PROCESS • Artwork & colour
Colour matching — from Pantone to fabric
How Colour matching runs at merch.am: steps, timelines and AMD prices when the choice is driven by ink, not backlight.
What this page is
Colour matching is two steps: fixing the Pantone reference in the brief and approving a physical sample before the run. This page answers the practical questions: which steps exist, how long each takes and which documents accompany the process.
The artwork stage decides everything: one wrong file costs more than the whole design budget. In the case of Colour matching that means one point of contact, one AMD invoice and deadlines fixed in writing.
How the work runs
Different substrates take the same colour differently: cotton and polyester come out of the same Pantone as two shades. That is why the sample is printed on the very material of the order, and the print proof is compared under daylight.
The core steps of the Colour matching track:
- Colour matching: approving the print proof
- Colour matching: confidentiality terms
- Colour matching: the file intake check
What we watch for
The risk we watch during Colour matching is this: The risk is on-screen colour: a monitor shows backlight, not ink, and print does not follow it. That is why every step carries a written confirmation and its own owner.
The engine is ink, not backlight: if the offer does not read along that axis, the Colour matching programme loses its point. We build along exactly that axis, measured by colour accuracy and sample approval.
Prices and terms
Programmes on the Colour matching track usually fall into the 1500–9000 AMD range per unit (excluding 20% VAT), with runs of 50–600 pcs. Every item, including T-shirts, enters the quote as a separate line.
The artwork stage decides everything: one wrong file costs more than the whole design budget. Delivery on the Colour matching track runs 24–48 hours in Yerevan, HayPost 3–5 working days or SPS Express 1–2 days to the regions, and FedEx, DHL or Onex beyond the border.
- Colour approval
- brand colours locked against Pantone references; sample in 5–7 working days
- VAT
- quotes are in AMD and exclude 20% VAT
- Yerevan delivery
- 24–48 hours after order confirmation
- Production
- 4–8 working days, or 3–5 on rush handling after artwork approval
Independent supplier. merch.am is an independent B2B corporate-merch production and fulfilment partner for the Armenian market. Meridian Expo Center, Yerevan Expo, the banks, couriers and companies named on this page are market context only and do not imply partnership, sponsorship or official status. Figures are indicative planning ranges in AMD and exclude 20% VAT; confirm every programme against a written brief before ordering.
Related pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum run for Colour matching
Print starts at 50 pieces, embroidery at 100, lanyards and pens at 200. A typical run on the Colour matching track is 50–600 pcs, with T-shirts planned at 1500–9000 AMD per unit excluding 20% VAT.
What lead time should Colour matching plan for
The full cycle on the Colour matching track is usually 2–3 weeks from brief to delivery: production 4–8 working days, a sample 5–7, and delivery within Yerevan 24–48 hours.
How do you guarantee colour accuracy
For a Colour matching programme every step is fixed in writing, colours are locked against Pantone references, and the batch is inspected the day before packing.