Package Design | packagedesignmag.com

(March 2011) posted on Wed Apr 06, 2011

By Q&A with Mark Cropper

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In the small town of Burneside in the U.K., age-old tradition and new technology have formed a harmonious relationship. The town grew up around the still privately held James Cropper Speciality paper mill, which was founded in 1845. Today, clients from over 50 countries rely on the wide range of tailor-made papers produced at the mill.
For luxury products, the most important element of this process is the ability to match and create a unique color on specialty paper. Though the Specialty Papers division’s library has 3,500 “live” shades, clients still request an average of eight to 10 new shades every week, so the company is prepared with computerized matches of another 12,700 colors.
New chairman Mark Cropper represents the sixth generation of his family to be involved with the paper mill. Cropper sat down with Package Design magazine to explain what luxury brand owners should know about color and specialty paper production.

PD: Explain the difference between pigments and dyes.
Mark Cropper: Pigments hold their depth of color more than chemical dyes, which can break down in certain light environments.
Some shades can only be achieved with pigments, which are very difficult to break down with light. Every dye has its own characteristics—almost like DNA. When our craftsmen are not sure of the exact components of a dye sample they receive, they begin a “forensic” investigation process.

PD: What other light factors affect the use of dyes?
Cropper: The instability of dye-induced color under different light sources is known as metamerism. A good example of metamerism is when a fabric looks a certain color when it’s displayed in a store, but then appears to change color when it’s inspected under another light source—usually when a purchaser has taken a product home.

PD: Is a strictly computerized color-match the most accurate?
Cropper: No. Even with a huge database of dyes and specialized software, a computerized match will not be perfect. To get a closer match, color technicians compare the color under light conditions at a setting of D65 as a primary source. D65 is a common standard illuminant measure, roughly equivalent to the mid-day sun in Western Europe. They also assess the color under fluorescent light typically used in retail stores and under common household lighting conditions. Technicians choose as the closest match the color that varies the least under all three light sources.