What color is #280D09?

#280D09 is a very dark red. In RGB it is rgb(40, 13, 9), and in HSL hsl(8, 63%, 10%).

Is #280D09 accessible as text?

On white, #280D09 has a contrast ratio of 18.23:1 (passes WCAG AA for body text); on black it is 1.15:1 (fails). For text placed on #280D09, use white for the best readability.

What is the closest Tailwind color to #280D09?

The nearest Tailwind CSS token is taupe-900 (#1D1816).

What colors go well with #280D09?

#280D09 pairs cleanly with neutrals — cream, taupe, charcoal and cool grays — and with its complementary #09252A. In UI, a softer accent is often easier to use than the exact complement. Explore the harmonies, shades, tints and ready-made palettes for #280D09 below.

Is #280D09 good for buttons?

#280D09 works well for buttons and highlights, but use white text on #280D09 — black text only reaches 1.15:1, below the 4.5:1 needed for normal-size labels.

Is #280D09 the same as CSS midnightblue?

No — #280D09 is not the CSS named color midnightblue, but midnightblue (#191970) is the closest CSS named color by perceptual color distance — it sits in a different color family, so treat it as a rough reference, not a match.

#280D09 Color — HEX, RGB, HSL, Palette & Shades

Palettes built on #280D09

Not just a swatch — here's how #280D09 works with other colors. Named schemes with #280D09 in its natural role, and a note on why the supporting colors balance it.

Warm Autumn Interior Dominant · 5 colors

Dominant #280D09 Secondary #B76325 Accent #777743 Surface #F4EBDD Anchor #3B2A21

This palette keeps Graphite as the dominant warm neutral, balanced by muted terracotta and olive earth tones and grounded by a deep espresso anchor.

Vintage Leather Lead · 5 colors

Lead #280D09 Secondary #7B4927 Surface #EAD9C0 Accent #43503A Anchor #5A222E

Graphite plays the worn-leather lead, deepened by saddle brown and an oxblood anchor, softened by aged cream and cooled by a muted forest green.

Desert Clay Center · 5 colors

Center #280D09 Surface #E3CEA8 Secondary #B17957 Accent #98976D Anchor #3E2C21

Graphite holds the warm center of this desert palette with sand and clay beside it, a muted-sage accent and a dark-brown anchor.

Japanese Sand Base · 5 colors

Base #280D09 Surface #F0E9DC Highlight #F7F1E7 Secondary #BBAEA0 Ink #2B2723

Graphite sets a calm, sun-bleached base here, wrapped in bone and paper off-whites and a soft greige, with a single ink accent for wabi-sabi restraint.

Minimal Editorial Surface · 5 colors

Surface #F7F4EF Accent #280D09 Secondary #403533 Support #9B9186 Ink #17140F

Graphite is the single accent in this high-contrast editorial system — set on near-white paper against near-black ink, with a warm grey and a desaturated tint of Graphite carrying the quiet middle.

Build a working theme in the generator →

Color Lab

How #280D09 actually behaves in design work — read from its OKLCH lightness, chroma and hue, not just its raw numbers. Ten signals to help you decide where this color earns its place.

Warmth 63/100

Warm

Reads warm and advancing — inviting, energetic, draws the eye forward.

Softness 21/100

Low

Firm and assertive — carries weight and contrast.

Depth 76/100

High

Deep and grounding — anchors a layout, strong dark-mode base.

Naturalness 57/100

Moderate

Organic, earthy character — at home in wellness, food and craft brands.

Vintage feel 36/100

Low

A faint retro warmth without tipping into sepia.

Luxury 77/100

High

Restrained and premium — deep, quiet, high-end packaging and fashion.

Brand distinctiveness 18/100

Very low

Quiet and neutral — a supporting tone, not a signature.

UI accent fit 11/100

Very low

Weak as an action color — too pale, too dark or too muted to signal.

Surface fit 58/100

Moderate

Usable as a tinted surface in measured doses.

Print safety 95/100

Very high

Reproduces faithfully in CMYK — safe for packaging and print.

Pairs with #280D09

For UI

For branding

For interior

For fashion

People also use #280D09 with

Oxblood Graphite Gainsboro Espresso

UI roles & guardrails

Primary action Safe as a filled button with white label. AAA

Body text Passes on white at 16px and above. Pass

Large display Fine for headings 24px+ on white. Pass

Background Pair with white text at 18.2:1. Use

Subtle surface Use #E6C2BC for cards and hover fills. Tint 80

Avoid beside #2A1809 — the hue gap is too small to read as intentional. Clash

In real applications

Not a swatch to memorise — a color to build with. Here is #280D09 at work across the surfaces designers actually ship.

Website / UI

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Dashboard

Revenue

$48.2k ▲ 12%

Brand

AVELINE

Studio

Poster

Nov 14 · 8PM

NIGHT
MARKET

Packaging

BLOOM

Botanical Wash

250 ml

Interior

Every model

Export

:root {
  --color-base: #280D09;
  --color-base-rgb: 40 13 9;
  --color-base-oklch: oklch(20.2% 0.046 30.3);
  --color-50: #FDF3F2;
  --color-100: #F8E1DD;
  --color-200: #F0C3BD;
  --color-300: #E09A8F;
  --color-400: #CD7365;
  --color-500: #B25243;
  --color-600: #88443A;
  --color-700: #61352E;
  --color-800: #402521;
  --color-900: #271816;
  --color-on-base: #FFFFFF;
}

// tailwind.config.js
colors: {
  graphite: {
    50: '#FDF3F2',
    100: '#F8E1DD',
    200: '#F0C3BD',
    300: '#E09A8F',
    400: '#CD7365',
    500: '#B25243',
    600: '#88443A',
    700: '#61352E',
    800: '#402521',
    900: '#271816',
  },
}

$base: #280D09;
$base-ink: #FFFFFF;
$base-50: #FDF3F2;
$base-100: #F8E1DD;
$base-200: #F0C3BD;
$base-300: #E09A8F;
$base-400: #CD7365;
$base-500: #B25243;
$base-600: #88443A;
$base-700: #61352E;
$base-800: #402521;
$base-900: #271816;
$base-hover: #210B08;
$base-subtle: #DBA299;

{
    "color": {
        "base": {
            "value": "#280D09",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "onBase": {
            "value": "#FFFFFF",
            "type": "color"
        },
        "scale": {
            "50": {
                "value": "#FDF3F2",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "100": {
                "value": "#F8E1DD",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "200": {
                "value": "#F0C3BD",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "300": {
                "value": "#E09A8F",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "400": {
                "value": "#CD7365",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "500": {
                "value": "#B25243",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "600": {
                "value": "#88443A",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "700": {
                "value": "#61352E",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "800": {
                "value": "#402521",
                "type": "color"
            },
            "900": {
                "value": "#271816",
                "type": "color"
            }
        }
    }
}