Hunter Green Color Palette
Hunter Green is hex #355E3B, rgb(53, 94, 59). Hunter green is a dark, slightly cool green that was traditionally worn by hunters to blend into woodland. It is quieter and more refined than forest green.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Hunter Green color codes
Reading the hunter green color codes
The hex code #355E3B is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. 35 is 53, 5E is 94 and 3B is 59, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(53, 94, 59) in CSS. The green channel is the strongest here, which is what gives hunter green its green character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 129 degrees places hunter green in the green part of the color wheel. Saturation of 28% makes it muted, and lightness of 29% makes it a dark color. HSL is the easiest format to adjust by hand: keep the hue, then raise or lower lightness to create tints and shades that stay in the same family.
For print, the approximate CMYK mix is 44% cyan, 0% magenta, 37% yellow and 63% black. Screen and print colors never match perfectly, because monitors emit light while ink absorbs it, so always proof a printed sample before committing to hunter green for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Hunter Green shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #355E3B, so you can use hunter green for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"hunter-green": {
50: "#E1E7E2",
100: "#CCD6CD",
200: "#B6C5B8",
300: "#A1B4A4",
400: "#8BA38F",
500: "#76927A",
600: "#608065",
700: "#4B6F50",
800: "#355E3B",
900: "#28472D",
950: "#1B311E",
},
},
},
}:root {
--hunter-green-50: #E1E7E2;
--hunter-green-100: #CCD6CD;
--hunter-green-200: #B6C5B8;
--hunter-green-300: #A1B4A4;
--hunter-green-400: #8BA38F;
--hunter-green-500: #76927A;
--hunter-green-600: #608065;
--hunter-green-700: #4B6F50;
--hunter-green-800: #355E3B;
--hunter-green-900: #28472D;
--hunter-green-950: #1B311E;
}A shade-by-shade guide to hunter green
The 50 to 950 scale above follows the same structure as Tailwind's built-in palettes, so each step has a natural job. The lightest steps, 50 (#E1E7E2) and 100 (#CCD6CD), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the hunter green mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#B6C5B8) and 300 (#A1B4A4) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where hunter green is most recognizable, so use it for brand moments, illustrations and primary buttons. White text reaches the 4.5:1 body-text contrast minimum from step 700 upward, so use step 700 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 500.
The darkest steps, 800 (#355E3B) through 950 (#1B311E), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to hunter green. Using step 900 or 950 for text instead of pure black is one of the simplest ways to make an interface feel designed rather than default.
Colors that go with hunter green
How the hunter green color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from hunter green is #5E3558, which sits closest to eggplant among common named colors. Complementary pairs create the strongest contrast of hue, so use the second color sparingly, for a single call to action or highlight, rather than in equal amounts.
Analogous. #445E35 and #355E50 sit 30 degrees either side of hunter green. Analogous palettes feel calm and cohesive because the colors share undertones; they are ideal for illustrations, gradients and backgrounds where you want harmony more than contrast.
Triadic and split complementary. The triadic set (#3B355E and #5E3B35) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to charcoal. The split complementary set (#4F355E and #5E3544) keeps much of the complementary contrast but is easier to balance, which makes it a good choice for data visualization and multi-category tags.
Monochromatic. The monochromatic set runs from #79B381 to #0F1A10. A single-hue palette is the safest way to build a calm, premium interface: rely on lightness for hierarchy, then add one neutral and one accent if you need emphasis.
Hunter Green compared with similar colors
charcoal (#36454F) is about as light and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward blue. Choose charcoal if you need more weight and contrast; choose hunter green if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
taupe (#483C32) is darker (24% vs 29% lightness) and more muted, and leans back the wheel toward orange. Choose taupe if you need more weight and contrast; choose hunter green if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
gunmetal (#2A3439) is darker (19% vs 29% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward blue. Choose gunmetal if you need more weight and contrast; choose hunter green if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
Hunter Green in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here hunter green carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using hunter green in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. Hunter Green carries white labels at 7.46:1, which passes AA for normal text.
- Text. Hunter Green works as text on white backgrounds.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a muted dark color draw attention, so give them a reason, like a hero section or pricing highlight.
- Dark mode. Steps 900 and 950 make a dark surface tinted with hunter green. On dark backgrounds the base color often needs a lighter step (300 or 400) to keep enough contrast for icons and borders, as required by WCAG non-text contrast.
- States. Shift one step darker for hover and two steps darker for pressed. Keep focus rings in a contrasting color so keyboard users can always see them.
Contrast and accessibility
AA needs 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text. AAA needs 7:1.
Color contrast is measured as a ratio from 1:1 (no contrast) to 21:1 (black on white). Hunter Green scores 7.46:1 against white (AAA) and 2.82:1 against black (Fail). The WCAG 2.1 contrast guideline asks for at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text, which is why the shade guide above recommends specific steps for text and labels.
Contrast is only half of accessibility. Around 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency, so never use hunter green alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What hunter green means
Green reads as growth, health, money and calm. Muted greens feel natural and organic; saturated greens feel fresh and energetic.
Hunter green comes from the color worn by hunters in Britain and North America to blend into woodland. It is a darker, cooler and more muted green than forest green, and it became a classic for menswear, libraries, leather-bound books and private clubs.
In interfaces green is already wired to mean success and confirmation, so if you use it as a brand color, pick a different hue (or a much darker shade) for success states so the two never get confused.
Where hunter green works best
- Menswear and outdoor heritage
- Libraries and academia
- Whisky and craft drinks
- Premium stationery
How to style hunter green
Hunter green pairs with brass, cream, tan, burgundy and warm wood. It supports white text comfortably and makes a sophisticated dark theme base. For a modern take, pair it with soft blush or pale sage instead of gold.
Build a UI with hunter green
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #355E3B as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Hunter Green · History and definition of hunter green.
- WCAG 2.1: Contrast (Minimum) · The W3C rule behind the 4.5:1 and 3:1 thresholds used on this page.
- WCAG 2.1: Use of Color · Why color should never be the only way information is shown.
- MDN: CSS color values · Reference for hex, rgb() and hsl() syntax.
- Tailwind CSS: Customizing colors · How to add a custom color scale to your theme.
Similar colors
Questions people ask
What is the hex code for hunter green?
The hex code for hunter green used on this page is #355E3B. In RGB that is rgb(53, 94, 59), and in HSL it is hsl(129, 28%, 29%).
What colors go well with hunter green?
Hunter Green pairs well with #1E3A23, #F2EEE3, #B08D57 (the Lodge palette above). Its complementary color is #5E3558, and analogous colors are #445E35 and #355E50.
Is hunter green a warm or cool color?
Hunter Green is a slightly warm color. Its hue sits at 129 degrees on the color wheel with 28% saturation.
Can I use hunter green for text?
Hunter Green has a contrast ratio of 7.46:1 against white and 2.82:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as text on white backgrounds.
What does hunter green mean?
Green reads as growth, health, money and calm. Muted greens feel natural and organic; saturated greens feel fresh and energetic. Hunter Green in particular is used for menswear and outdoor heritage and libraries and academia.
How do I use hunter green in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#355E3B] for a one-off, or add the 50-950 scale from this page to theme.extend.colors in tailwind.config.js and use classes like bg-hunter-green-500 and text-hunter-green-900.
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