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Master the Science Behind Consistent Color in Digital Printing
Color is one of the most important parts of professional printing. It affects brand accuracy, customer satisfaction, production confidence and repeat business.
Color Matching 101 is an educational series from STS Inks created to help print professionals better understand color science, ICC profiles, Delta E, white ink stability, media behavior and repeatable print workflows.
Whether you run DTF, UV, UV DTF, eco-solvent, wide format or specialty printing equipment, this series will help you understand what influences color and how to build a more consistent production process.
Why Color Matching Matters
In production printing, color is not just about making a print look good once. It is about producing the right color again and again.
A strong color workflow can help print shops:
- Reduce reprints
- Improve brand color accuracy
- Minimize wasted ink and media
- Build more predictable production results
- Improve customer confidence
- Support repeatable output across jobs, media and equipment
At STS Inks, color is in our DNA. This series is designed to make color management easier to understand, more practical to apply and more valuable for everyday production.
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What You’ll Learn in This Series
Color Matching 101 breaks down complex color topics into clear, practical lessons for real-world print production.
Each episode explains one important concept and connects it back to what matters most in a print shop: consistency, efficiency, accuracy and confidence.
Color Matching 101 - Series
Built for Print Professionals
This series is designed for:
- Print shop owners
- Production managers
- Press operators
- Dealers and distributors
- Sales teams
- Customer support teams
- New customers learning digital printing
- Experienced printers looking to improve consistency
The goal is not to overcomplicate color science. The goal is to make it useful.
Why STS Inks Created This Series
STS Inks supports print professionals across DTF, UV, UV DTF, eco-solvent, wide format and specialty printing applications.
Through advanced ink chemistry, in-house testing and digital printing expertise, STS focuses on helping customers achieve reliable color performance and more consistent production results.
Color Matching 101 was created to share that knowledge in a practical, easy-to-understand format.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is color matching in digital printing?
Color matching is the process of trying to reproduce a target color as accurately and consistently as possible using a specific printer, ink, media and workflow.
Why does color look different on screen than in print?
Screens use RGB light while printers use ink, usually CMYK or expanded ink sets. Because screens and printers create color differently, not every screen color can be reproduced exactly in print.
What is an ICC profile?
An ICC profile is a file that helps describe how a device, ink and media combination reproduces color. It helps improve predictability and consistency in a color-managed workflow.
Why is white ink important in DTF and UV printing?
White ink often acts as a base layer on dark or transparent materials. Its opacity, circulation and stability can affect brightness, coverage and overall print appearance.
What causes color shifts in production printing?
Color shifts can be caused by changes in media, profiles, ink behavior, printhead condition, curing, humidity, temperature, lighting or workflow settings.
How can print shops improve color consistency?
Print shops can improve consistency by using proper ICC profiles, maintaining equipment, controlling media variables, measuring color when needed and following a repeatable production workflow.