# China factory asking for TPX for print files not PMS?



## BEatMaKeR (Aug 1, 2005)

Ran into an interesting problem today.

A factory I'm using to produce some t-shirts asked me for the TPX #'s for the PRINT INK COLORS on my designs!

I have never in my life been asked to convert my spot color PMS print colors on my print files to TPX (the home and fashion color system used for dying fabrics)??

When I questioned this they said all the factories are using this now and they no longer accept PMS for colors on prints?

WHAT!?

Any insight here? Or are they just being stupid and this should set off a red flag to go elsewhere? I mean they did stuff for Ecko, Puma, Addidas, so I would assume they know what they are doing... but what the heck? TPX for print! Never heard of that? I can't even send them seps for that??


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## highstyleinc (Apr 4, 2007)

Hi Shaun,

Right, we use Pantone TP (textile codes) for printing and dyeing as well. This should be more common because I think it decreases errors in matching colors.


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## BEatMaKeR (Aug 1, 2005)

Hi Kris. Not sure about the TP colors. I know TPX which is the fashion and home color guide for selecting fabric dyes. I understand that all good and well. If you want to COTTON dye a t-shirt fabric to match a certain shade... then YES of course it makes sense. You need to match that to a preferred TPX.

...But not for printing the design on the shirts. There is no TPX match for INK colors. You use PMS colors. Like 267 C for example. The solid coated color value.

I can't even color sep my files for TPX in a Photoshop channels file. They need to be PMS values. This just doesn't sit well with me.

Am I crazy or what?


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## highstyleinc (Apr 4, 2007)

Shaun, 

Any factory should be able to match your graphics sent in photoshop without having any problems. I find factories in China are more difficult to deal with in terms of t-shirts. Is this the first factory you have used in China? Make sure you check your quotas....


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## BEatMaKeR (Aug 1, 2005)

Kris,

Yes this was one of the sources I found at Magic last February and figured I would give them a shot since their samples and prices were pretty impressive. As far as I understand the quotas are included in my per piece quotes. Anything specific I should monitor?

Yea, with India it was a non-issue. I just sent them films directly and the prints came back perfect. Now I'm stepping up to more complex prints (photographic reproduction) so auto presses with multi-print capabilities were a must. I found it was necessary to move on for these print types. Unfortunately I'm playing the "learn a new factory" game all over again. And this time its been much harder than dealing with India. Maybe its a culture thing I'm not sure? There is definitely some understanding differences here thats for sure.

Have to be honest. TPX to PMS does not match well. For example PMS 267 C is a shade of purple. The closest match according to Pantone x-Ref (system to match TPX to other shades in systems like F+H) http://www.pantone.com/pages/mypantone/xref.aspx says its 18-3949 TPX which is a shade of blatant blue. Now I know my channel files in Photoshop are going to be off if I sep them for PMS and send them TPX values to change out. There is no way its going to come out accurate.

I'm at a loss here?????


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## highstyleinc (Apr 4, 2007)

Quotas: just double check these are included. This usually raises prices to what you find in India. But China sounds like where you would have to go for those prints. 

It may be the type of print that is requring them to ask for TPX codes, and no PMS codes I found do not convert exactly. Like you said, it will give you the "closest" match. You may have to go through the TPX codes, find a color yourself instead of replying on conversions. Obviously not ideal, but worth it.


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## A Perfect Pixel (Jul 4, 2008)

Pantone TPX stands for Pantone Textile Paper eXtended.


In May of 2003, the old Pantone Textile color system was renamed 'Pantone for Fashion and Home', and all colors changed from TP to TPX . For example, Pantone 19-2430TP was changed to 19-2430TPX.


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## BEatMaKeR (Aug 1, 2005)

Hi Brian. Thanks... I knew all of that. I just can't figure out why a factory would request a TPX value for PRINT files as certain PMS values do not convert to TPX values. Case in point... 267 C


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## TeddyRocky (Mar 23, 2007)

Don't know about china, but in the states we all seem to use PMS coated for all of our INK color matches.

I understand what you're saying though, why use TPX codes if you're not dyeing the shirt? Have you tried asking the factory why?


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## BEatMaKeR (Aug 1, 2005)

Well I am using a custom TPX dye for the fabrics... but regarding the INK colors... they said "this is what we are *all* using now"... which in turn means nothing to me if I can't get what I need accomplished.

Sounds asinine to me.


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