At SODA, we handle a lot of merchandising projects, and over and over, we spot the same easy-to-fix mistake: designers use the wrong color space.
Designers keep using RGB color space when they should be using CMYK. This mix-up messes up the colors on physical items like apparel, branded merch or prints. Let’s break it down in plain terms.
RGB (Red, Green, Blue): Think of this as the "screen color mode." It’s how colors are made on your computer, phone, or TV by mixing light. It’s great for digital stuff because it can create super bright and vibrant colors.
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key/Black): This is the "print color mode." It’s how colors are made when you print something using inks on paper or fabric. It’s like mixing paints instead of light.
Here’s the problem: when you design merchandise (something that’ll be printed), you need to use CMYK because that’s what printers use. If you design in RGB instead, the colors you see on your screen won’t match what comes out of the printer. Why? Printers can’t copy all the bright, glowing colors a screen can make.
Imagine you’re painting a picture. On your computer screen, you’re using light to mix colors, and you can get really bright shades. But when you print, you’re using inks, and those inks can’t always match the same brightness or range. Some colors that look amazing in RGB turn out dull or different in CMYK.
For example:
Vivid Green: On your screen, you might design a bright, electric green—like a neon sign. When printed in CMYK, it could turn into a duller, almost olive green.
Vivid Orange: A bold, glowing orange on your screen might come out as a muted, burnt orange—or even shift toward red or brown. These bright, saturated colors are tough for CMYK to handle because RGB uses light (which can go super vibrant), while CMYK uses ink (which has limits). Some RGB colors simply don’t exist in the CMYK world!
The fix is simple: start your design in CMYK if it’s for something physical.
To switch to CMYK color mode in Adobe Illustrator, go to File > Document Color Mode and select CMYK Color; this will change the entire document to CMYK color mode.
This way, you’re working with the colors the printer can actually produce. You’ll see right away what’s possible, and your vivid green or orange won’t surprise you by turning muddy when printed.
What if your design needs a specific color—like a perfect green for your brand—that CMYK can’t get right? That’s where Pantone spot colors come in. Think of Pantone as a set of pre-mixed paints. Instead of relying on the standard CMYK inks to mix a color, you pick an exact shade from the Pantone system, and the printer uses that special ink.
For example:
If your vivid green looks dull in CMYK, a Pantone green can nail the exact shade you want.
Same goes for that vibrant orange—it’ll stay true to your vision.
The catch? Using Pantone spot colors costs more because it often means extra steps in the printing process, like adding a separate ink and plate. It’s usually worth it for things like logos or packaging where color accuracy is everything.
The most common mistake we see at SODA is designers using RGB for merch instead of CMYK. It’s an easy fix—just switch to CMYK when designing for print, and your colors will look like you expect them to. For those extra-tricky colors like vivid green or orange that CMYK can’t handle, Pantone spot colors are a great (but pricier) backup plan. Stick to this, and your merchandise will pop the way it’s supposed to!