In 2024, IFG’s colour-matching experts successfully produced 150 custom colours, marking a significant increase in demand for IFG staple fibres, Polyamide (PA6 and PA6.10) and Polypropylene (PP), in bespoke shades. This follows a steady rise in demand for our colour-matching service, with the previous record being 2023’s 80 orders. This growth highlights IFG’s ability to deliver technically challenging services with consistently successful results to meet demands. 

2024’s technical advancements enabled the team to be able to produce coarse fibre colour samples in PA6 on the laboratory extruder which was not previously possible. 

Offering our staple fibres in any colour is a thrilling prospect for both IFG and our customers, as it empowers creativity while maintaining the product’s performance requirements. The colour-matching process is a collaborative effort, where manufacturers and customers work together to achieve the perfect, unique shade. 

This process is technically demanding and often presents challenges, particularly with lighter colours being added to coarse fibres, despite precise laboratory sampling. The human touch remains crucial: nothing sees as well as the human eye and measuring devices cannot always capture the visual differences in colour. PA6.10 requires higher temperatures (close to 300°C) and the twin-screw extruder on the production line (high shear forces). Colour matching is sometimes a real challenge, and despite perfect laboratory sampling, fine-tuning each custom match is always necessary directly on the line by IFG’s colour experts, who are recruited specifically for their perfect eyesight and colour recognition skills. 

Stefan Lindenthaler, Quality Assurance Manager from IFG Asota says: “Precise colour matching is more than just colour matching – it’s the art of ensuring consistency and quality in every fibre.”