Pantone (PMS)

The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is an international standardised colour system used to specify exact ink colours for printing. Each Pantone colour is identified by a unique code — such as Pantone 485 C for a specific bright red — and can be reproduced consistently by any printer in the world who uses the corresponding pre-mixed ink, regardless of their equipment or location. This makes Pantone an essential tool for brand colour consistency across print applications. When a brand specifies its primary colour as Pantone 286 C, for example, a printer in Dublin and a printer in Tokyo can both produce exactly the same blue. Pantone colours are used in spot colour printing, where inks are mixed and applied individually rather than built from CMYK process colour combinations. For brands where colour consistency is critical — particularly in packaging and high-volume commercial printing — specifying Pantone values in brand guidelines is essential.