A Growing Partnership: Advancing Colour Science and Innovation Through Collaboration with VeriVide
The School of Design’s curriculum make the best use of VeriVide’s technology to ensure students gain authentic experience that reflects industry practice.
The School of Design at the University of Leeds is pleased to celebrate its growing partnership with VeriVide, a collaboration that continues to shape the future of colour education, research and innovation. What began in 2004 as a shared commitment to advancing colour science took a significant step forward in 2016 and has evolved into a sustained partnership that positions Leeds at the forefront of digital colour technology and application.
A Partnership Built on Shared Vision
Since its inception, VeriVide, a global leader in colour assessment and visual evaluation technology, has worked closely with the School of Design to support cutting-edge research. In 2018, VeriVide made a landmark donation to the newly opened Colour Lab, providing visual colour assessment cabinets and a complete DigiEye system which includes the DigiEye imaging cube and software suite.
Stephen Westland, Professor of Colour Science and Technology at the School of Design says: “I’m delighted that our long-standing collaboration with VeriVide not only continues but continues to grow. Their generous donation of cutting-edge equipment ensures our students have the opportunity to work with the very latest technology, preparing them to excel in their future careers”
In 2025, the partnership enters a new phase; VeriVide has expanded its contribution to include advanced LED-based systems and software now installed across both the Colour Lab and the Textile Testing Lab. These additions will enhance student learning, support academic research, and provide vital resources for exploring sustainable, technology-driven approaches to colour and material innovation.
Equipping Students for the Future of Industry
VeriVide’s DigiEye imaging systems and VisionView light booths are part of student education delivery for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, which gives students access to the same tools used by leading global brands including NEXT, M&S, Tesco, Levi’s, ASDA, H&M, and GAP.
Through this collaboration, students gain hands-on experience in colour measurement, digital visualisation, and LED-based colour assessment, technologies that are transforming the creative and manufacturing sectors. Guest lectures from VeriVide specialists further strengthen this link, providing valuable insights into how colour is managed across design, production and manufacturing, and helping students understand the challenges and opportunities that shape industry practice today.
Supporting Research and Innovation Across Disciplines
VeriVide’s state-of-the-art systems offer exceptional precision in digital imaging, colour measurement, and visual evaluation. Technologies such as the DigiEye, UltraView, and VisionView systems, combined with DigiPix and DigiProduction software, enable researchers to perform advanced colour mapping, tolerance visualisation, shape and size analysis, and virtual light assessments under controlled, industry-standard LED illumination.
Kaida Xiao, Professor of Colour and Imaging Science, and Academic Lead for the Colour Lab says: “Our collaboration with VeriVide is vital to my research in appearance measurement and reproduction. Their state-of-the-art equipment enables us to push boundaries and generate insights that drive real-world impact.”
The technology also supports remote collaboration and the continuation of research projects by allowing colour data and images to be shared, re-measured, and re-evaluated across institutions and industry partners. With its ability to replicate real-world lighting environments and analyse surface texture and material performance, VeriVide’s equipment is also proving valuable in emerging fields such as digital media, food, personal care, plastics, packaging, and sustainable materials testing.
Responding to Change and Shaping the Future
This renewed phase of partnership comes at a pivotal time for industry. The 2025 phase-out of fluorescent lighting across the UK and EU has accelerated a global shift towards LED illumination for colour assessment and quality control. Through VeriVide’s support, the School of Design is ensuring that students and researchers are equipped with the latest LED-based technology, the same systems now being adopted throughout international retail and manufacturing supply chains.
By embracing these new standards, the University is not only responding to industry change but also contributing to broader sustainability objectives. LED technology offers reduced energy consumption, greater accuracy, and a longer lifespan, supporting the transition to more environmentally responsible design and production practices. This approach aligns with the University’s climate plan to deliver Net Zero emissions and its goal of preparing graduates who can drive meaningful change in a more sustainable future.
Driving Innovation and Building Future Capability
The expanded capabilities now available through this partnership also reinforce the UK’s wider innovation agenda, contributing to the government’s missions on economic growth, sustainability, skills, and research-led development. The integration of advanced digital imaging and analysis can support frontier industries such as advanced manufacturing, green technology, life sciences, and the creative economy.
By training students to use tools that combine digital precision with creative application, the School of Design is nurturing graduates ready to innovate across a range of sectors. Whether improving colour consistency in textiles, enhancing digital workflows in packaging and media, or advancing data-driven sustainability research, students are developing the expertise needed to bridge design, science, and technology.
Looking Ahead
Dr. Chelsea Sullivan, Colour Solutions Technical Engineer at VeriVide says: “For VeriVide this partnership is not just about donating equipment, it's about investing in the next generation of designers and researchers. By equipping students with the same tools used by global brands, we are helping to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world practice. Providing them the tools they need to shape the future.”
As the partnership continues to develop, the School of Design and VeriVide are exploring new avenues for collaboration, from deeper research engagement to student education provisions and cross-sector projects. This is an excellent example of how universities and industry can work collaboratively to deliver transformative education and research that respond to the evolving needs of society and industry alike.
