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Differences in Colors: Monitor vs. T-Shirt

When designing in digital tools, the vibrant hues you see on your screen (RGB) may not always match the final product on a T‑shirt (CMYK or textile print). Several factors contribute to this color discrepancy:

1. RGB to CMYK Conversion

Monitors display colors in the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) color space—ideal for light-emitting displays. However, printing relies on CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) or specific textile inks.

Because RGB has a broader gamut than CMYK, some vivid screen colors can’t be perfectly replicated in print. Converting files to CMYK or using print-optimized RGB profiles can help—but slight shifts in color are common.

2. Monitor Calibration & Settings

Your screen’s brightness, contrast, and color settings significantly impact how you perceive color. Without calibration, what looks “perfect” on your monitor might appear dull, washed out, or overly vibrant in print . Regular calibration (using hardware tools) or choosing manufacturer-tuned displays can improve accuracy—but on-screen previews will always vary somewhat from printed outcomes.

3. Fabric & Printing Process

The color and texture of the garment influence how inks appear once printed. For instance, a red fabric absorbs and alters ink reflectivity differently than white or black fabrics. Examples from industrial printers like Kornit or Brother illustrate how identical designs shift in appearance across varying garment colors and print technologies—with darker fabrics often muting hues.

Tips to Improve Color Accuracy

  • Boost brightness, contrast, and saturation: Prints tend to appear darker and less vibrant than digital previews. Bumping these settings slightly can bring printed results closer to screen appearance.

  • Order sample garments: This real-world test helps you verify whether your design’s colors are translating correctly from screen to fabric.

  • Design in RGB and export with awareness: Stick to RGB exports, but preview your designs in CMYK-compatible proof views when possible to anticipate shifts.

Colors may look different on the printed item than they appear on your monitor. This may be due to different reasons:

  • To print pixel designs, we need to render the color scheme from RGB to CMYK and make color corrections if necessary. This may lead to slight color variations.

  • Every screen displays colors differently. A combination of brightness, contrast and saturation can change color effects significantly.

  • The color of the fabrics has an effect on the print result. The example below illustrates how different colors come out on white, black and different-colored fabrics.

color chart (Kornit)

Color chart (Brother)

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