X-Rite Incorporated, Pantone LLC, and Sun Chemical announce a new Eco-Kraft corrugated board dependent color library for PantoneLIVE, a cloud-based digital color standard ecosystem. The new library enables converters to set achievable expectations to produce Pantone color standards on corrugated board made from recycled materials. 

Now available as part of the PantoneLIVE Production – Print and Packaging subscription, the Eco-Kraft library was built using a brown Kraft substrate with a substantially higher recycled content than in the previous libraries. The result is a base substrate color that is more chromatic. This new library captures the closest achievable match to the core Pantone Matching System colors that can be produced on Eco-Kraft substrate using water-based inks and flexographic printing.

“Consumers consider sustainability when making purchasing decisions and companies are responding by incorporating more recycled materials in their packaging,” said Chris Brooks, president, X-Rite. “With the addition of the Eco-Kraft library in PantoneLIVE, brands and their packaging suppliers can now see how a Pantone color will reproduce on recycled Eco-Kraft board and get recommendations on setting achievable and realistic color targets for this sustainable packaging substrate.”

“The market trend towards more sustainable substrates and inks opened a space for the creation of a new PantoneLIVE dependant library for the water-based market,” said Nicolas Betin, global sustainability business leader, Sun Chemical. 

“We are glad to support X-Rite and Pantone in creating this new water-based library and we are ready at the local level with color management tools and processes to support customers matching these new color targets,” added Patrice Aurenty, global business leader for color management, Sun Chemical.

With over 84,000 Pantone color choices for the top packaging and printing applications, PantoneLIVE enables brand owners, designers, and printers to feel confident in selecting color standards that are achievable in production, resulting in improved speed to market and reduced press approvals, waste and rework.

PantoneLIVE is part of X-Rite’s digital color workflow and integrates with InkFormulation Software, ColorCert Suite, and X-Rite spectrophotometers such as the new eXact 2. With streamlined color communication, faster ink formulation, and improved quality control, brands, and printers can drive efficiencies and improve sustainability efforts.