Sources
Last updated: October 29, 2026
This page documents where every data set on Pantone Colors comes from. Our editorial policy — how we handle corrections, disclose limitations, and maintain accuracy — is documented separately at the editorial policy page.
Pantone Solid Coated catalog (2,371 colors)
Digital approximations of the physical Pantone Solid Coated library. Pantone does not publish official HEX or RGB values for its solid colors; the values here are widely-published conversions that agree within a few percent across multiple reference sources.
- Pantone LLC published chip books (physical, primary reference)
- Widely-cited digital conversions from multiple design-tool integrations
- Cross-referenced against physical chip photos where available
Pantone Color of the Year (2000–2026)
Announcement values from Pantone's own annual press releases. HEX and RGB approximations follow our catalog methodology (see above).
- Pantone Color of the Year press releases, 2000–2026
- Pantone Color Institute public announcements
RAL Classic (213 colors)
Widely-published digital approximations of the RAL Classic standard. RAL is a physical paint standard; different published sources disagree by 2–5% for the same code. Values here are mid-range approximations.
- RAL gGmbH published Classic color reference materials
- Widely-cited digital conversions cross-referenced across multiple sources
Sherwin-Williams (40 selected colors)
Digital color values from Sherwin-Williams' own published color library (which they publish for design-tool integration). Color names and codes are trademarks of Sherwin-Williams Company.
- Sherwin-Williams official published color values
- Widely-published reference values cross-referenced for consistency
Benjamin Moore (40 selected colors)
Digital color values from Benjamin Moore's own published color library. Color names and codes are trademarks of Benjamin Moore & Co.
- Benjamin Moore official published color values
- Widely-published reference values cross-referenced for consistency
Color science references
Color space conversion formulas and Delta E 2000 implementation.
- CIE 1976 L*a*b* color space definition (International Commission on Illumination)
- CIE 2000 Delta E color difference formula (Sharma, Wu & Dalal, 2005)
- sRGB IEC 61966-2-1 standard
- WCAG 2.2 relative luminance and contrast ratio definitions (W3C)
Important disclaimers
No data on this site is official Pantone, RAL, NCS, Sherwin-Williams, or Benjamin Moore data. All values are widely-published digital approximations, not authoritative values from the organizations that own the color standards. For production work — print, paint, textiles, packaging — verify all colors against physical swatches from the respective standards body. Our editorial policy explains this in more detail.
Physical standards are the only authoritative source. Pantone sells physical chip books. RAL sells physical color fans. Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore sell physical paint chip samples. Use them for production decisions.
Digital color is not physical color. Screens emit light; paper and paint reflect it. No screen-based color (HEX, RGB) can capture the physical appearance of an ink or pigment. All color values on this site are the digital equivalent of pointing at the physical color from a distance — useful for reference and design exploration, not for production verification.
Corrections
If you find a data error — a wrong HEX value, a mismatched color name, an incorrect color system reference — please contact us with the specific URL, the value you believe is wrong, the value you believe is correct, and your source (ideally a photo of a physical Pantone chip or an official publication). Accepted corrections are reflected in the changelog.
Trademarks
"Pantone," "PMS," "Pantone Matching System," "Color of the Year," and related names are trademarks of Pantone LLC. "RAL" is a trademark of RAL gGmbH. "NCS" is a trademark of NCS Colour AB. "Sherwin-Williams" is a trademark of Sherwin-Williams Company. "Benjamin Moore" is a trademark of Benjamin Moore & Co. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any of these organizations. Use of these trademarks on this site is informative only.