Graphics Direct are Pantone's designated Partner & Education distributor in the UK
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What Are Pantone Colour Systems?
Pantone provides a universal language of colour that enables colour-critical decisions through every stage of the workflow for brands and manufacturers. More than 10 million designers and producers around the world rely on Pantone products and services to help define, communicate and control colour from inspiration to realization – across various materials and finishes for graphics, fashion and product design.
We Have Two Color Systems – the Pantone Matching System (PMS) for graphics, and the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors (FHI) System
Why two?
A. Different needs. Each system is designed to feature market-relevant colours. Fashion designers need more whites, blacks, and neutrals in their palette, while print and packaging designers need colours that will stand out on a shelf.
B. Different materials. The appearance of colour can change based on the material on which it is produced. In fact, some colours are not achievable at all on a certain material. Having two systems helps to ensure that the colours included are achievable and reproducible based on the materials used.
All of our colour libraries are highly curated and backed by scientific achievability to meet market and manufacturing needs. Our systems are globally available, so when a designer in London specifies a certain Pantone Colour Number, the manufacturer any where in the world immediately knows exactly which colour they want – and how to achieve it. Even though they may not speak the same language, they both understand the global colours of Pantone.
Which Pantone Guide is best for me?
Official UK Pantone Partner — the complete range, expert advice, same-day despatch.
Graphics Direct has been supplying Pantone colour guides to designers, print professionals, architects and creative studios across the UK for over 25 years. As an authorised Pantone Partner, every guide we sell is 100% genuine — not grey market — and we carry the full current range including all 2026 editions featuring the 224 latest trend colours and Colour of the Year 2026, Cloud Dancer 11-4201.
Not sure which guide you need? Call us on 01423 359 730 — you'll speak to a real person who knows Pantone inside out. University and student discounts are available — ask us for details.
Which Pantone guide do I need?
I work in print and graphic design — spot colour, branding, logos
The Pantone Formula Guide GP1601B is the industry standard. It contains 2,390 PMS spot colours on coated and uncoated stock with ink mixing formulations, and is the go-to reference for logo design, brand identity, print production and press checks. If you already own the Formula Guide and also work across digital channels, step up to the Color Bridge Guide Set GP6102B, which adds CMYK, HTML and RGB values alongside every spot colour — giving you a single reference for both print and screen work.
I work across print and digital — I need spot colours and CMYK/RGB/HTML values
The Pantone Color Bridge Guide Set GP6102B is what you need. It shows 2,139 Pantone spot colours side-by-side with their closest CMYK equivalent, plus HTML and RGB values for digital applications. Available as coated and uncoated guides in one set, it's the most versatile reference for designers who work across print, web, animation and screen. If you want the broadest possible library, the Solid Guide Set GP1605B gives you 3,026 colours across four fan decks including pastels, neons and metallics.
I work in fashion, textiles or interiors
You need the Pantone Fashion, Home + Interiors (FHI) range, which uses cotton-based fabric swatches rather than paper — essential because the same colour behaves differently on fabric versus coated stock. The FHI system covers over 2,600 colours and is available in Cotton TCX, Nylon TNX and Polyester TPX formats. Browse our Pantone Fashion & Home guides for the full range.
I work in packaging, luxury print or trend-driven design
The Pantone Metallics Guide GG1507C gives you 655 metallic spot colours for premium packaging and branding. For pastels and neons — increasingly popular in fashion, beauty and FMCG packaging — the Pastel & Neon Guide GG1504C covers both coated and uncoated stock in one fan deck. If you need metallics, pastels and neons together alongside the core PMS library, the Solid Guide Set GP1605B includes all four in one cost-saving bundle.
I'm a student or just starting out
The Pantone Formula Guide GP1601B is the right place to start — it's the guide every design professional uses and it will serve you throughout your career. We also offer exclusive student and university discounts, so call us on 01423 359 730 before you buy. If budget is a consideration, ask us about the Pantone Essentials Set GPG301B which bundles six guides in a portable carry case.
I need a complete studio toolkit
The Pantone Portable Guide Studio Set GPG304B contains eight guides in a travel case — covering spot colours, CMYK, colour bridge, pastels, neons and metallics — and represents significant savings over buying each guide individually. For the ultimate studio reference including chip books, the Pantone Reference Library GPC305B is the most comprehensive set available at .
When should you replace your Pantone guides?
Pantone recommends replacing guides every 12–18 months. Handling, exposure to light, heat and humidity cause colours to shift and become inaccurate — meaning your specified colours may not match what gets printed or produced. Faded guides cause costly reprints and client disputes. With 224 new trend colours added to the 2026 range, you may also be missing colours that are now being specified in briefs. If your guides are more than two years old, it's time to upgrade.
