Koeväri

Koeväri is a term used in Finnish manufacturing and design to refer to a test color or sample color that is prepared to evaluate and communicate the intended final appearance of a product. It serves as a reference point for color matching, quality control, and approval processes before mass production.

Koeväri is commonly used across several industries, including textiles, paints and coatings, plastics, cosmetics, and printing. In textiles, dye lots may produce koeväri swatches to ensure consistency between batches. In paints and coatings, a color chip is shown to a client for approval before full-scale production. In cosmetics and plastics, tester colors help assess how the color looks on real materials and under different lighting conditions. In printing, koeväri images or swatches help align color reproduction with the design intent.

Production and documentation of koeväri involve creating a physical or digital color sample that reflects the desired finish, transparency, and interaction with material. The color is described using standard color spaces (such as CIELAB, sRGB, or CMYK) and is labeled for traceability in a color library. Color measurements with instruments like spectrophotometers may be used to quantify deviations (for example, ΔE) from approved references, guiding adjustments in formulation or process.

In workflows, koeväri acts as a communication and validation tool between designers, manufacturers, and clients. Once a koeväri is approved, it informs the final production color. Digital representations and color-management practices help ensure consistent translation from a koeväri to the output across different machines and materials.

Etymology: koe means test and väri means color in Finnish.

See also: color sample, swatch, color standard, color management, color matching.