Designers asked, Pantone answered: the largest commercial color library of its kind is even bigger and better. In December 2022, Pantone® added 224 new colors to the Pantone Matching System® (PMS) and re-formulated its base mixing inks for the first time since 1963. Every new color launch stems from years of collaborative research uniting graphic designers, CPG companies, the Pantone internal color lab, and the Pantone Color Institute. The latest launch answers designers’ requests for more on-trend colors and for inks that will keep packaging popping on the shelf.
The newly released colors address a common design pain point: what do you do when the color you need exists somewhere between two neighboring PMS formulas? You have to pick a color that’s close but not quite right.
Not anymore. Pantone formulated these 224 new colors to fill the gaps in the PMS color gamut. The new options include warm grays, dark neutrals, earthy blues and greens, delicate pinks, bold reds and oranges, vibrant pastels, and other-worldly golds.
That’s not all. In addition to these highly requested colors to enrich designers’ palettes, Pantone also released the greatest improvements to its base inks since 1963.
As of December 2022, all editions of the Pantone Formula Guide and Color Bridge Guide use five new eco-friendly base inks that are more compatible with post-print coatings. The reformulated base inks are made with soy and other vegetable oils, and don’t contain any reportable levels of hazardous substances.
That’s important for the planet. What’s important for designers, printers, and ink suppliers? First, rest assured that the base ink improvements don’t create any changes in color appearance or the associated digital master values. Designers who work in print and packaging will also be excited to learn that the new base inks can be coated in the production process. Coatable inks protect packaging from scratching and fading, which keeps products looking vibrant for years to come.
So what does this update mean for Pantone customers?
With new colors comes new books. Graphic designers will need a new Formula Guide, Color Bridge Guide, or Spot Color Chip Book to use the new colors. Printers and converters will need the latest Formula Guide and Color Bridge Guide to match the new colors. Ink vendors need the Formula Guide so that their customers can match the new colors.
If your Pantone Guides are the 2019 or even 2020 edition, it’s time to replace them anyway. Pantone Guides are printed on commercial grade paper, and are therefore not immune to fading and yellowing. While Pantone Guides will always provide the exact specifications needed for color communication, when natural physical deterioration continues long enough, the colors designers will see in old books will not be the same colors they see in a new print.
The new Pantone Guides make it easy to see actual color appearance so designers can set accurate color expectations, ensure color consistency, and improve collaboration with stakeholders. Keeping updated Pantone Guides reduces rework by 50% and ensures that consistent color accuracy is maintained across all design projects and materials.
Plus, Pantone makes it easy for customers in North America to trade in old books for up-to-date versions and even earn some cash back.
Adding new colors gives designers more ways to tell more impactful stories. Whether you’re using our Formula Guide for color inspiration or converting Pantone colors to their CMYK equivalent with our Color Bridge Guide Set, Pantone offers a broad range of libraries and tools to bring your exact color vision to life.
To integrate these new colors in your workflows, be sure to subscribe to Pantone® Connect for Adobe® Creative Cloud® to maintain access to all 15,000 Pantone® Colors for applications like InDesign®, Photoshop®, and Illustrator®.