What is ICC profile?
Also known as: Color profile
A color rendering specification file that defines how a device (monitor, printer, fabric) reproduces colors. Embedded in production files so colors render correctly across systems.
In detail
An ICC profile is a small data file produced by the International Color Consortium standard that specifies a device's color rendering behavior. It maps device-specific color values (the RGB a monitor displays, the ink density a printer applies, the dye absorption of a fabric base) to the universal CIE-XYZ or LAB color spaces. Embedding the source ICC profile in a production file tells the destination device 'this is how the source intended these colors to look — please reproduce them accordingly using your own ICC profile.' Without ICC profiles, the same RGB values produce different visible colors on different monitors and fabrics; with profiles, the print partner's RIP can color-correct to match the designer's intent within the destination's gamut. Textile-specific ICC profiles vary by fabric base — cotton, polyester, silk, and blends each absorb dye differently and need their own profile.
Example
A designer working in sRGB on a calibrated monitor exports a TIFF with the sRGB ICC profile embedded. The print partner's RIP reads the profile, converts to the cotton-fabric ICC profile, and adjusts the ink output so the printed color matches the screen color within Delta E 2.