X-Rite Pantone has announced a strategic partnership with the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) to strengthen digital color education and prepare the next generation of professionals for the evolving textile, apparel, footwear, and soft goods industries.
As part of the collaboration, X-Rite Pantone will donate its industry-leading color measurement, quality control, and visual evaluation technologies to FIT’s Textile Development and Marketing (TDM) department. The initiative will provide students with hands-on experience using the same digital color management solutions employed by leading global brands and manufacturers.
The partnership aims to equip students with practical skills in digital color workflows, enabling them to manage color consistently from product design through manufacturing. By integrating spectral data, digital color standards, and advanced quality control technologies into the curriculum, FIT students will gain valuable experience in improving collaboration across global supply chains while accelerating product development.
“By partnering with FIT, we’re providing the knowledge and tools future designers and textile professionals need to align physical color standards, spectral data, and digital workflows,” said Raj Shah, Vice President of Marketing at X-Rite Pantone.
Supporting Sustainable Textile Production
With textile supply chains becoming increasingly global, accurate digital color communication has become essential for brands, mills, dye houses, and manufacturers. Digital color standards help reduce development time, improve consistency, minimize material waste, and bring products to market more efficiently.
FIT Dean Shannon Maher said the collaboration reinforces the institution’s commitment to applied learning and strong industry partnerships, giving students a competitive advantage through access to professional color management technologies.
Read more: X-Rite Pantone and NIFT Partner to Build Color Management Skills for India’s Fashion and Textile Workforce
Beyond education, the partnership will also support joint research focused on improving digital color adoption, enhancing supplier-brand collaboration, increasing color accuracy, and identifying best practices for more sustainable and resilient textile supply chains.
By combining academic expertise with industry-leading color technology, X-Rite Pantone and FIT aim to accelerate digital transformation across the textile industry while helping future professionals reduce development cycles, improve transparency, and support more sustainable manufacturing practices.
