Measured sample

Find the closest dye

Enter values measured with the same settings used for the catalogue.

Catalogue data

Using the measurements built into the app.

Import updated Excel

The file is read only in your browser and is never uploaded.

Results

Best matches

Target Match

SurTec · Best single-dye match

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Enter a measurement to begin.

ΔE00 — —

Estimated position—

Predicted Lab*—

Match − Target—

Estimated concentration—

Position in the a–b plane

White point: target. Numbers 1–5: comparison points. This view excludes L*; proximity on screen is not ΔE00.

→ light to dark sample ΔE point

Chart view

Top 5 matches

Minimum ΔE00 on each measured segment. Δ = Match − Target; dose and Lab* refer to that same point.

3D Lab* neighbourhood

Drag to rotate and use the wheel to zoom. Every visible segment is labelled; circles 1–5 mark the exact points with the lowest ΔE00 for the Top 5 matches.

→ light to dark sample minimum ΔE00 point (1–5)

L* view: target ±15. Dashed extensions are visual guides only; neither matches nor concentrations are extrapolated.

Experimental estimate

Suggested dye blends

Start with a close catalogue shade and make small, targeted corrections. Broader colour combinations remain available below.

Lab* model

Ready

Conservative · base + fine corrections

The base comes from the Top 5. Correctors together are limited to one tenth of its g/L dose, while the base remains dominant in the Lab* model.

Preferred base dye

Base + 1 correction

Model ΔE00—

TargetEstimated blend

Model Lab* —Total estimated dose ——

Base + 2 corrections

Model ΔE00—

TargetEstimated blend

Model Lab* —Total estimated dose ——

Unrestricted exploration · may combine complementary colours

These mathematical alternatives may be less conventional than the base-led proposals above.

2 dyes

Estimated ΔE00—

Target Estimated blend

Predicted Lab* — Total estimated dose — —

3 dyes

Estimated ΔE00—

Target Estimated blend

Predicted Lab* — Total estimated dose — —

Experimental Lab-space model — laboratory trial required. Doses are interpolated from the measured endpoint concentrations and scaled by the model contribution. Real dyes do not mix linearly in Lab*. Even a model ΔE00 of 0.00 does not establish a physical match or a unique dosage. Time-controlled references remain included, using their listed concentration or range mean; bath time must be validated separately.

All proposals remain experimental Lab* estimates, not calibrated recipes. Validate them in a laboratory bath. Totals use unrounded doses.

How the match is calculated

For each dye, the app finds the closest point along the Lab* segment measured from the light sample to the dark sample, then calculates the CIEDE2000 distance. Results are indicative: illuminant, observer, instrument geometry, finish and process must match the catalogue measurement conditions.

The “very close”, “close” and “verify” ratings are initial working thresholds. They should be refined after comparison with visual and production acceptance.

Single-dye search samples the full measured segment and refines the local minima of CIEDE2000 (kL = kC = kH = 1), including both endpoints. Dashed extensions never contribute to the search. ΔL*, Δa* and Δb* always mean the proposed colour minus the target.

The experimental blend search screens every pair and triple with concentration data, then refines the strongest candidates using continuous proportions and segment positions. It no longer fixes each dye at the target L* or uses 5% steps. Contributions sum to one, with a 2% numerical floor per dye. This is a heuristic Lab-space search, not a certified global optimum or a physical formulation model. A third dye is shown only when its model ΔE00 improves by at least 0.05.

For each contribution, c(t) = c(light) + t × [c(dark) − c(light)]; its starting dose is model weight × c(t). Different combinations can predict similar Lab* but different doses. More concentration measurements and real mixture trials are needed for a calibrated formulation model.

Conservative proposals hold the selected Top-5 comparison point as the base reference. The base retains at least 90% of the Lab-space contribution; all correcting dyes together contribute at most 10% of the base's calculated g/L. These are practical search constraints, not a chemical validation. Select a particular Top-5 dye to prefer grey, brown or another base. Only improvements over the best single dye are shown.

Swatches assume D65 / 2° and are clipped to sRGB where needed. These display assumptions do not alter ΔE00 ranking. PDF reports are rendered locally at 200 dpi with integrated SurTec attribution; use Copy result for accessible, selectable text.