Dirt
A warm, dusty brown with earthy roots
Dirt is a muted, dusty brown with a warm, unsaturated orange base. This earthy tone provides a calm, understated backdrop that pairs exceptionally well with charcoal or soft cream. Because it has enough contrast for readability, it works effectively as a background color for small body text. The hex code for this color is #9b7653.
About Dirt
Dry riverbank in late summer, gone to dust
What does dirt mean?
Dirt often brings to mind soil, harvest fields, worn leather, and simple, unpolished things. Its low saturation and middle lightness make it mellow and grounded, never loud or sharp.
Where you see dirt
- potting soil
- suede boots
- cardboard
- adobe walls
- tilled farm fields
- leather work gloves
What it works for
Use it for earthy branding, rustic interiors, pottery textures, and backgrounds that stay calm behind brighter colors.
What colors go with dirt?
Sage #9caf88The muted green echoes the dusty quality of dirt without adding brightness.Denim #2243b6Cool blue-gray balances the warm brown, like jeans after a day outdoors.Cream #fffdd0A pale neutral lifts the brown and keeps the palette soft and warm.Charcoal #36454fDeep gray adds weight and edge against this flat, matte brown.Dusty Rose #b56f76The muted pink shares the same low saturation and leans warmer together.Olive #808000Green-brown neighbors blend naturally, like plants growing from the ground.
Questions about Dirt
What is the hex code for Dirt?
Dirt is #9b7653. In RGB that is rgb(155, 118, 83), in HSL hsl(29, 30%, 47%) and in CMYK 0%, 24%, 46%, 39%.
Does #9b7653 (Dirt) work well for body text?
Yes, #9b7653 provides sufficient contrast against light backgrounds to remain legible for body text, though it works best when paired with a darker charcoal or deep brown for primary headings to maintain a strong visual hierarchy across your layout.
Is Dirt readable on white or black?
Dirt has a 4.10:1 contrast ratio on white and 5.10:1 on black. WCAG asks for 4.5:1 for body text and 3:1 for large text, so on white it works only for large text (24px, or 18.5px bold) and on black it works for body text. Try other pairs in the contrast checker.