Pantone Chemistry: History and Color of the Year
Chapter 1

The chaotic birth of the universal color language

Chapter 2

The secret society of color trendsetters

Chapter 3

Colors that defined a generation

Chapter 4

Coloring the modern era with Mocha Mousse and Cloud Dancer

Ch 1 · The chaotic birth of the universal color language
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streetspirit The Pantone Matching System standardized global color.

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The day color became a science

streetspirit Before 1963, warm red printed differently in New York and London until numbered codes allowed flawless global replication

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Quiz

In what year did chemist Lawrence Herbert launch the groundbreaking Pantone Matching System?

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Quiz

What was the primary problem that Lawrence Herbert sought to solve with the Pantone Matching System?

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We equate consistency with integrity, and variation with deceit.

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The chemistry inside the little cardboard fan

streetspirit Chemical degradation from light and moisture requires annual replacement of Pantone fan decks.

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Quiz

How many basic color pigments did the original Pantone Matching System rely on to mix its colors?

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Quiz

Why does Pantone recommend that designers replace their physical color fan decks every year?

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Fun Fact

Tiffany's secret number: The custom color Pantone 1837 is so exclusive that it does not appear in any public Pantone color matching books.

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Solving Kodak's colorful emergency
BETA

streetspirit Sort the mismatched yellow boxes to learn how Kodak's emergency inspired the Pantone system.

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Quiz

Which famous photography company hired Pantone in the 1960s to standardize its iconic yellow packaging?

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Quiz

Why did inconsistent packaging colors worry Kodak's customers in the mid-20th century?

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Glossary
pantone matching system (noun)
A standardized color reproduction system used to identify and match colors across different industries. Lawrence Herbert created this numbering index in 1963 to eliminate communication errors between printers and clients.

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streetspirit Color Trademarks

You can legally defend a brand-new shade, But only in the market where your product's made.

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Quiz

Why are custom trademarked colors like Tiffany Blue or UPS Brown kept out of public Pantone guides?

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Quiz

What is the official name of the custom private Pantone shade trademarked by Tiffany & Co.?

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Gossip

Should companies be allowed to legally trademark color shades?

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Gossip

Which brand has the most recognizable signature color?

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