RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.
In Western cultures, denim represents youthfulness and rebellion, often linked to the counterculture movements of the 1960s. However, in the fashion industry, it also conveys versatility and practicality, making it a staple across various demographics.
The term 'denim' is derived from the French 'serge de Nîmes', referencing the city of Nîmes where the fabric was originally produced in the late 17th century. The fabric gained prominence in the United States in the 1850s, thanks to Levi Strauss and his creation of sturdy trousers for gold miners.
Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Denim. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).
All 45 Blues →Nine steps of Denim by lightness — from #0B3262 (darkest) to #85ACDD (lightest). Click any to copy.
Sitting opposite Denim at 33° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.
Curated 5-color combinations featuring Denim.
Brands and institutions known for using Denim.
A 50–900 tonal scale with Denim anchored at 500 — ready to drop into a design system. Click any step to copy.
Works well as text on light backgrounds; fails on dark.
Thresholds: AA needs 4.5:1 (normal text) / 3:1 (large); AAA needs 7:1 / 4.5:1. Large = 18pt+ or 14pt+ bold.
Copy-ready values for CSS, screen and print, plus the extra conversions designers reach for.
color: #1560BD; color-mix(in srgb, #1560BD 70%, white) 213°, 89%, 74% 89, 49, 0, 26 1401021 #0066CC How Denim appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.