#212721

Pantone Solid Coated

Pantone Black 3 C

Soft black

One of 17 colors in Pantone Black Colors.
White text works best (15.25:1, passes WCAG AAA).
No close RAL match (nearest ΔE 5.8).

Color values

HEX, RGB and CMYK are screen and process approximations, not official Pantone values. Tap a value to copy it.

Text on this color

Aa White text15.25:1 · Passes AAA for all text

Aa Black text1.38:1 · Not readable — avoid

Similar Pantone colors

Ranked by color difference (ΔE 2000). Below 2 most people cannot tell them apart.

Black C#2D2926ΔE 7.5 · visibly different Black 2 C#332F21ΔE 7.6 · visibly different

Neighbors by number

Black C#2D2926ΔE 7.5 Black 2 C#332F21ΔE 7.6

Black 3 C#212721This color

Black 4 C#31261DΔE 11.3 Black 5 C#3E2B2EΔE 18.4 Black 6 C#101820ΔE 10.8

Tints and shades

Mixed toward white and black in 20% steps, each matched to the nearest Pantone color.

Tints (toward white)

Cool Gray 2 C#D0D0CEΔE 1.1 · very close

Shades (toward black)

Color schemes

Pantone Black 3 C is a near-neutral color, so hue-based schemes do not apply. Neutrals pair with any color family; try it with an accent from blue, red or yellow.

Closest RAL and NCS colors

RAL 6009 Fir Green#31372BΔE 5.8 · visibly different

RAL 6022 Olive Drab#25221BΔE 5.9 · visibly different

NCS S 8505-G20Y#262825NCS (nearest on screen) · ΔE 3.4 · close

No RAL Classic color is a close match for Pantone Black 3 C. The nearest option differs visibly, so ask your supplier for a custom mix if you need it in RAL-based paint or powder coating.

Compare more options in the Pantone to RAL and Pantone to NCS converters.

How it looks with color blindness

Protanopia (red-blind)Looks like #272621, near Black C · shift ΔE 4.6

Deuteranopia (green-blind)Looks like #262521, near 419 C · shift ΔE 4.8

Tritanopia (blue-blind)Looks almost unchanged (#202725) · shift ΔE 2.5

This color looks nearly the same to people with the three common types of color blindness. Simulation uses the Machado et al. (2009) model.

About Pantone Black 3 C

Black 3 C is a black with a green undertone, the greenest of the Black 2–7 C references.

On screen it is close to 419 C (ΔE 4.5). The nearest RAL color, RAL 6009 Fir Green, differs a little (ΔE 5.8).

Use in code

CSS

:root {
  --pantone-black-3-c: #212721;
}
.brand {
  background-color: var(--pantone-black-3-c);
  color: #FFFFFF;
}

SCSS

$pantone-black-3-c: #212721;

Tailwind

// tailwind.config.js → theme.extend.colors
'pantone-black-3-c': '#212721',

<div class="bg-[#212721]">…</div>

Frequently asked questions

What is the HEX code for Pantone Black 3 C?

The screen approximation used on this site is #212721, which is RGB 33, 39, 33.

What are the CMYK values for Pantone Black 3 C?

A process approximation is C 15, M 0, Y 15, K 85. Spot inks can look different from a four-color build, so proof important jobs.

What is the closest RAL color to Pantone Black 3 C?

No RAL Classic color is a close match. The nearest, RAL 6009 Fir Green, differs visibly (ΔE 5.8).

What does the “C” in the name mean?

“C” stands for coated: the reference shows how the ink looks on coated (glossy) paper. The same ink usually looks darker and duller on uncoated paper.

Should I use white or black text on Pantone Black 3 C?

White text reads better, with a contrast ratio of 15.25:1 (passes WCAG AAA).

This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantone LLC. Pantone® is a registered trademark of Pantone LLC. The color values provided here are for reference purposes only and may not be 100% accurate representations of official Pantone colors.