A small, pre-production fabric swatch dyed by a mill or dye house to show how a specific color standard looks on the actual production fabric. Designers review lab dips under controlled lighting to approve the shade before authorizing bulk production.
Heard on the job
The submitted lab dip is still pulling too green under daylight bulbs, so tell the mill to adjust the formula.
Insider tip
Always evaluate lab dips in a standardized lightbox to avoid metamerism, where colors look identical under one light source but different under another.