide
Pantone offers tangible color charts, sometimes known as swatch books, that provide an extensive color spectrum. Every color has a distinct number and suffix (PMS 186 C, for example). The suffix is used to elaborate the material type like:
- C for Coated paper
- M for a matt paper
- U for uncoated paper
- Q for Opaque plastic
- T for transparent plastic
These suffixes are followed by a three-digit number which shows the shade number. Like Green: PMS 376 C
Ink formulas
To ensure accurate printer reproduction, the instructions provide precise ink formulas for every color.
Color Chips
Physical color chips can be used to check against printed materials or items for precise color matching. There are many tools, that can easily convert the CMYK color codes into PMS and RGB. However, you can also use some online CMYK to PMS converters to get the exact code of our color.
“Pantone: The Standard in Color Excellence”
Why Pantone Matching System is Important?
Using PMS in designs can bring a lot of benefits for you. Here are some significant advantages of using PMS.
Consistency
Whenever you are dealing in the marketing and branding domain, consistency becomes crucial for you. The critical benefit of PMS is consistency. You can easily produce the same and matched results for all devices with a similar designer’s vision.
Communication
PMS provides you with a common language for communication. The same color code for the designer, printer, and manufacturer. However, it will eliminate the risk of errors and reduce the cost of revisions when the same color language and the standard is followed on all ends
Efficiency
The colors produced by using the PMS method you can easily get the perfect results for your Custom Printed Packaging Boxes. It helps the designers achieve the perfect shades quickly without any need for revisions. However, this leads to faster turnaround times and less waste, as there’s no need for multiple test prints to get the color right.
Applications of PMS in Real Life
There are multiple domains and industries where the Pantone Color Matching System is followed to achieve and regenerate an exact shade of color. Here are amazing applications of PMS listed below.
Graphic Design:
Ensures that branding and marketing materials are consistent across different mediums, from business cards to billboards.
Branding and Logos:
Companies use PMS colors to ensure that their brand colors remain consistent across all marketing materials, packaging, and products.
Textile and Fashion Design:
Helps in dyeing fabrics to match specific colors, ensuring that clothing lines are cohesive and true to the designer’s palette.
Industrial Design:
Used in manufacturing to maintain color consistency in products, from electronics to household items.
Packaging:
PMS colors are used in Wholesale Custom packaging to maintain color accuracy and consistency on all boxes, ensuring that products stand out on the shelves.
Are Pantone and PMS The Same?
Many people are confused between Pantone and PMS, they often ask, “Is Pantone and PMS the same?” the answer is Yes.
The color standardization system created by Pantone Inc. is the same under the terms “Pantone” and “PMS” (Pantone Matching System). The terms are interchangeable when referring to the system that guarantees color constancy in a range of applications and industries.
Where Pantone is the name of the company that introduced this color-matching system and PMS is the specific name of the standardized color reproduction system created by Pantone.
So you can say that Pantone and PMS both are the same.
PMS Vs CMYK Vs RGB
These three are famous color models that are popular in the printing industry. Let’s have a quick overview of all of them.
Criteria | CMYK | PMS | RGB |
Full Form | Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key | Panton Matching System | Red, Green, Blue |
Color model | Subtractive color model for physical designs | Standard color for matching | Additive color model for digital designs |
Usage | Magazines, packaging, brochures, etc. | Used for precise color matching and consistency in branding | Digital Screens |
Accuracy | May vary between print runs and materials | High accuracy and consistency across different print runs | Accurate representation on digital screens |
Cost | Cost-effective for large print runs; economical in bulk | Can be more expensive due to the use of pre-mixed inks | Low cost for digital applications |
Consistency | Color consistency can be challenging; affected by printer setup | Ensures consistent colors | Consistent across different digital devices |
Application | Print materials (packaging, publications, marketing collateral) | Print materials (packaging, publications, marketing collateral) | Digital design, web graphics, multimedia |
Communication code | Requires knowledge of CMYK values for print specifications | Simplifies communication with specific Pantone color codes | Uses hex codes for precise color specification |
Choosing between CMYK, PMS, or RGB depends on the specific requirements of your project, including the medium of output, desired color accuracy, and budget considerations. Each color model has its strengths and is suited to different types of design and production processes. However, there are particular methods and formulas for conversion from one color model to other.
PMS X Printed Packaging Boxes
The Pantone Color Matching System play a vital role in the domain of packaging. However, this system ensures color consistency and brand integrity. There are multiple reasons to use the PMS method in the domain of packaging.
Importance of PMS in the Packaging Industry
Brand Consistency
Printed packaging boxes are designed with various branding elements like logos, and themed backgrounds.
- Color accuracy for logo
- Consistency in shades and color schemes
“Color Consistency You Can Trust”
Color matching
PMS is invaluable for achieving precise spot colors that cannot be achieved with standard CMYK printing. This is critical for matching specific brand colors or creating unique packaging designs.
Efficiency and Cost-effectiveness
PMS is an effective process with a fast turnaround time. However, by using PMS colors, packaging manufacturers can minimize color testing and adjustments, reducing material waste and production costs.
Material Compatibility
PMS colors are compatible with various packaging materials, including paperboard, corrugated boxes, cardboard boxes, plastics, Kraft Boxes, and metals, allowing for versatility in packaging design. Fine-quality printed Custom Cardboard boxes
Contact Custom Packaging House for fine Quality Printed Boxes
Packaging industries are full of experts and professionals. Multiple packaging Houses offer their amazing printing services in the USA. Custom Packaging House is offering the best and most reasonable printed boxes wholesale with premium finishing.
Contact us to discuss your packaging needs and unlock the power of personalized branding!” You can call us at 307 271 5170 or you can send us an email at sales@custompackaginghouse.com to get your INSTANT PRICE QUOTE.
Wrapping Up
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is integral to the packaging industry, offering precise color matching, consistency, and customization capabilities that are essential for branding, consumer perception, and market competitiveness.
Whether for branding, printing, textiles, or industrial design, PMS colors ensure that the final product meets the exact specifications of the original design.
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