RAL and NCS values are nearest equivalents, not official designations.
In Western cultures, straw symbolizes abundance and harvest, reflecting a connection to agrarian traditions. However, in some Eastern societies, it can signify humility and simplicity, contrasting with its more celebratory connotations in the West.
The term 'straw' dates back to the 13th century, derived from the Old English 'streaw', which refers to the dried stalks of grain. This color became prominent in the late 19th century with the rise of natural dyes and organic materials in textile production.
Ranked by CIE76 ΔE — the perceptual distance from Straw. Lower ΔE means a closer match (below ~2 is barely distinguishable).
All 29 Yellows →Nine steps of Straw by lightness — from #77713A (darkest) to #F1EBB4 (lightest). Click any to copy.
Sitting opposite Straw at 234° on the color wheel, these give the highest-contrast pairings.
Curated 5-color combinations featuring Straw.
Brands and institutions known for using Straw.
A 50–900 tonal scale with Straw anchored at 500 — ready to drop into a design system. Click any step to copy.
Works well as text on dark backgrounds; fails on light.
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: #E4D96F; color-mix(in srgb, #E4D96F 70%, white) 54°, 51%, 89% 0, 5, 51, 11 14997871 #CCCC66 How Straw appears to viewers with the three main types of color blindness (~1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women). Simulated approximations.