HEX to Pantone converter
Type a HEX code to get Pantone, plus every other code, the nearest RAL and Pantone, and the closest paint.
HEX code
Nearest Pantone 1665C
All codes
- HEX
- #D4551E
- RGB
- 212, 85, 30
- CMYK
- 0%, 60%, 86%, 17%
- HSL
- 18°, 75%, 47%
- HSV
- 18°, 86%, 83%
- LAB
- 52.5, 47.6, 54.0
- Nearest RAL
- 2009 Traffic Orange
- Closest paint
- Hempel 57100, Hempel
How HEX becomes Pantone
- Convert the HEX value to CIELAB, a color space where distance matches what the eye sees.
- Measure the ΔE2000 distance to all 907 Pantone colors and keep the smallest.
- The nearest is Pantone 1665C, ΔE 3.2. Under 2 is hard to tell apart; above 4 is only a substitute.
Pantone colors are printed inks. A screen value is an approximation, so the nearest Pantone is a starting point: confirm it in a physical Pantone guide.
Pantone to HEX converterWhen you need HEX to Pantone
Brands that start on screen often need a Pantone ink for print and packaging. There is no formula from HEX to Pantone, so the converter finds the Pantone ink whose published color is closest by ΔE2000.
Questions
Why is my HEX not exactly any Pantone?
Pantone has a few thousand inks while HEX has 16.7 million colors, so most HEX codes fall between inks. Check the ΔE: under 2 is a near match.
Should I use coated or uncoated?
Use C for glossy or coated stock and U for uncoated paper; the same ink looks lighter on uncoated.