Colorimetric whiteness
A measured value for how white a surface appears under standard light
No single value: Colorimetric whiteness is a material, and its colour varies. The background shows its family, white.
Colorimetric whiteness is a way to measure how white a surface looks, often used to compare materials like paper. It uses formulas set by the International Commission on Illumination, focusing on samples that are already considered commercially white and measured under the same conditions.
- Measures how white a surface appears using CIE formulas
- Used for comparing materials like paper and textiles
- Score of 100 means a perfect diffuser (ideal white)
- Tint value shows if white looks slightly green or red
What colour is Colorimetric whiteness?
Colorimetric whiteness is a number that tells how white a surface appears when measured with special instruments. It is not about the colour white itself, but about comparing how close different surfaces come to a perfect white under set lighting. This is important when two things look white on their own, but differences show up when they are side by side. The measurement is only used for surfaces that are already called white in trade, and that do not differ much in colour or how they glow under light.
Where does Colorimetric whiteness come from?
The idea of measuring whiteness comes from the need to compare materials like paper or textiles in a fair, repeatable way. The International Commission on Illumination (CIE) set out formulas so that people everywhere could use the same method. These formulas use values from the CIE colour space, which is a standard way to describe colours based on how people see them.
How is Colorimetric whiteness made?
To find colorimetric whiteness, instruments measure how much light a surface reflects and its exact shade in the CIE 1931 colour space. The formulas use the Y value (how bright it looks) and the x and y coordinates (which describe its tint). There are different formulas depending on which standard observer is used, either the 1931 or 1964 CIE observer. The result is a relative score, not an absolute one.
Where Colorimetric whiteness is used
Colorimetric whiteness is mainly used in industries where the whiteness of materials matters, such as paper and textiles. It helps manufacturers and buyers compare products and keep quality consistent. Standards like ISO 11475 and ISO 11476 describe how to measure it for paper and board under different lighting conditions.
What Colorimetric whiteness means
Colorimetric whiteness does not carry symbolic or cultural meanings. It is a technical value used for quality control and comparison, not for expressing ideas or feelings.
White around the world
What the white family means from country to country.
The Taliban flag is white with the Muslim declaration of faith in black. It replaced the black, red and green tricolour of the republic in 2021.
Politics and protestSacred and holySource: Flag of AfghanistanThe Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo wore white headscarves as they marched to demand news of children who disappeared under the dictatorship of 1976 to 1983.
Politics and protestMourning and deathCourageSource: Mothers of Plaza de MayoThe wiphala, a square flag of 49 small squares in seven colours with a white diagonal, stands for the Andean peoples. It has been a second national flag since 2009.
Politics and protestPrideSource: WiphalaOn New Year's Eve crowds on the beaches dress in white for peace in the year ahead. The custom comes from the Afro-Brazilian religions, whose followers wear white.
Luck and prosperityFestival and celebrationSacred and holyHopeSource: New Year's EveAn ordinary citizen's kabney is white with fringes. It must be worn to enter a dzong, the fortress that houses both monks and government offices.
Purity and peaceSource: KabneyA red cross on white, the Swiss flag reversed, marks medical staff and aid workers in war and must not be attacked under the Geneva Conventions.
Protection and healingTrustSource: Emblems of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent MovementShades and relatives of Colorimetric whiteness
There are different formulas for whiteness, depending on the standard observer (either 2° or 10°) and the lighting used. The tint value (T) can show if a white surface looks slightly green or red. Equal changes in the whiteness score may not always look equally different to the eye.
Questions people ask about Colorimetric whiteness
What is colorimetric whiteness?
Colorimetric whiteness is a measured value that shows how white a surface appears under standard lighting, using formulas set by the International Commission on Illumination.
How is colorimetric whiteness measured?
It is measured using instruments that record how much light a surface reflects and its colour coordinates in the CIE colour space, then applying a standard formula.
What does a high whiteness score mean?
A high whiteness score means the surface is very close to a perfect white, with 100 being the value for a perfect diffuser.
Where is colorimetric whiteness used?
It is mainly used in industries like paper and textiles to compare and control the whiteness of products.
Does colorimetric whiteness have any symbolic meaning?
No, it is a technical value for quality control and does not carry cultural or emotional meanings.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Whiteness (colorimetry)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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