Insimenator.org

This probably sounds incredibly dim but am I right in assuming that the envi cube component of some mesh creations adds some kind of surface texture or sheen to a base texture?
Therefore, for recoloring purposes, this can be omitted if desired by blacking out the alpha mask... ?

If I'm not mistaken, it adds some sort of reflection. Or, a shiney texture.

The envi cube adds a type of reflection or material to the subset, and adds to the entire subset. It has nothing to do with the alpha, but can be removed or changed if you don't want it.

I only found a tutorial for envcube clothing editing (http://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=215843), but I know there is another one for objects, too...

Alpha is only for the base or alpha textures. Nothing much to do with the alpha mask.

By alpha I meant the alpha for the envicube texture. All I mean to do for now is black out that alpha on a recolor of one of Bloom's skirts which needs to be anything other than shiny. That will probably do; after a few minutes reading the tutorial, I found myself craving a very large, stiff drink!

Just leave the alpha as it is on the envcube texture, making it black will give strange results :)
If you dont want the envcube overlay then black out the texture itself or disable it on existing outfits using Simpe.
I already did make those skirts in both with and without envcube tho ;)

Yes, I discovered blacking out the texture, not the alpha by accident. Actually, on the recolor I was doing, it was the boots that needed to be dull.
And I wonder why I keep referring to it as "envi" cube; maybe some kind of Freudian slip.
Anyway, thanks a lot Mummy... er... I mean everyone.