Why buy Pantone guides from Graphics Direct?
- Official authorised Pantone Partner — 100% genuine guides, not grey market or counterfeit
- Complete UK range — Graphics, Fashion Home + Interiors, and specialist guides all in stock
- Same-day despatch — order before 3:15pm and your guide ships the same day for next day delivery where possible.
- Expert advice — call 01423 359 730 to speak to someone who knows Pantone inside out
- University & student discounts — exclusive pricing for educational institutions and students
- Over 25 years experience — trusted by design studios, print professionals and universities across the UK
For video guides, PDF downloads and further resources, visit our Pantone Resources page.
View our Pantone ResourcesPantone Fashion, Home & Interiors Guides
The latest colour standards in cotton and paper formats, trusted by designers, brands, and universities worldwide.
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From the Blog: The Pantone Formula Guide is the go-to global colour communication tool
When you’re designing for print, fabric, or digital media, getting your colours exactly right can make or break your project. That’s where Pantone comes in - it’s the global standard that ensures everyone sees the same shade, no matter the material, printer, or screen. In this post, we’ll walk you through which Pantone guide you actually need and how to pick the right one for your work.
Read the full postPantone Colour Guides & Swatch Books
Choosing the right colour for your product or design is the most important decision you will make. At Graphics Direct we offer the complete range of Pantone books, Pantone colour guides and Pantone swatch books for creative professionals — all 2026 editions in stock, including the new Pantone Dualities offering 175 new colours across the FHI guides.
The 2026 Pantone Colour of the Year is Cloud Dancer 11-4201 — a soft, airy white that evokes calm, clarity and light. Now available across all 2026 Pantone guide editions.
GDL Supplies Ltd (graphicsdirect.co.uk) are Pantone's official authorised UK partner, supplying leading design, fashion, print and packaging companies across the UK. We are also Pantone's Education distributor, supplying universities and colleges with their Pantone colour reference guides.
Shop our Pantone Graphics Guides for colour matching in print, packaging and branding, or browse our Pantone Fashion, Home & Interiors Guides for textiles, apparel and interior design.
If you have a requirement for a Pantone Plastics Guide please contact us on 01423 359 730 for a price.
Pantone Colour Guides — Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Pantone Matching System?
The Pantone Matching System (PMS) is a standardised colour language used by designers, printers, manufacturers and brands worldwide to specify and communicate colour accurately. Each Pantone colour is assigned a unique reference number — for example Pantone 485 C (a bright red) — and an ink mixing formula that enables any printer anywhere in the world to reproduce that exact colour. This means a brand can specify their logo colour as a Pantone reference and be confident it will be reproduced consistently whether it's printed in London, New York or Tokyo. The system currently contains over 2,300 standardised colours and is the global standard for colour communication in graphic design, packaging, fashion and product design.
What is the difference between the Pantone Formula Guide and the Color Bridge?
The Pantone Formula Guide (GP1601B) shows all PMS spot colours as they appear when printed with Pantone's own ink mixing formulas on coated and uncoated stock. It is the reference for specifying spot colour printing — where a specific Pantone ink is used rather than four-colour process printing. The Color Bridge (GP6102B) shows the same spot colours alongside their closest CMYK, RGB and HTML equivalents on the same page, allowing designers to see how a PMS colour will shift when reproduced in four-colour process printing or on screen. If you work across both print and digital — or need to understand how your brand colours will translate between different reproduction methods — the Color Bridge is the essential companion to the Formula Guide.
What does coated and uncoated mean in Pantone guides?
Coated (C) and uncoated (U) refer to the type of paper stock the colour swatch is printed on. Coated paper has a smooth, sealed surface that reflects light and produces vibrant, saturated colours. Uncoated paper is more absorbent and matte, causing ink to spread slightly and appear less saturated. The same Pantone ink formula will look noticeably different on coated versus uncoated paper, which is why Pantone publishes separate fan decks for each. When specifying colours for print, always check the guide that matches your intended paper stock — use the C suffix for coated jobs and the U suffix for uncoated jobs.
Which Pantone guide do I need for graphic design and print?
For graphic design and print work, the starting point is the Pantone Formula Guide GP1601B — the industry standard fan deck with 2,390 PMS spot colours on coated and uncoated fan decks. If you regularly work across both print and digital, the Color Bridge Set GP6102B is more versatile as it shows PMS alongside CMYK, RGB and HTML values. For studios and agencies that need a comprehensive library, the Solid Guide Set GP1605B gives you four fan decks — Formula Guide coated and uncoated plus Metallics and Pastels and Neons — in one set. If you need both fan guides and chip books, the Solid Color Set GP1608B combines both formats.
