Configure Color Palettes for Embroidery

Embroidery color palettes define the thread colors available when decorating products in DecoNetwork. These palettes ensure that customers, staff, and digitizers work with accurate, production-ready thread options. DecoNetwork includes several pre-defined, industry-standard embroidery palettes that offer a broad range of reliable and commonly used thread colors, saving time and reducing the need for manual color matching.

Fulfillment Centers can also create custom palettes tailored to their specific equipment, thread brands, and business requirements. By default, embroidery starts with a customizable copy of the PolyNeon 40 (Madeira) palette, which you can adjust to match the threads stocked in production. When customers design products in the Online Designer, they will only see colors from the assigned palette, and any colors in uploaded artwork that are not part of the palette will be automatically matched to the closest available thread color to maintain consistency.

Watch the following video for instructions on how to configure color palettes for embroidery.

In this article

• Prerequisites
• Why use embroidery color palettes
• Step 1: Access embroidery color palettes
• Step 2: Create a new embroidery color palette
• Step 3: Import a palette file
• Step 4: Configure the palette options
• Step 5: Edit, rename or delete thread palettes
• Step 6: Add, edit, or reorder thread colors
• Step 7: Manage where palettes are available
• Best-practice tips
• Troubleshooting
• FAQs
• Additional resources

Prerequisites

Why use embroidery color palettes

Configuring embroidery thread palettes ensures that the colors used during design match the actual threads available in production.

• Improves production accuracy by ensuring digitizers and customers choose valid thread colors.
• Reduces remakes caused by mismatched or unavailable thread colors.
• Supports brand consistency when specific thread sets are required for recurring clients.
• Simplifies the Designer experience by only showing approved thread colors.

Step 1: Access embroidery color palettes

1. Log into your DecoNetwork website.

2. Browse to Admin → Decoration Processes.

   

   

3. Click on the Embroidery menu item, then select Color Palettes.

   

   The main work area contains the settings which can be configured for embroidery color palettes:

   

Step 2: Create a new embroidery color palette

1. Click Add Palette.

   The Add Palette popup will be displayed when you click on the button.

   
2. Choose an option:

   • Use System Palette makes predefined thread color palettes available for use without further configuration. Embroidery has several industry-standard palettes available and can be selected from the Base palettes used dropdown box. From here, select the specific palettes to load.

     New palletes added in V8.610:

     • AMANN
     • Brother
     • Marathon
     • Mettler
   • Create empty palette will create an empty palette in the palette list which you can later edit.
   • Copy existing palette will make a copy of a selected palette and it will be named as per your entry into the Name box.
3. Enter a Palette Name if not using a system palette.
4. Select a palette from the Palette dropdown box.

5. Click OK to create the palette.

   Tip: Create separate palettes for different machines, thread brands, or specialty colors (e.g., metallic threads).

6. Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 3: Import a palette file

If your thread supplier provides a color file, you can import it directly instead of creating a thread palette and entering colors manually.

1. Click Import Palette.

   The Import Palette settings will be displayed.

   
2. Select a Palette source
   • CSV files are used to import color palettes for raster or vector designs.

   • Embroiderers may select Wilcom .TCH thread chart files to import embroidery color palettes. The expected columns for a TCH file are Code, Palette Name, Color Name, A, Red value (0-255), Green value (0-255), Blue value (0-255). Example:

     1	2005,Marathon Poly,Neon Yellow,A,250,230,16
     2	2006,Marathon Poly,Neon Gold,A,252,201,161
     3	2007,Marathon Poly,Neon Orange,A,254,119,88
     4	2008,Marathon Poly,Neon Pink,A,237,181,199
     5	2009,Marathon Poly,Salmon,A,245,173,173
     6	2010,Marathon Poly,Electric Blue,A,20,170,208

3. Configure the Import Options:
   • Specify a Palette Name.
   • Upload a source file for the import.
4. Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 4: Configure the palette options

1. Set up the Palette options that determine how the color picker behaves for the embroidery palettes:
   • Allow color slider in color picker window sets the availability of a sliding color picker tool in the Online Designer, allowing the customer to pick custom colors for their decorations. If the checkbox is ticked on, the following options determining when the color slider will be displayed are shown:

     • All Stores allows you to make the color slider available to every store in your DecoNetwork system. If the checkbox is unchecked, the Select Store link will become active, allowing you to choose which specific stores can access the color slider.

       

       Clicking on the Select Stores link opens the Select Stores popup, allowing you to choose the stores the color slider will be available in.

       
       • Open the Color Palette first if the current color is a palette color: this option will show the color palette when the color picker window is first open if the currently selected color is a palette color.
       • Always open the Color Palette first: this option will always show the color palette first when the color picker window is open.
       • Always open the Color Slider first: this option will always show the color slider first when the color picker window is open.
2. Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 5: Edit, rename or delete thread palettes

The Palettes section shows a list of existing palettes. This includes system palettes and custom palettes you have added previously.

1. Click Manage next to the palette you wish to work on.

   
   
2. You may either:
   • Edit the palette, which allows you to select the default color and, for custom palettes, add new colors, rename existing colors, specify color codes and RGB values, and remove any colors you don't want to offer to your customers.
   • Rename the palette.
   • Delete the palette.
3. Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 6: Add, edit, or reorder thread colors

You can edit a custom embroidery color palette to update thread names, codes, color values, and the default color used in the Designer. The Custom Palette editor lets you enter colors using RGB, HTML hex, or CMYK values and provides options to reorder or delete colors as needed.

1. Click Manage next to the palette you wish to work on.

2. Click Edit to display the Custom Palette editor popup.

   

   Custom palette editor

3. Select RGB, HTML, or CMYK under Data Entry Method to determine how color values will be entered.

4. Click Add Color to create a new entry.

   

   Custom palette editor

5. Enter the color Name.
6. Enter the manufacturer’s Code if applicable.

7. Enter the color values using the selected data entry method.

   Tip: Use accurate manufacturer thread codes and color values to ensure consistent results between design and production.

8. Locate the color that should appear first in the Designer and select the Default Color radio button for that entry.

   Only one color can be marked as the default.

9. Use the up or down arrows to reorder the colors in the palette.
10. Click Delete to remove a color entirely from the palette.
11. Review all color entries for accuracy.
12. Click OK to save your changes.

Step 7: Manage where palettes are available

You can control which stores or affiliate stores can use specific palettes.

1. Tick the All Stores checkbox allows to make a color palette available to every store in your DecoNetwork system.

   If the checkbox is not selected, the Select Store link becomes available allowing you to choose which specific stores can access the color palette.

   

2. If you want to limit a palette to specific stores, click on the Select Stores link to open the Select Stores popup.

   
3. Select the stores where the palette should be accessible.
4. Click OK to save your changes.

Best-practice tips

• Match palette colors to actual threads stocked in production.
• Use thread manufacturer color codes for easier digitizer communication.
• Review and update palettes regularly if you add or discontinue thread lines.
• Keep palette names descriptive (e.g., “Madeira Rayon 40 – Standard”).

Troubleshooting

• Colors appear incorrect in Designer: Check that the color swatch values match actual thread colors.
• A palette does not appear for a store: Ensure it is assigned under the Availability column.

FAQs

• Can I have multiple palettes? Yes. You can create as many palettes as you need.
• Can I reorder colors? Yes. Reordering affects display only, not production sequencing.

Additional resources

• Recoloring Embroidery Designs
• Embroidery Designer Settings