PANTONE Color of the Year 2026 Cloud Dancer and 7 complementary palettes in Colorton's offer

The Pantone Color Institute has chosen a Color of the Year since 1999 — the first was Cerulean for the year 2000. It is an educational programme: a single shade is meant to draw the attention of designers, brands and manufacturers to the role of color and to reflect the mood of its time. The choice is preceded by observing trends in fashion, interiors, design, art, entertainment and travel.

For the industry, the Color of the Year is a shared point of reference. Designers of packaging, household appliances, furniture and textiles take it into account when planning collections, and brands use it in limited editions and campaigns. As a result, the same shade appears across many product categories during the year, and complementary palettes show which colors it can be combined with.

The Color of the Year 2026, announced on 4 December 2025, is PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer — the first white in the programme's history. Pantone describes it as an airy, balanced white that conveys calm and, like a blank page, stands for a fresh start.