3 Key Steps for Color Approval in Metal Packaging

Opacity should be approved alongside color for metal packaging because reflections from the metal let the substrate affect the final appearance. A color swatch alone makes it hard to judge how the color will look on the can. Color approval for metal packaging is a sign-off process that uses shared digital color standards and spectral readings to confirm both color and coverage on the actual can. Opacity is the degree to which ink covers the metal's base color and reduces visible reflections from the substrate

In its October 5, 2026, report on the commercial availability of a metal packaging color approval system, the Flexographic Technical Association (FTA) said Sun Chemical, a supplier of inks and color solutions, X-Rite Pantone, a supplier of color measurement tools and standards, and CMA Imaging, a CanJET development partner, had announced commercial availability of the digital proofing workflow in North America. MINDS (MS), a mid- to high-end fully custom commercial printer, recommends listing color and opacity in the same approval record so brands can sign off on the overall appearance of the actual can

CanJET brings digital color standards, spectral measurement, cloud-based color matching, and direct-to-can printing together in one proofing workflow, giving packaging teams a shared color target

・PantoneLIVE, a digital color reference database for metal packaging, offers more than 4,000 achievable color options and provides a shared target for different packaging formats and surface finishes

・The X-Rite Ci64 handheld spectrophotometer reads spectral data from light reflected off the can. Colorportal is a cloud platform for remote color matching that can adjust color and opacity based on PantoneLIVE or a brand's own color library

・CMA Imaging's CanJET prints high-resolution digital proofs directly on open-top, seamed, or necked-in cans. Paired with Sun Chemical expanded-gamut inks, it lets teams review color on the actual can

On-can proofing lets brands review the can's color and opacity directly before production, with less guesswork from screens or paper proofs about how the color will look on metal. FTA describes the workflow as a faster, more flexible alternative to traditional production-line proofs and prototyping, intended to reduce sample back-and-forth and speed up design approval

Belgian packaging design and prepress company KCP Connexion has used CanJET to evaluate Pantone colors on metal cans and bring color-matching research into design and printability discussions. The CanJET workflow also received a Bronze Innovation Award at METPACK 2026, the metal packaging trade show. The announcement gives no figures for time or cost savings, so don't lock in a schedule yet. Start by checking the actual benefit against the number of proofing rounds in your own projects

Before adopting the workflow, Taiwan brands and smaller printers should define a shared color target, can format, approver, and sample purpose, then assess equipment investment or outsourced proofing. The announcement confirms commercial availability in North America. Teams in Taiwan should first ask how to access the equipment or service

Start by confirming the can format

・The brand specifies a PantoneLIVE target or its own brand color, and records the can format and surface finish

・The printer approves color and opacity on the actual can, and records the digital target and measurement conditions

・Procurement states whether the sample is for design approval, printability evaluation, or production acceptance, so samples for different purposes aren't treated as if they follow the same standard

If the same project also includes paper items such as cartons or catalogs, the brand can align paper stock, color references, and approval samples with MINDS. Color on metal cans and paper items should be approved against each material in its actual form

A sample shouldn't be treated as the production acceptance sample just because it was printed on metal. Review the actual can first, then set acceptance criteria based on production conditions. FTA says CanJET can print directly on open-top, seamed, and necked-in cans so teams can review the appearance before production. This supports design color approval and printability evaluation

AI color matching can adjust color and opacity based on PantoneLIVE or a brand's color library, but final approval still needs to happen on the can itself. The proofing order should record the can format, surface finish, digital color standard, and approver. Clarify the production acceptance conditions before delivery

・For metal cans, check color and opacity together. A color swatch can't replace sign-off on an actual can

・PantoneLIVE provides a shared color target, the Ci64 reads spectral data, and CanJET prints directly on the can

・The announcement covers commercial availability in North America. Before adopting the system in Taiwan, confirm how to access the equipment or proofing service

・AI color matching can help adjust color, but final approval still depends on the actual can format and surface finish

Taiwanese printers could pilot the workflow on a new metal packaging project and keep the digital color target, can format, spectral readings, sample purpose, and approval result in one record. Designers can include the target color and actual surface finish in their proposals, so opacity doesn't become a new discussion after the design is final. AI and SaaS teams can keep color standards, measurements, and color adjustments in the same project record, making it easier for brands and printers to trace the basis for each approval

・Metal packaging color approval system announced as commercially available