Pantone Has Launched the World’s First Validation Program For Skin Tones
It’s a year of firsts for color experts at Pantone. In December 2021, the company announced Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri as their 2022 Color of the Year, a completely new shade that was created specifically for the announcement—for the first time in its 22 year history. Now, Pantone has launched Pantone SkinTone Validated, a new first-of-its-kind program that will attempt to validate the appearance of skin tones, as defined by the Pantone SkinTone guide, in displays and print.
The patent-pending technology program is an extension of the existing Pantone Validated certification program and will allow display, TV, mobile device, and printer manufacturers to have their devices tested to ensure they are authentically reproducing skin tones.
Advancing the goal for technological products to be more inclusive than ever, Pantone SkinTone Validated program is based on thousands of human skin measurements from a diverse range of ethnicities and age groups, cataloging 110 different discrete and unique skin tone colors. Companies that receive the SkinTone Validated certification will be able to display the Pantone SkinTone Validated logo, a white check on a multi-skin-tone background—similar to the familiar white check on a blue background that comes with Pantone Validated status.
“We are extremely proud to be on the cutting edge of inclusivity in technology with our Pantone SkinTone Validated program,” said Iain Pike, Director of Licensing & Business Development at Pantone, in a press release announcing the program. “We look forward to working with companies across industries to realize skin tone color accuracy in their products and services for a better and more accurate experience with their technology.”
BenQ Displays has partnered with Pantone to become one of the world’s first companies to have the Validated certification for skin tones for desktop displays, showcasing its Pantone SkinTone Validated displays at CES 2022 in Las Vegas earlier this week (Jan. 5-8).
“Pantone SkinTone Validated, an extension of Pantone Validated, provides designers and photographers with products that realize authenticity in displaying real-world colors and accurately representing the world’s palette of skin tones,” comments Conway Lee, President of BenQ Corporation, in a press release. “BenQ has forged AQCOLOR Technology and is proud to join the global community of color professionals who trust the Pantone system to deliver accurate colors.”
More partnership announcements for Pantone SkinTone Validated are set to be released in the near future.