Scarlet Color Palette
Scarlet is hex #FF2400, rgb(255, 36, 0). Scarlet is a bright red with a slight orange tint. It is the most energetic and attention-grabbing red.
By Mohamed Farhan · Updated Oct 19, 2026
Scarlet color codes
Reading the scarlet color codes
The hex code #FF2400 is three pairs of base-16 numbers for red, green and blue. FF is 255, 24 is 36 and 00 is 0, each on a scale from 0 to 255. That is why the same color is written rgb(255, 36, 0) in CSS. The red channel is the strongest here, which is what gives scarlet its red character.
HSL describes the same color the way people think about it. A hue of 8 degrees places scarlet in the red part of the color wheel. Saturation of 100% makes it vivid, and lightness of 50% makes it a mid-tone 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, 86% magenta, 100% yellow and 0% 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 scarlet for packaging or stationery. See MDN's guide to CSS color values for every format browsers accept.
Scarlet shades and tints
A full 50 to 950 scale built around #FF2400, so you can use scarlet for backgrounds, borders, buttons and text without leaving the family. Click any shade to copy it.
// tailwind.config.js
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
"scarlet": {
50: "#FFD3CC",
100: "#FFB0A3",
200: "#FF8D7A",
300: "#FF6A52",
400: "#FF4729",
500: "#FF2400",
600: "#DD1F00",
700: "#BA1A00",
800: "#981500",
900: "#761000",
950: "#530B00",
},
},
},
}:root {
--scarlet-50: #FFD3CC;
--scarlet-100: #FFB0A3;
--scarlet-200: #FF8D7A;
--scarlet-300: #FF6A52;
--scarlet-400: #FF4729;
--scarlet-500: #FF2400;
--scarlet-600: #DD1F00;
--scarlet-700: #BA1A00;
--scarlet-800: #981500;
--scarlet-900: #761000;
--scarlet-950: #530B00;
}A shade-by-shade guide to scarlet
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 (#FFD3CC) and 100 (#FFB0A3), are page and card backgrounds: they carry the scarlet mood without competing with content. Steps 200 (#FF8D7A) and 300 (#FF6A52) suit borders, dividers, hover states and selected rows.
The middle of the scale, 400 to 600, is where scarlet 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 600 upward, so use step 600 or darker when a button label needs to be white. Near-black text stays readable on steps 50 to 500.
The darkest steps, 800 (#981500) through 950 (#530B00), make headings, body text and dark-mode surfaces that stay clearly related to scarlet. 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 scarlet
How the scarlet color combinations work
Complementary. Directly across the color wheel from scarlet is #00DBFF, which sits closest to aqua 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. #FF005B and #FFA400 sit 30 degrees either side of scarlet. 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 (#00FF24 and #2400FF) is evenly spaced around the wheel and feels playful; the second color is closest to lime green. The split complementary set (#00FFA4 and #005BFF) 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 #FFA799 to #701000. 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.
Scarlet compared with similar colors
burnt orange (#CC5500) is darker (40% vs 50% lightness) and similarly saturated, and leans further around the wheel toward orange. Choose burnt orange if you need more weight and contrast; choose scarlet if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
crimson (#DC143C) is about as light and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward red. Choose crimson if you need more weight and contrast; choose scarlet if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
rust (#B7410E) is darker (39% vs 50% lightness) and more muted, and leans further around the wheel toward orange. Choose rust if you need more weight and contrast; choose scarlet if you want its specific balance of brightness and color.
Scarlet in a real interface
Swatches only tell half the story. Here scarlet carries the primary action, with tints from its own scale for the surface and panels.
Weekly summary
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Using scarlet in UI: buttons, text, backgrounds and dark mode
- Buttons. White labels on scarlet reach 3.82:1, enough for large or bold text only. For regular button labels, use step 600 or switch to dark text.
- Text. Avoid scarlet for body text on white; use step 600 or darker for links and headings that need to read as scarlet.
- Backgrounds. Use steps 50 and 100 for large areas and keep the base color for smaller surfaces. Big blocks of a vivid mid-tone 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 scarlet. 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). Scarlet scores 3.82:1 against white (AA large) and 5.5:1 against black (AA). 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 scarlet alone to signal meaning such as success, error or selection. Pair it with an icon, a label or a change in weight.
What scarlet means
Red is the most urgent color: passion, energy, appetite and danger. Darker reds like burgundy and wine shift toward luxury and tradition.
Scarlet was originally the name of a fine wool cloth in medieval Europe, often dyed bright red. It is the most orange and energetic of the classic reds.
Red is reserved for errors and destructive actions in most interfaces. If red is your brand color, keep it for marketing surfaces and give destructive actions an explicit label as well as a color.
Where scarlet works best
- Sale and promotion banners
- Food and fast food
- Sports
- Holiday campaigns
How to style scarlet
Scarlet pairs with white, black, teal and cream. It is loud: use it for a single call to action or a sale banner. Use a deeper red for text on white.
Build a UI with scarlet
Inspo AI generates a full React + Tailwind screen using #FF2400 as the brand color, grounded in real shipped designs.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Scarlet · History and definition of scarlet.
- 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 scarlet?
The hex code for scarlet used on this page is #FF2400. In RGB that is rgb(255, 36, 0), and in HSL it is hsl(8, 100%, 50%).
What colors go well with scarlet?
Scarlet pairs well with #FFE3DC, #FFFFFF, #1B1B1B (the Signal palette above). Its complementary color is #00DBFF, and analogous colors are #FF005B and #FFA400.
Is scarlet a warm or cool color?
Scarlet is a warm color. Its hue sits at 8 degrees on the color wheel with 100% saturation.
Can I use scarlet for text?
Scarlet has a contrast ratio of 3.82:1 against white and 5.5:1 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 scarlet mean?
Red is the most urgent color: passion, energy, appetite and danger. Darker reds like burgundy and wine shift toward luxury and tradition. Scarlet in particular is used for sale and promotion banners and food and fast food.
How do I use scarlet in Tailwind CSS?
Use an arbitrary value like bg-[#FF2400] 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-scarlet-500 and text-scarlet-900.
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