Monthly Color Inspirations - White

The color white represents purity, innocence, wholeness and completion. In color psychology, white is the color of new beginnings, a blank canvas waiting to be written upon. White promotes a feeling of fresh beginnings, renewal, and clearing obstacles.

There are very few negative meanings of white, but too much white can be cold, isolating and empty. As opposed to black in the US, other cultures use white to signify death and mourning. In these cultures, death usually means the end of one life and the beginning of another, moving forward to a new life.

We can help you convey cleanliness and simplicity with the perfect shade of white. Contact us today.

Color Tolerancing: When the Human Eye Isn’t Enough

As sensitive to color as the human eye can be, it simply cannot define color differences quantitatively for precise and repeatable analysis. In some cases, visual perception of color variance could mean shipping a batch of product that does not meet specification, and in other cases, it could mean discarding a batch of good materials. These costly mistakes can be avoided when tolerances are established and differences are quantified.

How can you tell if the color is right?

There are a number of ways to determine whether a batch falls within an acceptable tolerance; however, not all methods will provide precise results. At Americhem, we suggest that the best and most accurate way to test acceptable color tolerance is to use an elliptical pass/fail system, which is based upon an equation developed by the Colour Measurement Committee. This system places a customizable emphasis on hue and chromaticity value, allowing you to determine how much weight is placed on the hue and chromaticity differences of the two colors.

Having good tolerances in place for each product allows you to make quick and easy pass/fail or ship/don’t ship decisions that can directly impact the profitability of your business. At Americhem, we understand how challenging it can be to accurately define color tolerances. You can read an article in Plastics Engineering about Measuring Color from Americhem Color Expert, Ron Beck.

For more information on color tolerancing or to learn about Americhem’s services, visit americhem.com or contact Scott Blanchard at sblanchard@americhem.com.

How You Can Create Synthetic Fibers that Stand Out

The increasingly competitive landscape in the synthetic fibers market has made it essential for companies to seek opportunities to add value and create points of differentiation. This blog post is to review how color and additive solutions impact the functionality and stabilization of synthetic fibers during production and when going to market.

Define Your Goals

Differentiating your fiber products from the competition can be accomplished in a number of ways, it boils down to determining what you are trying to accomplish, and then working with suppliers to find the right solutions. For example, outdoor fabrics for awnings would require different attributes than the lining of a fleece jacket.

Color-Enhancing Solutions

Finding the right mix of polymer color and additives can be the key to unlocking new business opportunities, helping synthetic fiber producers enhance material properties and create improved efficiencies in the spinning process, which adds greater value to end customers when compared to lower-cost alternatives. To further achieve the look you are after, the following color and additives might also be considered.

Goal	Solution
Enhancing appearance	Custom colors, blacks and whites, delusterants, and optical brighteners
Extending useful life	UVA and light stabilizers
Inhibiting the spread of germs	Antimicrobials
Improving processability during spinning	Lubricants, antioxidants and heat stabilizers
Preventing ignition or spread of flame	Flame retardants
Removing static charge from fabrics	Antistatics
Enhancing performance	Moisture managers, odor absorbers, fillers, reinforcement, tracers and biodegradation

In the highly competitive synthetic fibers market, differentiation can be achieved by fine-tuning your processes and finding the right mix of color and additive solutions. By working with a trusted partner, you can effectively balance form and function that will add value to your operation—and your customers.

Americhem’s Product Development Services

Americhem is more than a supplier to the synthetic fiber industry—we’re a partner that can help enhance your existing products and bring new products to market faster. We become fully integrated in your processes to help improve efficiency and overall product quality by employing our unique value-engineering approach. For more information on best practices in the manufacture of synthetic fibers, or to learn more about Americhem’s products and services, visit Americhem.com.

Larry Campbell
Technical Development Director- Fibers
Americhem, Inc.

Swiftwick and Solution Dye Advantages

“Everybody wins when you use solution dyed products.” Mark Cleveland, CEO, Elicit Brands.

For nearly 30 years, Americhem has been perfecting the coloring of solution dyed fiber. The advantages of solution dyeing offer environmental, manufacturing and performance advantages over post dyed fibers.

Companies using solution dyed yarns are thrilled with the results. Elicit Brands uses solution dyed fibers in their popular Swiftwick® athletic socks. Elicit wanted a material that would keep their products looking new and durable, as well as having reliable lot-to-lot consistency. This was achieved by partnering with Americhem to take their products to the next level. 

At Americhem, we are the leaders in solution dyed color. Our scientists have dedicated years of research to perfecting our products to achieve the very best solution dyed fiber.

As Americhem’s Vaman Kulkarni, Ph.D., global business development director, remarked, “A well designed masterbatch is the key to a successful solution dyed product and Americhem masterbatches lead to environmentally friendly color with performance.”

Could solution dyed fiber be the answer for your products? Contact us today to find out.

*Since this post, Mark Cleveland has stepped down as CEO of Elicit Brands. Chuck Smith is now the President of Elicit Brands.

In-Vehicle Color Harmony – Forming a Dynamic Equilibrium

In her blog, Kate Smith, chief color maven for the website Sensational Color says, “Harmony is nature’s way of saying that two or more things together make sense. Color harmony represents a satisfying balance or unity of colors.” She continues, “The human brain distinguishes the visual interest and the sense of order created by the harmony and forms a dynamic equilibrium.”

Ms. Smith is speaking of color harmony in general, but at Americhem, we have been promoting the very same concepts in a multitude of industries where color is of the utmost importance. There is no industry in which the concept is any more important than in the automotive and transportation industry.

Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), plastics and synthetic fiber processors have to strike a balance between the various elements of a car’s interior. They are faced with the very difficult challenge of harmonizing colors across many different resin types and applications within the vehicle. With so many variables to deal with, and with color being only one aspect of a vehicle’s overall performance, OEMs would like to rely on one supplier who can take the variation out of the interior components and let them focus on the other important features and capabilities of that vehicle.

At Americhem, we specialize in managing color harmony within a vehicle. With over 73 years’ experience in managing color, in industries from building and construction to synthetic turf, we’re sensitive to the fact that different materials and applications perform in very different ways when it comes to color. We are color harmony specialists because of our technical expertise in the disciplines of color science, performance and process technology, polymer and additive expertise. When it comes to making sure your dashboard console, floor liners and head rest look harmonious and have a satisfying balance with one another, Americhem is up to the challenge.

This concept applies across all geographies, as well. When Americhem creates color for vehicle components, the same technologies and standards are transferred to our plants in Europe and Asia, ensuring that colors appear the same no matter where in the world the car is manufactured, purchased and driven.

So when it comes to in-vehicle color harmony, consider Americhem a partner you can count on. With decades of experience in thousands of materials and applications, we’ll make you breathe easy about color harmony. The colors in your vehicles will be in balance and aesthetically pleasing to your customers in the showroom as well as on the road.

Bill Myers

Account Manager, Americhem Inc.