A Practical Guide for Color Managers- THE SECOND C: COLOR WITH A PURPOSE (Part 1) The American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) is an industry advocacy group focusing on the effective application of color and functional finishes on textiles. Textiles are used in many sectors including transportation, military/government, industrial, medical/ healthcare, sports/fitness, and fashion, thus the business and end-use requirements vary widely. As we see rapid changes in global business, AATCC “continues to evolve to meet the needs of those in the ever-changing textile, apparel, and materials industries.” [1] The textile, apparel, and materials industries are huge. The global apparel retail market drives about US$1.8 trillion in revenue. [2] Textile mills and apparel factories create another US$1.9 trillion in global revenue. [3] And these numbers grow every year. The “Second C” in AATCC is for Colorists. This series of articles will deal with color in the apparel industry, focusing primarily on apparel brands, since that is where color specifications start. Additionally, we will see how practices emanating from brand color offices impact mills and garment factories. The Purpose of the Second C The Second C is a practical guide to assist colorists. The intention is not to present novel academic research or use big words. Rather, over the coming year, I will discuss…