X-Rite Pantone and NIFT Partner to Strengthen Color Management Skills in India

Strategic collaboration brings digital color education, industry training and advanced technologies to prepare India’s fashion and textile workforce 

X-Rite Pantone, a global leader in color standards and color science, has announced a strategic collaboration with the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) to strengthen digital color management skills across India’s fashion and textile industry.

The partnership aims to bridge the gap between education and industry by providing students, faculty and working professionals with practical knowledge in digital color communication, helping improve product quality, supply chain consistency and design-to-production workflows.

As global textile supply chains become increasingly digital, accurate color communication has become a critical requirement for manufacturers, designers and brands seeking to reduce production errors and improve consistency.

Commenting on the collaboration, Raj Shah, Vice President of Marketing, X-Rite Pantone, said:

“As the global textile industry becomes increasingly digital, the ability to communicate color accurately and consistently is becoming a strategic capability—not just for individual companies, but for entire manufacturing ecosystems. Our collaboration with NIFT reflects a shared commitment to preparing the next generation of designers and industry professionals with the digital skills and color expertise needed to strengthen India’s competitiveness, accelerate innovation, and support the continued evolution of its textile and apparel industry.”

Three key initiatives under the partnership

The collaboration will focus on three primary areas designed to strengthen digital color education and industry readiness:

• Classroom access to X-Rite Pantone’s color management technologies and learning resources at NIFT Delhi.
• Dedicated color education sessions for incoming students.
• Professional development programmes for NIFT alumni and faculty at the X-Rite Pantone Brand Experience Centre in Gurugram.

Building industry-ready professionals

The partnership extends beyond students through a new Management Development Program (MDP) for NIFT alumni working across fashion, textiles, footwear, jewellery, leather accessories and related sectors.

The two-day programme will combine classroom learning at NIFT with practical training at the X-Rite Pantone Brand Experience Centre, covering:

• Digital color workflows
• Color communication
• Objective color measurement
• Quality control
• Industry best practices

To strengthen academic capabilities, NIFT faculty members will also participate in a dedicated Trainer of Trainers (ToT) Faculty Development Program.

The programme will focus on:

• Color and appearance fundamentals
• Color measurement technologies
• Workflow implementation
• Practical industry applications
• Integrating modern color management into academic curricula

Bridging creativity with manufacturing

Highlighting the importance of color management across the product lifecycle, Pieter Mulder, Director of Global Brand Accounts, X-Rite Pantone, said:

“Color touches every stage of product development, yet it is often underestimated as a source of risk, cost, and inefficiency. Through this collaboration, students will gain practical knowledge that connects creative intent with manufacturing reality, helping them make more informed design decisions from the start.”

Ms. Tanu Kashyap, Director General, NIFT, noted that the collaboration will provide students and faculty with exposure to technologies shaping the future of the fashion and textile industry while strengthening industry-relevant competencies.

Similarly, Prof. Dr. Noopur Anand, Dean (Academics), NIFT, emphasized that color management today represents both a creative and technical discipline, making access to advanced technologies essential for modern product development.

Expanding research and innovation

Beyond education and training, X-Rite Pantone and NIFT will jointly explore opportunities to contribute to industry-sponsored and government-led research initiatives focusing on:

• Design innovation
• Color science
• Sustainability
• Fashion technology
• Product development

According to Dr. Shinju Mahajan, Director, NIFT Delhi, the partnership will create valuable learning opportunities for students, faculty, alumni and industry professionals while strengthening capabilities in quality, consistency and innovation across India’s textile and apparel sector.

Supporting India’s textile competitiveness

By combining NIFT’s academic expertise with X-Rite Pantone’s industry-leading color technologies, the collaboration aims to build a stronger digital color management ecosystem that supports workforce development, improves manufacturing efficiency and enhances India’s competitiveness in the global fashion and textile industry.