Khaki Color Palette
Khaki is hex #C3B091, rgb(195, 176, 145). Khaki comes from the Hindi/Urdu word for 'dusty'. The classic hex is a light greyish brown, the color of military uniforms and chinos.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Khaki color codes
Reading the khaki color codes
The hex code #C3B091 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. C3 is 195, B0 is 176 and 91 is 145, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(195, 176, 145) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives khaki its orange character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 37 degrees places khaki in the orange part of the color wheel. Saturation of 29% makes it muted, and lightness of 67% makes it a light 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 0% cyan, 10% magenta, 26% yellow and 24% 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 khaki for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Khaki shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #C3B091, so you can use khaki for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"khaki": {
50: "#F1EDE5",
100: "#E6DED0",
200: "#DACEBB",
300: "#CFBFA6",
400: "#C3B091",
500: "#AC9B7F",
600: "#95866E",
700: "#7E715C",
800: "#675C4B",
900: "#504739",
950: "#393227",
},
},
},
}:root {
--khaki-50: #F1EDE5;
--khaki-100: #E6DED0;
--khaki-200: #DACEBB;
--khaki-300: #CFBFA6;
--khaki-400: #C3B091;
--khaki-500: #AC9B7F;
--khaki-600: #95866E;
--khaki-700: #7E715C;
--khaki-800: #675C4B;
--khaki-900: #504739;
--khaki-950: #393227;
}A shade-by-shade guide to khaki
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 (#F1EDE5) and 100 (#E6DED0), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the khaki mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#DACEBB) and 300 (#CFBFA6) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where khaki 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 600.
The darkest steps, 800 (#675C4B) through 950 (#393227), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to khaki. 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 khaki
How the khaki color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from khaki is #91A4C3, which sits closest to silver 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. #C39791 and #BDC391 sit 30 degrees either side of khaki. 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 (#91C3B0 and #B091C3) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to seafoam green. The split complementary set (#91BDC3 and #9791C3) 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 #F1ECE5 to #806A46. 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.
Khaki compared with similar colors
tan (#D2B48C) is about as light and more saturated, and shares almost the same hue. Choose tan if you want a softer, airier version; choose khaki if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
sand (#C2B280) is about as light and more saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward yellow-orange. Choose sand if you need more weight and contrast; choose khaki if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
dusty rose (#DCAE96) is lighter (73% vs 67% lightness) and more saturated, and leans back the wheel toward orange. Choose dusty rose if you want a softer, airier version; choose khaki if you want a quieter, more natural tone.
Khaki in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here khaki carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
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Using khaki in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on khaki only reach 2.11:1, so use dark text (9.94:1 with black) or a deeper shade for the button.
- Text. Avoid khaki for body text on white; use step 700 or darker for links and headings that need to read as khaki.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a muted light 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 khaki. 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). Khaki scores 2.11:1 against white (Fail) and 9.94:1 against black (AAA). 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 khaki alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What khaki means
Brown and earth tones feel grounded, reliable, handmade and natural. They are the backbone of coffee, craft, outdoor and sustainability brands.
Khaki comes from the Hindi/Urdu word for 'dusty' and was adopted for British military uniforms in India in the mid-19th century. It later became a civilian staple through chinos.
Browns make warm alternatives to grey for text and borders. A dark brown instead of black instantly softens an interface.
Where khaki works best
- Outdoor and utility fashion
- Travel and safari
- Military-inspired design
- Neutral product UI
How to style khaki
Khaki pairs with navy, white, olive and rust. Use it as a neutral surface or text-adjacent color with dark type. It suits outdoor, travel and utility brands.
Build a UI with khaki
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #C3B091 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Khaki · History and definition of khaki.
- 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 khaki?
The hex code for khaki used on this page is #C3B091. In RGB that is rgb(195, 176, 145), and in HSL it is hsl(37, 29%, 67%).
What colors go well with khaki?
Khaki pairs well with #8A7B5A, #F6F2EA, #2E3B32 (the Expedition palette above). Its complementary color is #91A4C3, and analogous colors are #C39791 and #BDC391.
Is khaki a warm or cool color?
Khaki is a warm color. Its hue sits at 37 degrees on the color wheel with 29% saturation.
Can I use khaki for text?
Khaki has a contrast ratio of 2.11:1 against white and 9.94:1 against black. Body text needs at least 4.5:1, so it works as a background behind dark text, but not as text on white.
What does khaki mean?
Brown and earth tones feel grounded, reliable, handmade and natural. They are the backbone of coffee, craft, outdoor and sustainability brands. Khaki in particular is used for outdoor and utility fashion and travel and safari.
How do I use khaki in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#C3B091] 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-khaki-500 and text-khaki-900.
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