Converting colors from the system to the Pantone Formula Guide Coated (C) system is a common task when moving a design from fabric to printed materials like packaging or marketing collateral. Because TCX colors are dyed on cotton and C colors are printed with ink on coated paper, an exact match is often impossible, so the goal is to find the closest visual equivalent. Official Conversion Tools
If you do not have access to the software, the manual method involves using physical swatch books. Designers often take a TCX cotton chip and physically lay it over the Pantone Formula Guide Coated pages under a D65 standard light booth. This remains the gold standard for high-stakes production because digital screens often distort the nuances of undertones. Best Practices for Designers tcx to pantone c
Open the Pantone Connect web app, mobile app, or Adobe Creative Cloud extension. Navigate to the or Cross-Reference tool. Converting colors from the system to the Pantone
Understand that a Coated C color will almost always look sharper and more reflective than its TCX counterpart. Perfect identity is impossible across different mediums. Designers often take a TCX cotton chip and
A dye that looks identical to a paper ink under a store’s fluorescent lights may look completely different under sunlight. Cotton absorbs UV differently than coated paper.
A dye absorbs light; an ink reflects light. Therefore, a TCX color and a C color with the same number will rarely look identical.
Understanding TCX and Pantone C: How to Convert Textile Colors to Graphics Standards