In today’s fast-paced world of print and graphic communications, achieving predictable, repeatable, and consistent color is a shared priority for print providers, designers, and brand owners alike. At the heart of this consistency is the use of common, standardized reference print conditions (RPCs)—benchmarks that allow all stakeholders in the supply chain to speak the same language when it comes to print appearance.
A leading example is GRACoL® 2013 (CGATS 21 and ISO/PAS 15339 - CRPC6), developed and maintained by Idealliance®, now a part of PRINTING United Alliance, and widely adopted as the de facto standard for high-quality sheetfed printing around the world, in offset, flexo, and beyond. GRACoL 2013, built upon a G7 calibration state for near-neutral output, and visual consistency amongst other 15339 print conditions, defines the colorimetric aims that presses, proofers, and digital devices align to. By targeting printing to GRACoL, printers ensure color consistency across platforms, while designers and brand owners gain confidence that what they see on a proof will match what comes off press.
Benefits Across the Supply Chain
For print buyers and brand owners, standardized conditions reduce risk, save time, and lower costs. Instead of endless rounds of approvals and press checks, buyers know their printers are aligning to the same reference targets. That means packaging in California, catalogs in New York, and signage in Europe can all match more closely, ensuring brand integrity worldwide.
For designers, working to a common reference condition eliminates the guesswork. They can proof to GRACoL or another ISO/PAS 15339 condition with the assurance that their files will reproduce predictably across different platforms and print technologies. This predictability empowers creative freedom while protecting design intent.
For printers and manufacturers, the value is both technical and business-oriented. Press calibration and process control become more efficient when aligned to defined targets. Training, workflow automation, and even machine learning applications for color management rely on these shared conditions to perform optimally. In competitive markets, achieving certification to standards like G7®, —which aligns devices to reference print conditions like GRACoL 2013, —becomes a differentiator for winning new business.
Toward a Unified Global Dataset (UDS)
While GRACoL 2013 and other ISO/PAS 15339 reference print conditions (CRPC1–7) have provided structure and predictability for years, the industry is now moving toward the next step—: a single, global, unified dataset (UDS).
The ISO Technical Committee 130 (TC 130), responsible for global print and graphic technology standards, is actively working to consolidate reference conditions into one harmonized dataset. This effort recognizes that while regional variations once made sense, today’s global print supply chain demands universal consistency. Packaging printed in Asia, marketing collateral in Europe, and direct mail in North America often serve the same multinational brand. A unified dataset ensures all stakeholders are working from the same baseline, regardless of geography or technology.
The Future of Color Standards
A globally recognized UDS will streamline the way printers calibrate, designers proof, and brands manage their color across borders. It reduces complexity in workflows, eliminates regional redundancies, and helps advance innovation in digital printing, expanded gamut reproduction, and automated workflows.
For the industry, this represents a shift from “regional standards” to a truly global color language, where one reference dataset supports all applications. For print buyers and designers, it means confidence that a creative vision will be reproduced faithfully—anywhere, on any technology. For printers, it strengthens the value of process control and certification programs built on global alignment.
Standardized reference print conditions like GRACoL 2013 have already transformed the way the industry achieves consistency and predictability. The work of ISO TC 130 toward a single Unified Data Set (UDS) is the next leap forward, —offering the promise of a global, unified approach to print reproduction.
By adopting and aligning to these standards, the entire supply chain—brands, designers, and print providers —benefits from fewer surprises, greater efficiency, and more consistent, high-quality print. In short, standardized reference print conditions aren’t just technical guidelines; they are the foundation of trust in print.
Participate in the current beta testing of the UDS and read the announcement from the project lead here.
GRACoL®, G7®, and Idealliance® are trademarks of PRINTING United Alliance.