HWB Project Management - Pure Color Fabric Cover Sample Making

When a client sends pure color fabric Hot water bottle cover—it sparks a detailed and often underappreciated process. For final manufacturers, receiving a sample photo means diving into the world of color matching, often starting with the Pantone reference number provided.

The first step is to pull out the Pantone swatch book and compare it with samples book from various fabric suppliers. Each supplier’s catalog shows slight variations in color, influenced by material composition, dye batches, and lighting. While these differences are usually subtle, they matter—especially when you’re aiming for that exact shade the client imagined. Selecting the closest match is both an art and a science, requiring a good eye and reliable supplier relationships.

Here’s where clients sometimes get puzzled: why does matching a specific Pantone shade often come with an extra charge? The answer lies beneath the surface of bulk production.

Most fabric mills have minimum order quantities (MOQs), often measured in rolls or hundreds of meters. For a small sample run—sometimes needing less than a single roll—the mill must run a special “small batch” or lab dye session. This is what’s commonly referred to as a “small-lot dyeing fee” or “lab-dip charge.” It covers the cost of setting up the dyeing process for a tiny quantity, which isn’t cost-effective under standard production rules.

Beyond the extra cost, there’s also the matter of time. Waiting for the fabric mill to schedule and complete this small run can delay the entire sampling process. And once the fabric is ready, downstream steps like embroidery, laser cutting, slot punching, and sewing must be rescheduled accordingly. What might seem like a simple request—“use this Pantone color”—actually sets off a chain reaction affecting both timeline and budget.

So the next time you’re specifying a Pantone for a sample, remember: that perfect shade might travel through several hands, special dye batches, and adjusted schedules before it reaches you. It’s all part of turning a color idea into a tangible, beautiful product—one Hot water bottle cover at a time.