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One of the fabrics we use has a PMS number of 1788C 2X. I know the 1788C refers to a specific color number, but what does the 2X stand for?
How do fabric suppliers and their clients talk about color and remain confident that they are referring to shades and hues? After all, one person’s “royal blue” might be known as “California blue” to someone else. The Pantone Matching System is one method developed to assist with color communications, developed by Pantone as a global system for color communication. 1788C does, in fact, refer to a particular shade of red, but we were unclear as to what the 2X meant. Luckily, the member who asked this question also mentioned the name of the fabric manufacturer, who was able to clarify it for us. The 1788C is the color reference; the 2X indicates that if you are screen-printing, it will require two “hits” or “passes” to create the matching shade.