Brown family
Rust color
A deep, rich brown with warm undertones. The reference rust is #A83C09, as defined by the xkcd Color Survey.
| HEX | #A83C09 | |
|---|---|---|
| RGB | rgb(168, 60, 9) | |
| HSL | hsl(19, 90%, 35%) | |
| HSV | hsv(19, 95%, 66%) | |
| OKLCH | oklch(50.3% 0.152 40.3) | |
| CMYK* | 0, 64, 95, 34 |
* CMYK is a simple conversion without a print profile; ask your printer for exact values.
What color is rust?
Rust is the reddish orange-brown of oxidised iron. Both the xkcd survey and the Color Names list define it as #A83C09. It is a staple of autumn palettes and pairs naturally with teal, cream and olive.
Rust hex codes by source
Color names are not standardized, so the same name can point to different colors. Here is every definition of rust in our three sources, with how close each one is to the reference.
| Name | HEX | Source | Compared with the reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rust | #A83C09 | xkcd Color Survey | Reference shown on this page |
| Rust | #A83C09 | Color Names (meodai) | Same color |
Rust vs Burnt Orange
#A83C09
#CC5500
Burnt orange is brighter and more orange; rust is redder and darker. In numbers: the two are 62% similar (OKLab distance 0.094). See Burnt Orange for its own codes.
Colors similar to rust
The closest named colors to #A83C09 across all three sources, with their similarity in OKLab.
Tints and shades of rust
The same hue from light to dark, generated in OKLab so the steps look even. Click a step to copy its HEX code.
Colors that go with rust
Classic color-wheel combinations built on #A83C09, computed in OKLCH so the partners keep the same lightness and intensity. Each swatch shows the nearest common name.
Complementary
Analogous
Triadic
Split complementary
Rust with white and black text
WCAG asks for a contrast of at least 4.5:1 for body text (AA) and 3:1 for large text. On a rust background, white text is the better choice.
Use rust in CSS
.rust {
color: #A83C09;
/* or */ color: rgb(168 60 9);
/* or */ color: hsl(19 90% 35%);
/* or */ color: oklch(50.3% 0.152 40.3);
}