Pantone Color of the Year 2021
The Pantone Color of the Year 2021 is Illuminating (13-0647), selected alongside Ultimate Gray (17-5104). Its HEX approximation is #F5DF4D. A bright yellow that Pantone paired with Ultimate Gray to signal resilience and hope after the pandemic — the second paired COTY.
Paired with Ultimate Gray
In 2021, Pantone broke from its usual single-color format and announced two Colors of the Year — Illuminating and Ultimate Gray. The pairing was deliberate: the two shades together represented resilience — a bright, optimistic yellow paired with a grounded, practical neutral.
About Illuminating
A bright yellow that Pantone paired with Ultimate Gray to signal resilience and hope after the pandemic — the second paired COTY.
Pantone announced Illuminating as its Color of the Year 2021 in December 2020, following the program's annual cadence. The announcement placed the shade within the broader cultural conversation of the year — from fashion and interiors to graphics and packaging — and was accompanied by coordinated product releases from partner brands who had pre-adopted the color. Like every Pantone Color of the Year, Illuminating is a TCX reference (13-0647) rather than a Solid Coated (C) code, reflecting the program's textile-focused selection framework.
In practical design terms, Illuminating translates to a screen HEX of #F5DF4D and a CMYK print approximation of 0/9/69/4. The precise printed result depends on paper, ink, and proof conditions. For brand-critical work that references Illuminating, the safest approach is to specify the 13-0647 TCX reference directly to your printer or textile supplier, and to verify with a printed proof on the target stock before committing to production.
Closest Solid Coated match
If you need to reproduce Illuminating with a Solid Coated (C) reference, the closest match in our catalog is 113 C (#FAE053), with a perceptual difference of ΔE 2000 = 1.17. This is a very close match — suitable for most print reproduction needs.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pantone Color of the Year 2021?
The Pantone Color of the Year 2021 is Illuminating (13-0647). Pantone announced it as the shade that its Color of the Year Committee believed would best reflect the cultural mood and design trends of 2021. Its HEX approximation is #F5DF4D. It was selected alongside a second color, Ultimate Gray (17-5104).
What is the HEX code for Illuminating?
Illuminating is a Pantone TCX reference (13-0647), not a HEX color. Its closest screen approximation is #F5DF4D in the sRGB color space, with RGB channels 245, 223, 77 and CMYK print approximation 0/9/69/4. These values are approximations and should not be treated as authoritative — the Pantone code is the actual specification.
What Pantone Solid Coated code is closest to Illuminating?
The closest match in our Solid Coated catalog to Illuminating (13-0647) is 113 C at #FAE053, with a perceptual difference of approximately ΔE 2000 = 1.17. This is a very close match and is likely suitable for print reproduction.
How do I use Illuminating in my design?
For digital design, use the HEX value #F5DF4D — it will render correctly across browsers. For print design, specify the Pantone TCX reference 13-0647 to your printer, or convert to the closest Solid Coated (C) code (113 C). For textile and fashion applications, the TCX code itself is the standard — no conversion is necessary if your manufacturer works with Pantone textile references.