Product and Apparel Colorways

Expanding Product Variations

Thanks to colorways, businesses can create images of every color variation with just one product photo. This technique stretches your marketing budget and is a highly cost-effective solution in the e-commerce industry. Beyond e-commerce, many businesses use colorways for market research, testing product demand, and securing sales before a product line is fully developed. It’s a versatile tool for both marketing and sales efforts, but precision is key.

The biggest concern with colorways is color accuracy. Poorly executed color variations can make products appear defective, leading to increased returns and unsatisfied customers who didn’t get what they expected.

Colorways example - women wearing hoodies Colorways example - women wearing blue hoodies alternate
Colorways example - athletic wear for women black pattern Colorways example - women wearing blue hoodies alternate

In a perfect world with an unlimited budget, creatives would prefer to capture a photo of every product variation. However, to save time and maximize your investment, colorways are the smart solution. The secret to overcoming quality challenges lies in finding expert retouchers who can unlock endless possibilities.

At OMS Photography in Cincinnati, OH, our team of skilled retouchers brings decades of experience, with several specializing in print media in their past careers. Their in-depth knowledge of color accuracy allows them to handle the complexities of digital screens and print media—whether for catalogs, billboards, packaging, and more. With professionals like these behind the scenes, your sales tools will be fully empowered to deliver impactful results.

Colorways example - six hoodies with a range of colors Colorways example - six hoodies with a range of colors alternates

Meeting the Growing Demand

In today’s e-commerce world, there’s a high demand for colorways. With just one product photo, businesses can generate over 10 variations, perfect for online storefronts. But colorways aren’t just for product listings; there are more innovative uses.

A creative approach is using colorways for prototyping and market research. Whether revisiting a previous garment style or starting from scratch, send new colors and pattern designs to skilled retouchers, and receive hundreds of variations. This method is also perfect for updating seasonal designs.

Armed with these visuals, some companies use the best images for market research, while others create sales catalogs that let retailers choose styles before they even exist. While mock-ups can serve the purpose, using real photos offers a more realistic representation for retailers to base decisions on.

Ultimately, this process helps you test product demand and minimize production risks, ensuring more successful outcomes.

Hat Colorways Diagram

How Colorways Happen

Start by saving money—send just one sample of each clothing item. For the best results, begin with a mid-tone color like gray, though our expert team has even transformed a black glove into white seamlessly. Along with your product, send us your color and pattern preferences, and specify where these color changes should be applied, down to the details like thread stitching.

Next, our professional photographers will capture your product in the requested angles and styles. These images are then sent to our retouching team, where the magic happens. You’ll receive a few rounds of digital proofs to make changes or approve the final designs. Once everything is finalized, we’ll deliver your files in the formats you need—ready to go.

If you need files for specific print media, let us know. We'll prepare CMYK files for your printer to guarantee the highest color accuracy and quality in print.

Work with the OMS Post Production Team 

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