Colour on screen against colour in the hand

Short answer: A screen shows colours with light, while fabric shows them with reflected light. That is why there is almost always a difference between the picture and the item. The colour name in the product text is the most reliable thing to go by.

Screens glow, fabric reflects

A screen creates colour by giving off light itself. Fabric has no light of its own, but shows the part of the surrounding light that its fibres send back. These are two quite different ways of showing a colour, and they rarely give exactly the same result. See bamboo undershirts for men.

No two screens are alike

The same colour looks different on a phone and a computer. Screens are set differently at the factory, and brightness, night mode and colour filters change the picture further. A grey can look warm on one screen and cool on another. What you see is not always what others see. See bamboo sweatwear for men and women.

The colour name is more reliable

If the text says navy, it is navy, whatever the screen shows. The colour name describes the item, while the picture shows how your screen renders a photo of it. If you are torn between two shades, read the name and treat the picture as a guide, not a promise. See the full range for men.

The light in the photo matters

A product photo is taken in a particular light. Studio light can make colours look brighter or richer than they do in a living room at night. When you hold the item, you see it in your own light, which is a different situation. Look at the colour in daylight and under a lamp.

The hardest colours

Black, dark blue and the various shades of grey are the hardest to judge on a screen. They sit close together, and many screens struggle with dark tones. Navy can look like black, and dark grey can look like navy. Here the colour name matters most.

Adjust your screen a little

You can reduce the difference slightly. Turn off night mode and blue light filters when looking at colours, and set brightness to a normal level. View the picture in daylight rather than in a dark room. It will not make the screen perfect, but it brings the picture closer to reality.

Compare with something you own

If you already have a piece in a colour you know, use it as a reference. Compare the name of your colour with the name of the one you are considering. That tells you whether the new one is lighter or darker, without relying on the screen.

A difference is normal

If the item looks a little different from the picture, nothing is wrong. It follows naturally from the fact that screens and fabric show colour in their own ways. Look at the item in daylight and compare it with the colour name. If the name matches, you have the colour you ordered.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the colour look different in real life

Because a screen shows colour with light, while fabric shows it with reflected light. They are two different things that rarely give exactly the same result.

What can you rely on

The colour name in the product text. It is more reliable than the picture, because no two screens show colour alike and the light in the photo plays a part too.

Which colours are hardest to judge

Black and dark blue, and the various shades of grey. On most screens they are almost impossible to tell apart, so the colour name matters most here.