What color profile should I use for fabric printing?

Why sRGB and not CMYK

Our digital printing systems — the Kornit Presto for natural fabrics and DGI machines for sublimation — are calibrated to the sRGB color space. When you submit a file in sRGB, the printer interprets color values directly without any conversion.

CMYK is a color model designed for offset and commercial print on paper, where ink is applied in four separate layers (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black). Fabric printing works differently — it uses inkjet technology with RGB-interpreted color data. Submitting a CMYK file introduces an unnecessary conversion step that typically shifts hues, reduces saturation, and can cause unexpected color changes — particularly in blues, greens, and skin tones.

Rule: keep your working color space as sRGB from start to finish. Never convert to CMYK before submitting.

How to set sRGB in common design tools

Adobe Photoshop: Edit → Color Settings → Working Space: RGB → select sRGB IEC61966-2.1
Adobe Illustrator: Edit → Color Settings → Working Space: RGB → select sRGB IEC61966-2.1. When saving/exporting, ensure "Convert to sRGB" is checked.
Affinity Designer / Photo: Edit → Color Profile → select sRGB IEC61966-2.1
Canva / web-based tools: Canva operates in sRGB by default — no changes needed. Export as PNG or JPEG.

Pantone colors and fabric printing

Pantone textile color libraries (TCX, TPX) are designed for dye-lot matching in conventional textile dyeing — not for digital printing. If your design uses Pantone spot colors, they must be converted to RGB values before submission.

A few important caveats:

  • Pantone coated (C) and uncoated (U) swatches are calibrated for paper, not fabric. Their RGB equivalents will look different on fabric due to surface texture and ink absorption.
  • Pantone TCX/TPX values are closer to fabric output but still cannot be guaranteed as an exact match in digital printing — the process varies by fabric type and weave.
  • If a specific Pantone match is critical to your project (e.g. brand identity colors), order a test print first or contact us before placing a bulk order.

For the most reliable color reference for our specific printing conditions, use our printed Muzefab Color Map.

Embedded vs. missing color profiles

When you save your file, ensure the color profile is embedded in the file metadata. A file without an embedded profile may be interpreted inconsistently. In Photoshop: when saving as TIFF or PNG, check "Embed Color Profile" in the save dialog. In Illustrator: the profile is embedded automatically when you select "Convert to sRGB" on export.

Related articles

How to prepare files for printing
How to achieve accurate colors in fabric printing
Order the Muzefab Color Map