The Company That Owns the Language of Color

Check out our Book Shop: https://bookshop.org/lists/design-doc... In 1962, a chemist named Lawrence Herbert purchased a failing print division in New Jersey for $50,000. What he built from it became the global standard for color communication, a system so embedded in design, fashion, manufacturing, and government that entire industries cannot function without it. This is the story of Pantone: how a simple fan deck of numbered swatches became the language designers, printers, and brands speak worldwide, how a quiet annual color announcement became one of the most anticipated cultural events in design, and what happens when a private company owns the words everyone else uses to describe the world. Instagram: @bctld Portfolio: singlespeed.us