Why Your Printed Colors May Look Different from Your Screen

Your printed koozie can look a little different from your design on screen because a screen makes color with light and a printer makes color with ink. Small shifts in brightness and shade are normal. The biggest differences show up with very bright colors like neon, and with designs printed on a colored koozie.

Screens use light, printers use ink

Your phone and computer build every color from red, green and blue light. That is called RGB. Light can make colors that glow, so a screen can show very bright, saturated shades.

A printer works the other way. It puts ink on the surface, and the ink only reflects the light in the room. Full-color printing builds colors from cyan, magenta, yellow and black ink. That is called CMYK. Some RGB colors have no exact CMYK match, so the printer picks the closest one it can make.

The colors that change most are electric blues, bright greens, hot pinks, bright purples and anything neon. On a koozie they usually print a little softer or darker than they look on a backlit screen.

Every screen shows color a little differently

Your design does not look the same on every screen either. Brightness, night mode, blue-light filters and the screen itself all change what you see. The same file can look warmer on a phone and cooler on a laptop. A printer has no way to know which screen you used, so it prints the color values in the file.

The koozie changes the look too

• Koozie color. Ink sits on top of the koozie, so the koozie color can affect the print. DTF transfers typically use a white ink layer behind the colors to reduce the effect of the koozie color.
• Sublimation. Sublimation dyes the material itself and needs a white base for true color. It will not show true color on a dark or colored koozie.
• Texture. Neoprene and foam have a soft, slightly textured surface. Printed color on fabric can look a touch less glossy than the same color on a smooth screen.
• Lighting. Daylight, office lights and warm bulbs all change how a printed color looks. Check your koozies in normal daylight.

Colors we do not print

We print in standard flat inks. We do not offer glitter or neon ink colors. A neon color in your file prints as the closest standard color. If you want neon, pick a neon koozie color instead. Those are still available.

Metallic koozies cannot take DTF or sublimation printing.

How to get the closest color match

1. Send your brand color code. For a brand color, add the Pantone or HEX code to the "Notes for our team" box as a reference. An exact printed match is not guaranteed.
2. Use a sharp, full-size file. Upload the largest PNG or JPG you have. A blurry or tiny file can lose detail and color.
3. Avoid neon in your art. Standard inks cannot reproduce the glow of neon colors on a screen.
4. Check contrast with the koozie color. Light ink on a light koozie, or dark ink on a dark koozie, can be hard to read once printed.
5. Check your mockup on more than one screen. Look at it on your phone and your computer at normal brightness, with night mode off.

What your mockup shows

After you order, we email you a digital mockup of your koozie. It shows your design, size, placement and colors on the koozie you picked. Check your spam folder if you do not see it.

The mockup is still a picture on a screen, so it has the same limits as your design file. Use it to check spelling, layout and which colors go where. The mockup is not an exact printed-color proof. Printed shades can differ from what your screen shows. Production starts only after you approve the mockup.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my printed koozie look darker than my design?

Screens glow and ink does not. Bright RGB colors on a screen often print a little darker or softer in CMYK ink. Very bright blues, greens, pinks and purples change the most.

Can you match my exact brand color?

You can add a Pantone or HEX code to the "Notes for our team" box as a reference. An exact printed match is not guaranteed. Screens, materials and printing methods affect the result.

Do you print neon or glitter ink?

No. We print in standard flat inks, so neon colors in a design print as the closest standard color. Neon koozie colors are still available.

Will the mockup show the exact printed color?

No mockup can. A mockup is a picture on a screen, so it shows layout and colors as close as your screen allows. Use it to approve the design and placement.

Related

• Design your custom koozie online
• Artwork tips, file formats and common mistakes
• The difference between DTF and sublimation printing
• Koozie and printing glossary