Spectrometer measurements of the color of cotton, based on CIE Standards, were compared with High Volume Instrumentation (HVI) methods. Color imaging and spatial interpretation were examined with the intent of demonstrating the importance of color uniformity, trash content and yellow spot on classer color grading. Agreement is enhanced between HVI color grading and the cotton classer by the inclusion of the CIE color space redness parameter a*, trash content, and yellowness variability.