“Can we keep the vest blue and still pass EN 13138-1?” We had this question recently.
A blue panel does not automatically make an EN 13138-1 swim vest unacceptable. The risk depends on the complete colour arrangement and how visible the worn product is against the water environment.
This is an important distinction for buyers. “Blue is forbidden” is too simple, but “any colour is fine” is also unsafe advice.
Why Upper-Body Colour Matters
For a wearable aid used while learning to swim, the visible area above and around the waterline is especially important. A dark blue or black upper section can blend into the background more easily than a bright, contrasting design.
The evaluation is not based only on a fabric swatch. The complete product and the location of each colour matter. A dark lower panel may present a different risk from an entirely dark upper body.
That is why colour should be reviewed at the artwork stage, not after the test samples are finished.
Keeping Blue Without Ignoring Visibility
The first option is not necessarily to remove blue. A designer can consider bright upper panels, contrast stripes, high-visibility prints or a colour-block layout that keeps the most visible areas distinct from the background.
The solution must still be evaluated as a complete product. Adding one small bright logo is not the same as creating a clearly visible upper-body design.
In our recent laboratory discussion, the practical recommendation was to submit the colour layout or a representative sample for preliminary review. The laboratory can then identify obvious risk before the factory commits to printed fabric and a full sample set.
A Colour Change Is Also a Material Change
A new colour may also introduce different ink, coating or fabric behaviour. Printed warnings and product information need to remain legible and durable on the actual material used in production.
Depending on the project, the laboratory may need material carrying the real printed warning text rather than a plain colour swatch. Testing may consider how printing behaves under conditions relevant to the product, such as rubbing or exposure to pool-related environments.
The exact sample plan should come from the appointed laboratory. A manufacturer should not assume that changing only the colour means no additional verification is needed.
Sometimes the issue is not the shade of blue. It is the product category.
Sometimes a buyer insists on an entirely dark vest because the product is intended for broader water recreation rather than swimming instruction. In that situation, the more important question may be whether EN 13138-1 is the right product category at all.
Colour is only one clue. The manufacturer still needs to understand the user’s swimming ability, the activity and the intended environment. If the real product is a buoyancy aid for a different use scenario, its full standard route should be reviewed instead of forcing a learn-to-swim product into the brief.
Send the colour design for review before sampling. Identify which panels will remain visible in use. Use the production fabric and actual print method for any required material verification. Most importantly, settle the product category before using colour changes to chase a pass result.
At Huatop, we now treat colour layout as a compliance input for children’s swimming aids, not as decoration added after the structure is complete.