Why we can't use RGB, CMYK, or HEX color values for spot color matching

Digital and offset printing presses work by combining four colors, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, to create full-color images. We regularly color-calibrate our equipment for more accurate color reproduction and consistency. However, simply because this equipment operates in a CMYK colorspace does not mean that we can match CMYK values, and certainly not RGB or HEX colors as these are colors are based on a red, green, blue, backlit, additive colorspace. 

Here are some reasons why we cannot match CMYK values:

• The color you see on your monitor is almost certainly not an accurate representation of the true CMYK value. 
• There is no way for us to verify if what we are printing matches what you see on your computer screen.
• Ink/toner, presses, and paper all affect how the final color appears. 

The good news is that there is a color matching system specifically created to help with these issues. When you specify a Pantone color you can be sure that we are matching as close as we can to that exact color. It doesn't matter what the CMYK value is, as long as we're matching the Pantone color in the file. Digital presses have limits on which Pantone colors can be accurately printed, we will notify you before printing if we are concerned the color specified is not reproducible digitally.

In summary, although technically we can print a file in CMYK, RGB, HEX, or almost any other colorspace, the best way to get an accurate spot color is to design your art using Pantone colors while using a physical Pantone book.