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Scale from white (50) through Rich Black (500) to black (900), interpolated in Lab color space.
Color Values
- HEX
- #004040
- RGB
- rgb(0, 64, 64)
- HSL
- hsl(180, 100%, 13%)
- OKLCH
- oklch(0.336 0.057 195)
- CMYK
- cmyk(100%, 0%, 0%, 75%)
--color-rich-blackbg-[#004040]Accessibility
Score: 96/100On White (#FFF)
11.62:1
On Black (#000)
1.81:1
On Light Gray (#F5F5F5)
10.66:1
Best text color on this background:
Design Applications
background-color: #004040
color: #004040
bg-[#004040] text-[#FFFFFF]
border-left: 4px solid #004040
Color Harmonies
Similar Colors
Color Meaning & Psychology
Black absorbs all light and reflects none. It is the ultimate authority color — the color of formality, power, and sophisticated elegance. Black creates maximum contrast with other colors, making it a universal text and typography choice. In luxury branding, black signals exclusivity, restraint, and quality. In tech, matte black finishes convey premium build. Black clothing was historically mourning dress, then the Chanel "little black dress" made it the epitome of timeless style. In interface design, dark mode has made black backgrounds mainstream, valued for reduced eye strain and OLED power efficiency. Black's psychological weight means it should be deployed with intentionality — it commands the eye and the room. Its very dark, near-black depth creates dramatic intensity — maximally contrastive, powerful, and reserved for focal design elements where other dark colors would disappear.
Industry Usage
Common contexts and industries where Rich Black is applied in professional design.
- Luxury fashion and premium apparel
- Prestige automotive brands
- High-end watches and jewelry
- Premium spirits and beverage brands
- Professional photography and videography
- Technology brands emphasizing premium tiers
- Music and entertainment industry branding
- Sophisticated cosmetics and fragrance
Accessibility Considerations
Normal Text
Passes AA
4.5:1 minimum required
Large Text
Passes AA Large
3:1 minimum required
UI Components
Meets 1.4.11
3:1 for non-text UI
Rich Black is a dark color. Use white (#FFFFFF) text on top of it for maximum readability (11.62:1). Avoid small black text on this background.
CSS & Code Examples
Background
background-color: #004040;Text
color: #004040;Border
border: 2px solid #004040;Box Shadow
box-shadow: 0 4px 20px #00404040;Gradient
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #004040, #366b6b);Tailwind-style
--color-rich-black: #004040;Tailwind CSS Utilities
Use arbitrary value syntax in Tailwind CSS to apply Rich Black without a custom config.
Background
bg-[#004040]Text
text-[#004040]Border
border-[#004040]Ring
ring-[#004040]Fill
fill-[#004040]From (gradient)
from-[#004040]Via (gradient)
via-[#004040]To (gradient)
to-[#004040]Design Tokens
Ready-to-use Rich Black design token in CSS custom properties, SCSS, Tailwind v3/v4, and JSON formats.
CSS Custom Properties
:root {
--color-rich-black: #004040;
--color-rich-black-rgb: 0, 64, 64;
--color-rich-black-hsl: 180, 100%, 13%;
}SCSS Variables
$color-rich-black: #004040; $color-rich-black-rgb: 0, 64, 64; $color-rich-black-hsl: 180, 100%, 13%;
Tailwind v3 Config
// tailwind.config.js
module.exports = {
theme: {
extend: {
colors: {
'rich-black': '#004040',
},
},
},
};Tailwind v4 (@theme)
/* tailwind.css */
@theme {
--color-rich-black: #004040;
}JSON Design Token (W3C format)
{
"rich-black": {
"value": "#004040",
"type": "color",
"description": "Rich Black — #004040"
}
}More black colors
View all →What Does Rich Black Mean? Color Psychology & Cultural Symbolism
Black is the color that doesn't explain itself. Rich Black at #004040 projects timelessness through maximum contrast and the complete absorption of light—a visual statement of completeness that design uses to signal premium, authority, and uncompromising quality.
- Black carries the heaviest semantic load of any color in Western culture—simultaneously the color of mourning, luxury, authority, and rebellion. In design, it projects absolute confidence and precision. Fashion's "little black dress" and luxury retail's black packaging demonstrate how black functions as the ultimate premium signal when used correctly.
- In Chinese culture, black represents water, wisdom, and the unknown—one of the five traditional colors associated with cosmic forces. In many East Asian aesthetics, black ink on white paper is the foundation of an entire artistic philosophy of simplicity, directness, and expressive precision.
- Rich Black's dark lightness (13%) shifts its psychological register: Pure and near-black tones are maximum design authority—the most contrast-giving background in all of design, and the foundation of luxury aesthetics worldwide.
- At 100% saturation, Rich Black reads as vivid—Black cannot be vivid, but it pairs with all vivid colors to concentrate and intensify them—black backgrounds make any bright color pop more effectively than white can.
The luxury of Rich Black is that it needs no justification—it simply commands.
How to Use Rich Black in Design: Applications, Pairings & Best Practices
Rich Black rewards sophistication in its usage. The most effective black-anchored design systems use it selectively—as the foundation that gives other tones their maximum impact.
