Chroma digitizing software solution

Premier Digitizing Software

Chroma, Ricoma's proprietary digitizing software, is designed to allow both the beginner and experienced digitizer to create even the most intricate designs with ease and speed. Become a digitizing pro in no time with an easy-to-use interface, tutorial videos, and customization tools!

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Automate your digitizing process

Easily overcome the learning curve by auto digitizing your first project with our cloud-based digitizing software.

Highly Intuitive

Artboard Features

  • Horizontal and vertical toolbar
  • Grid view
  • Hoop view
  • Change color or add textures to background
  • See your designs in realistic view
  • Embroidery sequence panel
  • Customize and save color palette
  • Convert images to stitches and fills
  • Digitize over a backdrop image that is added to artboard using the backdrop tool
  • Tutorial videos
  • Save and export designs
Fully functioning

Digitizing Tools

  • Slow redraw (simulates sewing)
  • Auto-Digitizing
  • Multiple stitch types and complex fills
  • Artwork tool to create designs
  • Auto density adjustments when resizing designs
  • Convert artwork to digitized designs
  • Batch conversion to export multiple file formats at one time
  • Pre-digitized fonts + import True Type fonts
  • Design with parametric shapes
  • Split design
  • Photo to embroidery
  • Sequin and Chenille options
Fully Customizable

Lettering/Font Features

  • Pre-digitized fonts + import True Type fonts
  • Monogram, 3D puff, Small, and Appliqué font types
  • Edit lettering with break up text tool
  • Multiple text types
  • Reorder sequence of text
  • Resize, rotate, distort text
  • Adjust spacing between letters and lines of text
  • Duplicate text
  • Reverse direction setting
  • Change to and use True Type fonts with one click

Chroma is perfect for...

Embroiderers

Chroma is the premier digitizing software for embroiderers. Built and designed for both beginners and experienced digitizers, you'll be designing your next embroidery project with ease and speed. No need to outsource your designs when you'll be a digitizing master!

Digitizers

With an easy-to-use interface and built-in customization tools, Chroma allows digitizers to pump out high-quality designs faster than ever. Chroma speeds up the lengthy digitizing process, so that you can get your product in the hands of your customers quickly and efficiently.

Students/Teachers

Graphic and fashion design students and teachers alike can use Chroma software to eliminate the digitizing learning curve and dive straight into practical, hands-on designing for embroidered garments. Students and teachers will receive the full digitizing learning experience with Chroma's simple customization tools and free training videos.

