Since the last review of this subject, few major developments have taken place with laboratory dyeing equipment but incremental improvements have assisted in increasing the accuracy and effectiveness of such equipment. Laboratory automation, however, has become established at various levels of sophistication. This has greatly improved the limits of accuracy that can be imposed on the laboratory dyeing process with a resultant increase in accuracy and reproducibility. Whilst the above developments are reviewed, the opportunity has been taken to discuss state‐of‐the‐art practices in laboratory d