- UI components: primary text, dark mode backgrounds, premium surface colors—Rich Black performs reliably in all these roles with its dark tonal character.
- Brand & identity: premium packaging, luxury retail, professional typography—contexts where Rich Black's vivid quality creates the right register.
- Typography: Rich Black works as a background behind white text but requires careful sizing—test at intended heading and body sizes before finalizing.
- As a dark tone, Rich Black creates maximum contrast with white and light neutrals—excellent for creating premium dark-mode sections, bold headers, and high-drama brand moments
- Proportional use: Rich Black's vivid saturation (100%) means small applications—accents, highlights, icons—deliver maximum impact without visual fatigue. Reserve large-scale use for intentional brand moments.
The luxury of Rich Black is that it needs no justification—it simply commands.
Rich Black Accessibility: WCAG Contrast Ratios, Color Blindness & Inclusive Design
Rich Black (#004040) achieves a 11.62:1 contrast ratio with white text, surpassing the WCAG 2.1 AAA threshold of 7:1. This exceptional contrast qualifies it for body text, UI components at any size, and all accessibility-sensitive interface contexts. Relative luminance: 4.0%.
- As text on white (#FFFFFF): 11.62:1 — AAA ✓
- As text on black (#000000): 1.81:1 — Fail
- Best text color on Rich Black background: White (#FFFFFF) at 11.62:1
- WCAG 2.1 luminance: 4.0% — low luminance (dark)—it provides strong contrast for white and light overlaid text, functioning well as a background in dark-mode and header contexts
- Rich Black qualifies for all text sizes including small body copy (AAA).
Rich Black's WCAG profile makes it a compliant choice for most text applications.
Rich Black in Industry: Branding, Design & Market Applications
Across industry research, black-family tones consistently outperform competitors in categories built on power, sophistication, authority, and elegance. Rich Black is a dark expression of this advantage—best positioned in Luxury & Fashion and adjacent markets.
- Luxury & Fashion: Black is luxury's default language—from Chanel's packaging to Apple's product photography, it signals premium, exclusive, and uncompromising quality. In fashion, it's simultaneously the most versatile and the most authoritative choice. Matte black signals premium restraint; glossy black signals dramatic luxury. The finish matters as much as the color.
- Technology: Dark mode interfaces and premium device aesthetics have made black a technology color as much as a luxury one. Apple's product line, premium audio equipment, and high-end consumer electronics all use black to signal technical precision and premium positioning. (examples: Notion, Slack, Salesforce) Black in tech interfaces benefits from accent colors that pop against it—cyan, neon, and pure white are classic pairings.
- Media & Entertainment: Movie credits, music packaging, editorial magazine design, and streaming platforms use black to focus attention and signal cultural seriousness. It's the color of concentrated attention—everything unnecessary falls away in a black-dominated design. (examples: Disney+, Hulu, Netflix) The black-and-white combination is the most timeless in editorial design for its ability to focus on content without visual noise.
- Brand positioning: Rich Black is best suited for brands projecting luxury, authority, sophistication. Categories outside this positioning—children's products—tend to see weaker results.
- Adjacent applications: Beyond primary industries, Rich Black works effectively in premium packaging, luxury retail, professional typography—contexts where power serves a secondary but reinforcing role.
Rich Black earns its strongest ROI in industries where trust and recognition compound over time: Luxury & Fashion, Technology, Media & Entertainment. Use it to build the kind of brand recognition that decades reinforce.
Accessibility & Design Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the hex code for Rich Black? ▾
- The hex code for Rich Black is #004040. Its RGB values are rgb(0, 64, 64) and its HSL values are hsl(180, 100%, 13%).
- What does Rich Black mean in design? ▾
- Black absorbs all light and reflects none. It is the ultimate authority color — the color of formality, power, and sophisticated elegance. Black creates maximum contrast with other colors, making it a universal text and typography choice. In luxury branding, black signals exclusivity, restraint, and quality. In tech, matte black finishes convey premium build. Black clothing was historically mourning dress, then the Chanel "little black dress" made it the epitome of timeless style. In interface design, dark mode has made black backgrounds mainstream, valued for reduced eye strain and OLED power efficiency. Black's psychological weight means it should be deployed with intentionality — it commands the eye and the room. Its very dark, near-black depth creates dramatic intensity — maximally contrastive, powerful, and reserved for focal design elements where other dark colors would disappear.
- Is Rich Black WCAG accessible? ▾
- Rich Black (#004040) passes WCAG AAA on white with a 11.62:1 contrast ratio. Its overall accessibility score is 96/100.
- What colors go well with Rich Black? ▾
- Rich Black pairs well with its complementary color Red (#FF0000). Analogous colors like Mint Cream and Opal also work harmoniously. Check the Color Harmonies section above for the full palette.
- What is Rich Black used for? ▾
- Rich Black is commonly used for: Luxury fashion and premium apparel; Prestige automotive brands; High-end watches and jewelry; Premium spirits and beverage brands; Professional photography and videography.
- What are the CSS and Tailwind values for Rich Black? ▾
- In CSS, use `color: #004040` or `background-color: #004040`. The CSS custom property is `--color-rich-black: #004040`. In Tailwind CSS, use the arbitrary value class `bg-[#004040]` for backgrounds or `text-[#004040]` for text.