Create a new design or open an existing one
Save designs for any embroidery machine
Merge or open an existing design within another existing design
Design library to save, store, search and organize designs to use within other designs or open on the fly
Save design as image (JPG/PNG)
Import artwork/bitmap
Collapsible tool panels
Backdrop tool imports an image into your file, providing a reference for digitizing
Print out your design
Send a design to an embroidery machine (machine must support a serial port connection)
Batch Export feature exports multiple file formats at one time
Realistic view feature toggles between lifelike view and stitch view
Turn Grid OFF/ON
Turn Stitches OFF/ON
Zoom in & out using mouse scroll, 1:1
Pan tool is a scroll feature that allows you to click and drag your screen to move (left/right/up/down)
Show or hide Stitch Ends
Ruler tool measures any part of your design
Hoops tool allows you to select an existing hoop size inside of Chroma or you can program your own
Change background color of your artboard to match the color your design will be placed on
Add texture to your artboard background to see your design on different fabrics
Show or hide machine commands within your file
Set your own Start/Stop point
View/edit the sequence in which your design will sew out
See the order in which your design will sew out using the redraw tool
Navigator tool combines the scrolling and pan tool to view areas of your design quickly
Filter through your design by color or sequence (when right clicking on the design)
Access to Design Analysis which provides details about your design such as stitch count, sewing time, dimensions, etc.
View your design on a library of different 3D Models such as hoodies, t-shirts, caps, and more
Rotate clockwise/counterclockwise
Flip selected paths
Mirror selected paths
Cut, copy, paste, duplicate, and group
Zoom in/out
Transform (resize, flip, or rotate selection)
Select tool
Color sort
Resequence by color
Align
Undo/Redo
Optimize path sequence
Optimize entry-exit points
Shape tool
Repeat tool allows you to repeat your design (good for sewing multiple designs at a time)
Select same feature allows you to select objects that have the same color, size, width, etc. as other objects in the design
Carousel tool puts selected paths into a circle
Reflect tool
Scatter tool
Place tool adds objects around necklines
Lasso tool is used to draw a line around a specific part of your design you want to select
Stitch tool allows you to manually edit individual stitches (inserting, deleting, changing color, etc.)
Slice Tool
Bead tool creates mark stitches to show where beads need to be placed on fabric
Text tool allows you to type out text, pre-digitized fonts, size, and other text specs
Use True Type Fonts to import fonts from your computer to use in your design
Pre-digitized fonts
150 total
200 total
250 total
Monogram fonts
17
20
22
Small fonts
11
11
11
3D Puff fonts
0
0
13
Appliqué fonts
0
10
10
Break Up Text tool will separate any selected group of text into individual letters to be moved or edited separately
6 different text types: Normal, circle, monogram, spiral, path, and vertical (text type conforms to these options. Ex: circle, text forms in the shape of a circle)
Bubble Text tool lets you easily make text designs using shapes, colors, and decorations
Font editor to modify or create new fonts
Auto Digitizing
Underlay settings
Pull/Push compensation settings
Column settings for satin stitches
Run/Classic Satin stitch types
Complex Fill with holes
Artwork/Create parametric shapes
Stitched Snapshots (photo to embroidery)
Auto Cross stitch
Auto Baste
Push compensation
Convert To (Steil, Fill etc)
Shaping options (Subtract, Exclude, and Knockout)
Applique
Pattern & Palette Creator
Steil/Cross Stitch
Add Notes to your design file
Magic Wand tool to digitize parts of your image/vector with one click
Utility (Create Border, Outline etc)
Gradient Fills & Color Blending
Varsity Complex Fill Type (mimics chenille)
Plaid Complex Fill Type
3D Foam Complex Fill Type
Jagged type
Stippling
Motifs / Emboss
Wave Fill
Split Design (Multiple Hoops)
Applique Cutter
Add Button holes
Instant stitch estimation for your designs
Steil cap & miter ends
Sequin Stitch & Fill
Chenille Options

Formats

RDE
EXP
DST
DST
DSB
DSZ
T01
SST
U01
U02
DAT
T03
PHC
10o
ZSK
T05
TAP
M3
PES
EMD
PCS
PCM
SEW
HUS
SHV
CSD
JEF
VIP
VP3
VP4
ZHS
XXX

Minimum Requirements

Operating system – windows 7 64-bit with latest updates and service pack or Mac OSX version 12 (Sierra), which means MacOS Chroma can run on Sierra, High Sierra, Mojave, Catalina and Big Sur
Memory – 8 gb
Free hard disk space – 40 gb
Graphics card and monitor – support for 32bit and 1600 x 900 resolution
Internet connection - required for software updates

Try it out for free

Not sure if Chroma is for you? Download a free trial today and discover how easy it is to digitize with the most intuitive and easy-to-use digitizing software.

Video Training

Learn the ins and outs of Chroma's digitizing capabilities with our extensive video training. You'll be a Chroma expert in no time!

Learn more

Technical Support

Stuck on how to fix a design or have a technical issue? Our technical support team is on standby 7 days a week and after hours, to get you back on track right away.

Contact technical support

Frequently Asked Questions

Chroma ranges from $599 to $1,999 depending on the tier you purchase. Chroma Inspire is $599. Chroma Plus is $1,299 and Chroma Luxe is $1,999.

Yes, you may finance Chroma Plus and Luxe with the purchase of an embroidery machine and on its own. Feel free to contact us for information on financing terms.

Extensive video training is provided. Once you're done, you'll learn the digitizing process from start to finish, as well as how to operate Chroma's special functions.

Our technical support line is open 7 days a week to answer any questions you have on the software.

You can purchase Chroma online or via telephone with a Ricoma staff member.

Each embroidery machine package includes Chroma Inspire, the software's basic version that allows you to edit and create simple embroidery designs. If you would like to upgrade your Chroma software, you can do so for an additional cost.