Describe the relationship you want
Explain whether the overall field should be restrained, strongly directional or varied close up with a coherent larger impression. Keep that appearance goal separate from individual colour names. A grey or brown label does not state the approved shade, and a two-colour-looking image does not prove how an article was made. Ask the team which colour-development route or existing reference could support the garment goal.
Identify the material and sample stage
A yarn reference, small colour sample and finished cloth can support different parts of the discussion. Label which stage each item represents and keep its material and article identity. If the development starts from another composition or finished article, retain that change explicitly. Do not assume a colour result transfers unchanged to every material or construction. Ask which physical standard and sample stage should be used for the proposed article before an approval is recorded.
Use a physical standard for the decision
Keep a target cutting, colour standard or other agreed physical reference identified and available. Record whether it is inspiration, a comparison target or an approved standard. Screen images can help explain the request but are affected by photography and display conditions. Ask the relevant team how to compare the proposed sample with the reference and which information should be retained. Avoid inventing a tolerance or approval method without the applicable project discussion.
Record light and direction
Compare candidate samples under known conditions, keeping face and length direction consistent. If you turn a cutting to inspect a directional appearance, label that change separately. Keep close and larger views of the same sample together. Differences in light, orientation and surface can change the comparison, so record them rather than attributing every result to the colour itself. A matching photograph may be needed before a distant comparison becomes meaningful.
Keep the approval scope limited
State which colour relationship or sample was reviewed, by whom and at what stage. Acceptance of a colour impression does not automatically approve composition, finished weight, usable width, surface, garment performance or bulk shade arrangements. Those fields need the appropriate evidence and confirmation. Retain the accepted physical reference and the unresolved article questions together so the next stage can identify what must remain and what still needs review.
Carry the version into the supply discussion
When a final article or colour programme is proposed, ask how its sample and relevant production information relate to the retained reference. Keep quantities per colour, original units and any shade or roll questions visible. If the composition, finish or article changes, ask which colour decisions need to be revisited. Sample availability and timing remain specific to the proposal; the site does not promise that an illustrated palette is a stocked or reproducible article.
Record alternative colour proposals
If the team proposes another colour reference, identify it separately and state which part of the original relationship it is intended to preserve. Keep the material, stage and viewing conditions with the comparison. A preferred alternative should receive its own decision scope rather than inherit an earlier approval by appearance alone. Retain the original and replacement references so the reason for the colour revision remains clear.
Your decision and record
| Check | Decide | Keep with the reference |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | State the desired close and larger colour relationship. | Appearance words and garment context. |
| Stage | Identify yarn, colour sample or finished cloth. | Material, article and sample role. |
| Standard | Retain the actual physical reference. | ID, ownership and decision status. |
| Conditions | Compare under known light and direction. | Face, orientation and viewing record. |
| Version | Carry only the accepted scope forward. | Approved reference, article revision and questions. |
Questions for this step
Does a two-colour illustration specify warp and weft colours?
It does not establish an article's recipe or structure. Describe the desired appearance and ask the team for the applicable development information.
Can colour approval also approve the entire article?
Keep the scope explicit. Colour, composition, dimensions, construction and supply decisions can require different sample and document evidence.
What if the finishing stage changes?
Identify the change and ask which physical reference and colour decisions need to be reviewed for the proposed finished article.