X-Rite Pantone, the global authority in color standards and color science, and the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), part of the State University of New York (SUNY) and a global leader in creative education, today announce a strategic partnership to advance color education and digital innovation for the apparel, footwear, soft goods, and textile industries. As part of the collaboration, X-Rite Pantone will donate industry-leading color measurement, quality control, and visual evaluation technology to the college’s Textile Development and Marketing (TDM) department in order to support hands-on learning at FIT. This donation significantly enhances the offerings of the TDM department, which is part of the college’s Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology.
“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.
As textile production continues to globalize, accurate and consistent color communication from design through production is more critical than ever. Digital color standards accelerate development, enable more effective collaboration between brands, mills, dye houses, and manufacturers, helping organizations maintain color consistency across complex supply chains, and bringing products to market faster with less waste. To prepare students for modern apparel and textile production, X-Rite Pantone is donating a complete end-to-end textile color management ecosystem, including the latest X-Rite color measurement devices, software, and visual evaluation solutions.
With access to the same professional tools used by leading global brands, FIT’s TDM students will gain real-world experience managing color from inspiration through finished product. They will learn how digital color workflows improve communication between supply chain partners, enhance quality control, support nearshoring and global sourcing initiatives, and help brands respond faster to shifting consumer demands.
“We are thrilled to partner with X-Rite Pantone,” said Shannon Maher, dean, FIT’s School of Business and Technology. “FIT’s legacy is rooted in strong industry alliances and hands-on, applied learning. Combining our TDM faculty’s deep textile expertise with X-Rite Pantone’s industry-standard color technology gives our students a distinct competitive advantage, preparing them to champion faster, more sustainable production practices across the global market.”
Through this partnership, X-Rite Pantone and FIT will conduct industry research to help establish more efficient, sustainable, and connected color processes. The initiative will explore opportunities to improve digital adoption, strengthen supplier-brand collaboration, increase color quality and consistency, and identify best practices for more resilient and responsive textile supply chains.
“Digital color skills aren’t just technical,” added Shah. “They play a critical role in helping brands design for achievability, improve collaboration across global supply chains, and bring products to market faster. As the textile industry continues its digital transformation, these skills are becoming essential for designers, developers, and production teams alike.”
By combining academic research with industry-leading technology, this partnership aims to equip the next generation of textile professionals with the skills needed to reduce development cycles and material waste, improve supply chain transparency, and drive innovation through digital color workflows.
About the Fashion Institute of Technology
A part of the State University of New York (SUNY), FIT has been a leader in career education in art, design, business, and technology throughout its history. Providing more than 8,000 students annually with an uncommon blend of hands-on, practical experience, theory, and a firm grounding in the liberal arts, the college offers a wide range of affordable programs that foster innovation and collaboration. Its distinctive curriculum is geared to today’s rapidly growing creative economy, in fields such as computer animation, toy design, production management, film and media, and cosmetics and fragrance marketing. Internationally renowned, FIT draws on its New York City location to provide a vibrant, creative community in which to learn. The college offers nearly 50 majors and grants AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, preparing students for professional success and leadership in the creative economy. Among notable alumni in fashion are Calvin Klein, Michael Kors, Norma Kamali, Daniel Roseberry, Peter Do, Reem Acra, Stephen Burrows, Dennis Basso, Francisco Costa, Victor Glemaud, Bibhu Mohapatra, Nanette Lepore, Ralph Rucci, and John Bartlett. Other prominent graduates include Leslie Blodgett, creator of bareMinerals; international restaurant designer Tony Chi; and Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief of Elle.
