Get on the Right Color Management Wavelength with Monthly Insights from 10,000+ Color Professionals Around the World.
What Is CIELAB? Understanding the CIELAB Color Space
The CIELAB color space, also known as CIE L*a*b* or LAB color space, is one of the most widely used color models for measuring and communicating color accurately. It was developed to create a more uniform color space, so that measured differences between colors align more closely with how people actually perceive those differences.
For manufacturers, designers, and quality teams, CIELAB makes it easier to define color, compare samples, and maintain consistency across materials, products, and production environments.
What Is CIELAB Color Space?
CIELAB is a three-dimensional color space developed by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) to describe color in a way that is more perceptually uniform than earlier systems.
It was created because older color models, such as Yxy, did not represent perceived color differences very well. In those systems, equal distances between two points did not always correspond to equal visual differences. CIELAB improved this by making color measurement more consistent with human perception.
In practical terms, the CIE LAB color space helps color professionals describe, compare, and control color more reliably.
Why Is CIELAB Important?
Human vision can detect millions of colors, but people do not judge color consistently. Perception changes depending on factors such as:
Lighting conditions.
Viewing angle.
Background color.
Age of the observer.
Surrounding environment.
Because visual evaluation is subjective, manufacturers need an objective way to measure and communicate color. That is where the CIELAB color space becomes essential.
It provides a standardized numerical way to represent color, helping teams reduce ambiguity and improve color quality control.
What Is CIELAB Used For?
The LAB color space is used to measure color differences and communicate color accurately across products, materials, devices, and supply chains.
Common uses of CIELAB include:
Color quality control.
Color difference evaluation.
Matching product or brand colors.
Setting color tolerances.
Standardizing color communication.
Supporting color formulation and approval workflows.
Because CIELAB represents color with numerical values, it is especially useful when exact color reproduction is required.
How Does CIELAB Work?
CIELAB values are typically generated using a spectrophotometer. The instrument measures how much light a sample reflects across the visible spectrum. That reflectance data is then converted into tristimulus values (X, Y, Z) based on the selected illuminant and standard observer. Those values are then converted into L*a*b* values.
This process allows color professionals to move from raw spectral data to an objective color position within the CIELAB color space.
What Do L*, a*, and b* Mean?
In the CIE LAB color space, every color is defined by three coordinates.
L* = Lightness
The L* value represents the lightness or darkness of a color.
A high L* value means the color is lighter.
A low L* value means the color is darker.
a* = Green to Red Axis
The a* value represents the position between green and red.
Negative a* values move toward green.
Positive a* values move toward red.
b* = Blue to Yellow Axis
The b* value represents the position between blue and yellow.
Negative b* values move toward blue.
Positive b* values move toward yellow.
Together, these three values define a color’s location in a three-dimensional LAB color space.
LAB Values and Color Difference
One of the main advantages of CIELAB is that it makes it possible to calculate the difference between two colors numerically.
By comparing LAB values, manufacturers can:
Determine whether a sample is within tolerance.
Evaluate how far a production batch deviates from a standard.
Improve consistency across materials and locations.
Support more accurate color approvals.
This makes the CIELAB color space a core part of modern color quality control.
Why CIELAB Is Better for Color Control
CIELAB is valuable because it provides a more uniform way to describe color. That means color differences measured in this space are more meaningful than in earlier systems.
For businesses that depend on accurate color, this helps:
Reduce subjective visual judgments.
Improve communication between teams and suppliers.
Standardize approval processes.
Maintain product and brand consistency.
Support repeatable color measurement across workflows.
CIELAB in Manufacturing and Design
For manufacturers and designers, the CIE LAB color space is especially useful when products must match a specific standard repeatedly.
This includes industries such as:
Textiles and apparel.
Plastics.
Paint and coatings.
Automotive.
Cosmetics.
Packaging.
Consumer goods.
Whenever color consistency matters, CIELAB helps teams define and reproduce color more accurately.
Ensuring Color Accuracy with CIELAB
If accurate color measurement and color management are critical to your workflow, Datacolor offers a range of instruments and software solutions to support precise color control in the CIELAB color space.
Want to Get Color Right? 