Which Pantone guide do I need for fashion and textile design?
Fashion, textile and interiors designers need the Pantone FHI (Fashion, Home + Interiors) range rather than the Graphics range. The FHI system uses different colour codes suffixed TCX (for cotton) or TPX (for paper) and is calibrated for fabric dyeing and surface coating rather than printing inks. The FHI Cotton Swatch Library FHIC100C is the definitive reference — 2,801 actual dyed cotton swatches that show how each colour looks on fabric. For a portable option, the Cotton Passport FHIC200C gives you all the same colours in a compact book format. For hard goods and interiors work, the FHI Colour Guide FHIP110C is a paper-based alternative that covers the same colour range.
What is the difference between Pantone Graphics colours and Pantone FHI colours?
The two systems are calibrated for completely different manufacturing processes and should not be used interchangeably. Pantone Graphics colours (PMS, with C or U suffix) are formulated for printing inks and are the standard for graphic design, packaging and branding. Pantone FHI colours (with TCX or TPX suffix) are formulated for fabric dyeing, surface coatings and product finishes used in fashion, textiles and interior design. While some colours are visually similar between the systems, specifying a Graphics PMS colour to a fabric mill or specifying an FHI TCX colour to a printer will produce unpredictable results. Always use the system appropriate to your manufacturing process.
What does the Pantone Solid Chips book do that the fan guide doesn't?
The Pantone Solid Chips books contain the same colours as the fan guides, but presented as individual removable chips rather than a fan deck. The chips can be torn out and physically placed alongside physical samples — fabric swatches, material samples, product prototypes — to assess colour matching in context. They are also used for client presentations, mood boards and supplier communication where you need to send a physical colour reference rather than just a reference number. Once you remove a chip from the book it cannot be replaced, so chip books are consumable references rather than permanent library items.
How often are Pantone guides updated and do I need to buy a new one every year?
Pantone periodically adds new colours to their system — the 2026 edition adds 175 new Dualities colours across the FHI range. However, the core PMS colour library is stable and a guide from a few years ago will still be valid for specifying standard PMS colours. The main reasons to update your guides are: if you need access to the newest colours (particularly the new Dualities shades in the FHI range), if your existing guides have faded or the paper has yellowed (which affects colour accuracy), or if a client or supplier specifies a colour from a more recent edition. We recommend replacing guides every three to five years for colour-critical professional use.
Can I use Pantone colours in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign?
Yes — Pantone colour libraries are built into Adobe Creative Cloud applications. You can select Pantone spot colours directly from the colour picker in Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. However, screen display of Pantone colours is only ever an approximation — monitors display RGB light, not ink on paper, so the colour you see on screen will never be a perfect match for the printed Pantone colour. Always use a physical Pantone guide to make final colour decisions and to communicate colour accurately to printers. Adobe have also changed their Pantone library integrations in recent versions, which can affect how colours display — always verify colour specifications against a physical guide.
What is the Pantone Colour of the Year and how is it chosen?
Every year Pantone's colour experts analyse global trends across multiple industries — fashion, interior design, industrial design, graphic arts, popular culture — and select a single colour that they believe best reflects the cultural mood and direction of the coming year. The Pantone Colour of the Year is announced in December and widely influences product design, fashion collections, packaging and marketing colour choices for the following year. The 2026 Colour of the Year is Cloud Dancer 11-4201 — a soft, airy, chalky white. Previous notable selections include Mocha Mousse (2025), Peach Fuzz (2024) and Very Peri (2022). The Colour of the Year appears in all 2026 Pantone guide editions.
What is the difference between Pantone spot colour and CMYK printing?
Spot colour printing uses a single pre-mixed Pantone ink that is applied directly to the paper — giving exceptionally accurate, vibrant and consistent colour reproduction. It is used for brand logos, packaging and applications where exact colour matching is critical. CMYK (four-colour process) printing builds colours by layering tiny dots of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black inks — it can reproduce millions of colours and is used for full-colour photography and complex designs, but cannot always match a Pantone spot colour exactly. Some Pantone colours — particularly metallics, fluorescents and certain vivid hues — simply cannot be reproduced accurately in CMYK. The Color Bridge guide shows you exactly how each PMS colour will shift when converted to CMYK, helping you make informed decisions about which colours to specify for which printing process.
Are Pantone guides available with student or educational discounts?
Yes — as Pantone's official UK Education distributor, Graphics Direct supplies universities and colleges with Pantone colour guides at educational pricing. If you are purchasing for a university, college or design school, please contact us on 01423 359 730 or email sales@graphicsdirect.co.uk to discuss your requirements and pricing. Individual students purchasing for personal use can also contact us — we are always happy to discuss the right guide for your course and budget.