Khaki color guide

#C3B091
HEX
#C3B091
RGB
rgb(195, 176, 145)
HSL
hsl(37, 29%, 67%)
CMYK
cmyk(0%, 10%, 26%, 24%)

A greenish, dusty tan with a utilitarian history, sitting between brown and olive. Reads practical rather than decorative, which makes it a good base for busy layouts.

Best for
Outdoor and workwear palettes.

Accessibility

Khaki text on whiteFail
Sample2.11:1
White text on khakiFail
Sample2.11:1
Khaki text on blackAAA
Sample9.94:1
Black text on khakiAAA
Sample9.94:1

Ratios follow WCAG 2.1. AA needs 4.5:1 for body text, AAA needs 7:1; large text passes AA at 3:1.

Colors that go with khaki

Combinations that hold up in a real layout rather than only on the colour wheel.

Khaki color harmonies

Complementary
The opposite hue — highest contrast, best used sparingly.
#C3B091 #92A5C3
Analogous
Neighbouring hues that sit together calmly.
#C39892 #C3B091 #BEC392
Triadic
Three evenly spaced hues — vivid but balanced.
#C3B091 #92C3B1 #B192C3
Split complementary
Softer than complementary, with the same tension.
#C3B091 #92BEC3 #9892C3

Khaki shades and tints

The same hue and saturation across ten lightness steps — the basis of a usable colour ramp in a design system.

#F6F3EF#E4DBCE#D2C4AD#C0AC8C#AE946B#947B51#735F3F#52442D#31291B#1A160E

Khaki FAQ

What is the hex code for khaki?

Khaki is #C3B091. In other formats that is rgb(195, 176, 145), hsl(37, 29%, 67%), and approximately cmyk(0%, 10%, 26%, 24%) for print.

What colors go with khaki?

Espresso, Olive, Cream all pair well with khaki. Outdoor and workwear palettes.

Is khaki accessible for text?

Not on white: khaki reaches only 2.11:1 there, below the 4.5:1 WCAG AA threshold. Use it as a background with black text on top, or reserve it for large display type.

Should text on khaki be black or white?

Use black text. It gives the higher contrast ratio of the two against #C3B091.

More brown colors