Pantone Color of the Year 2026
Pantone Color of the Year 2026: Cloud Dancer (11-4201)
Cloud Dancer is the official Pantone Color of the Year for 2026. This editorial guide summarizes the color's technical specs, palette ideas, and real-world applications. It is purely informational and not affiliated with Pantone. For trademark and attribution details, see our legal notice.
Pantone code
11-4201
Nearest HEX (approx.)
#F0EEE9
Color family
Soft white / warm neutral
Why a white in 2026?
Pantone describes Cloud Dancer as a soft, airy white that offers calm and clarity at a time when life feels fast and noisy. That framing positions the shade as a reset: a quiet base that can soothe overstimulation and open up space for new ideas.
It is also the first white shade Pantone has ever selected as Color of the Year since the program began in 1999. That makes the choice more than a neutral pick; it signals a cultural pivot toward simplicity, fewer distractions, and a preference for understated design.
You can read this as a response to the broader aesthetic movements of the moment: quiet luxury, soft minimalism, and a desire for calm physical and digital environments. A warm white provides the emotional safety of familiarity while still feeling fresh, which makes it a natural anchor for forward-looking brand systems.
From a practical standpoint, near-whites like Cloud Dancer work across disciplines: they amplify natural light, let type and imagery breathe, and make accent colors feel more intentional. If you want to go deeper on the fundamentals behind neutral palettes, start with our color theory basics.
Because it is close to white, Cloud Dancer also performs well in photography-heavy layouts. Whites help product photography, editorial imagery, and illustration pop without the harshness of pure #FFFFFF, which can sometimes create uncomfortable glare or banding on screens.
Technical specifications
Pantone colors are defined in their own system, so digital values are always approximations. Pantone's conversion tools (such as Pantone Connect) provide the closest RGB/CMYK/HEX equivalents. The values below are the nearest matches commonly cited for Cloud Dancer and should be treated as approximate when you move from print to screen.
If you are matching print and digital, always build a real-world sample: print a physical swatch, compare it under daylight and warm artificial light, then calibrate your screen or export multiple variants. The goal is visual consistency, not a perfect numeric match.
The undertone matters most when you are pairing Cloud Dancer with other neutrals. It leans slightly warm, so it harmonizes better with beige, sand, and warm grays than with cool bluish whites. When you compare it side by side with pure white, Cloud Dancer feels softer and more human.
Pantone code
PANTONE 11-4201
Nearest HEX (approx.)
#F0EEE9
Nearest RGB (approx.)
rgb(240, 238, 233)
Nearest CMYK (approx.)
0, 0.8, 2.9, 5.9
Nearest HSL (approx.)
43°, 19%, 93%
Undertone
Warm white with a subtle beige tilt
Palette ideas
Cloud Dancer shines when it has structure around it. Use deeper anchors to protect contrast, then add a single accent that carries the brand voice. Here are three ready-to-use palettes to get you started.
A reliable ratio for these palettes is 70/20/10: 70% neutral base, 20% mid-tone support, and 10% accent. It keeps the near-white feeling intentional and prevents it from washing out your interface.
If your design still feels too light, shift the mid-tones down slightly or add a darker border around key components. That micro-contrast keeps the layout crisp while preserving the airy quality of the base color.
High-contrast editorial palette
A modern editorial set with bold anchors so the near-white feels intentional, not washed out.
Great for magazines, landing pages, or campaign graphics that need punchy contrast.
Accessibility & contrast examples
Near-whites introduce contrast risk, especially for body text. To keep Cloud Dancer accessible, anchor your typography with deep, low-chroma colors and validate every pair with a WCAG contrast check.
Buttons, form fields, and cards should use borders or subtle elevation to avoid disappearing into the background. Consider slightly darker separators, stronger focus rings, and higher-contrast hover states so the UI remains legible even on low-quality displays.
When in doubt, test the UI on mobile in bright light and on lower-quality monitors. Near-white backgrounds can look different depending on device calibration, and quick testing helps catch issues before launch.
Ink Black
#111827
Best for long-form copy and editorial UI.
Slate 800
#1F2937
Ideal for product interfaces and dashboards.
Graphite
#3F3F46
Use for secondary text when headings stay darker.
Where it shows up
Cloud Dancer works because it behaves like a breathable foundation. It adds lightness without demanding attention, so the story you build around it becomes the hero. Here is how it translates across design disciplines.
