CIELAB Color Space

Lightness Component

Scale values along the vertical axis run from absolute black to perfect white. In the cielab color space, this lightness coordinate is designated as L and represents the lightness of the substrate. It prevents misinterpretation of color depth by isolating the luminous intensity from the chromatic coordinates.

Chromatic Coordinate

Positioning on the horizontal axes determines the specific hue and saturation of the textile sample. The cielab color space employs the ‘a’ coordinate for the red-green direction and the ‘b’ coordinate for the yellow-blue direction. Negative values represent green or blue while positive values indicate red or yellow.

Measurement Standard

Colorimeters and spectrophotometers calculate the total color difference using Euclidean distance formulas to generate a single numerical value. When assessing dyed fabric, the cielab color space provides the basis for setting pass or fail boundaries during final shade inspection before garment cutting. Although the system assumes uniform spacing, the human eye perceives differences in saturated colors less acutely than in neutral shades.

This divergence requires mills to apply modified formulas for commercial acceptance in high-volume apparel contracts.