Application of Multi-objective Ant Colony Algorithm to Resolve Textile Color Matching Problem

Color formulation is a crucial aspect of colorimetry, especially in the dyeing and finishing industries where it poses a significant challenge. To address this issue, this study proposes a multi-objective ant colony algorithm designed to resolve textile color matching problem by optimizing the reproduction step of requested target color. The algorithm achieves this by minimizing both color difference and metamerism between the proposed and the target color. To test the developed algorithm, reactive and direct dyestuffs were used for dyeing cotton samples, resulting in impressive results. All the obtained color differences were either below or within the acceptable threshold of 1, and approximately 75% of the samples displayed minimal metamerism, indicating a good match.