If you want to see how major brands build with near-white systems, explore the patterns we are building in the brands library. You can compare how different industries pair light neutrals with bold or muted accent colors.
Branding
Use Cloud Dancer as the quiet hero in brand systems that need to feel premium but approachable. It lets logos and typography breathe while keeping white space intentional rather than empty.
Pair it with a single hero accent color (deep navy, forest, or ruby) to create memorability without losing the soft baseline. This approach is especially effective for wellness, hospitality, and premium consumer brands.
For packaging or print brand systems, the subtle warmth of Cloud Dancer avoids the bluish tint of pure white. It feels more tactile and premium, which is ideal when you want a high-end, refined presentation.
If you're building a brand world, combine Cloud Dancer with tactile textures (linen, paper grain, matte photography) to create a more human feel than pure white.
Product & UI design
Cloud Dancer behaves like a softer canvas for digital products. It preserves the clean look of white while reducing glare on displays, which can feel more comfortable in long sessions.
Use it to separate surfaces: page backgrounds, cards, and modals can step down in subtle layers. Add slightly darker neutrals between layers to keep depth visible, especially on mobile screens.
In product UIs, use Cloud Dancer for the primary surface and then establish a clear hierarchy for interactive elements. Form fields should use a stronger fill or border so that users immediately recognize inputs against the near-white background.
When paired with a strong CTA color and a reliable text shade, Cloud Dancer can deliver a polished premium UI without the harshness of stark white.
Interiors
As a wall or surface color, Cloud Dancer reads as light, but with a gentle warmth that feels more livable than a bright optical white. It helps natural light bounce while keeping spaces calm.
The shade supports layered materials: pale woods, brushed metal, and soft textiles work especially well to emphasize the subtle undertone. It is ideal for modern minimal interiors that still want a sense of warmth.
Lighting temperature matters. Under cooler LEDs it can feel cleaner and brighter, while warm bulbs bring out a creamier tone. Test swatches in the actual space before committing to large surfaces.
If you're building a mood board, pair Cloud Dancer with warm stone and a dark anchor color to keep the palette from drifting into sterile territory.
Fashion
Cloud Dancer works as a base for monochrome or layered tonal looks. The near-white allows silhouettes and materials to create contrast instead of relying purely on color.
For styling, it pairs well with soft grays, beige, or high-contrast black accents. The neutral warmth means it can feel luxurious even in simple, minimal pieces.
In textiles, the shade reads more like a refined cream than a stark white. It is versatile for knits, outerwear, and accessories, especially when paired with rich leather or metallic trims.
Designers can use it to elevate basics or to quiet down bold accents, giving the overall collection a cohesive, breathable feel.
Notable collaborations
Cloud Dancer has already appeared in technology collaborations. Motorola introduced a special edition motorola edge 70 finished in Cloud Dancer and embellished with Swarovski crystals, positioning the device as a premium design object.
FAQ
What is Pantone Color of the Year 2026?
Pantone selected Cloud Dancer, officially PANTONE 11-4201, as the Color of the Year 2026. It is a soft white intended to represent calm, clarity, and a fresh start.
What is Cloud Dancer (11-4201)?
Cloud Dancer is a near-white Pantone shade with a gentle, airy character. It is positioned as a calming neutral that can stand alone or serve as a flexible base for richer palettes.
What is the HEX or RGB for Cloud Dancer?
Pantone colors do not map perfectly to digital systems, so we list nearest equivalents. The closest HEX we reference is #F0EEE9 with RGB 240, 238, 233 (approximate).
Is Cloud Dancer warm or cool?
It reads as a warm white with a subtle beige undertone, which keeps it from feeling clinical on screens and printed materials.
How do I use Cloud Dancer in UI or branding?
Use it as a background for spacious layouts, pair it with deep charcoal text, and introduce a single saturated accent color for CTAs or navigation to keep hierarchy clear.
How do I check contrast for near-white colors?
Run a WCAG contrast check against your text colors. Use our Analyze tool to test contrast pairs before launching a UI or brand system.
Sources & references
We summarize Pantone's announcement and cross-check widely cited coverage. External links are provided for reference only.
Disclaimer: This page is an independent editorial guide and is not affiliated with Pantone.