RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.
In Western cultures, russet evokes feelings of warmth, comfort, and stability, often associated with rustic or rural themes. Conversely, in some Eastern traditions, brown can symbolize humility and simplicity, contrasting with the opulence of brighter colors.
The term 'russet' emerged in the 14th century, initially describing a type of coarse wool fabric. Its use as a color name became more common in the 19th century, particularly in textile and paint industries, where it was celebrated for its natural, organic appearance.
Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Russet. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).
All 35 Browns →Nine steps of Russet by lightness — from #43240E (darkest) to #BD9F88 (lightest). Click any to copy.
Sitting opposite Russet at 206° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.
Curated 5-color combinations featuring Russet.
Brands and institutions known for using Russet.
A 50–900 tonal scale with Russet 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: #80461B; color-mix(in srgb, #80461B 70%, white) 26°, 79%, 50% 0, 45, 79, 50 8406555 #993333 How Russet appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.