Color #2B9488 Color / Colour Code #2B9488
This page shows the hex color code for color #2b9488 (#2B9488). The colour is a cyan tone with 55% saturation and 37% lightness. Explore its conversions, colour palettes, gradients, accessibility data, and CSS code below.
Color Conversions
Accessibility Contrast
WCAG contrast ratios for #2B9488 against common backgrounds.
Complementary Colors
#2B9488 paired with its color wheel opposite for maximum contrast.
Analogous Colors
Hues at 143, 173, and 203 degrees for harmonious combinations.
Triadic Palette
Three colors at 173, 293, and 53 degrees.
Color Palettes Using #2B9488
Five shades at lightness levels 15% through 85% while keeping hue at 173 and saturation at 55%. Use the darkest shade for text and the lightest for backgrounds to build a cohesive single-hue design system.
Adjacent hues from 173 to 218 degrees create a warm, unified palette. This analogous scheme works for marketing materials, seasonal campaigns, and any design that needs visual warmth without clashing colors.
Combines the base color at hue 173 with its complement at 353 and two adjacent cool tones. This split-complementary approach provides strong visual contrast while remaining more balanced than a pure complementary scheme.
Five evenly spaced hues at 40% saturation and 80% lightness. Pastels are gentle on the eyes and work well for dashboards, onboarding screens, category tags, and any interface where multiple distinct colors are needed without visual aggression.
Shades & Tints of #2B9488
Lightness variations at hue 173 and 55% saturation.
CSS Gradients with #2B9488
Design Use Cases for #2B9488
Balanced UI Color
At 55% saturation, #2B9488 strikes a balance between vibrancy and restraint. This makes it versatile for primary UI elements like navigation bars, card headers, and form accents. It draws attention without overwhelming adjacent content.
Primary Interface Color
At 37% lightness, #2B9488 is in the mid-range, making it ideal for interactive elements like buttons, links, and selected states. This lightness level ensures good contrast against both light and dark adjacent elements in most layouts.
Clarity & Technology
#2B9488 is in the cyan spectrum (hue 173). Cyan evokes technology, clarity, and innovation. It works well for tech product interfaces, data visualization accents, loading indicators, and futuristic design themes. Cyan provides a modern alternative to traditional blues.
Gradient Pairing
Create a gradient from #2B9488 (hue 173) to its complement at hue 353. For a subtler effect, try pairing with an analogous color at hue 203. Use CSS: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #2b9488, #922a37);
CSS Code for #2B9488
Similar Colors
Colors visually similar to #2B9488 based on RGB, lightness, and hue variations.
Use This Color in Design Tools
Apply #2B9488 across image editing and color design tools.
About Color #2B9488 (#2B9488)
#2B9488 is a cyan color (colour) with RGB channel values of 43 red, 148 green, and 136 blue. The green channel is dominant by a ratio of 3.4:1 over the weakest channel. In HSL terms, the hue sits at 173 degrees with 55% saturation and 37% lightness, placing it in the neutral-to-cool range of the colour spectrum.
The perceived brightness of #2B9488 is 115/255 using the ITU-R BT.601 luma formula (0.299R + 0.587G + 0.114B). This appears dark to the human eye, so pair it with light text for adequate readability. For print production, the CMYK equivalent is 71% cyan, 0% magenta, 8% yellow, and 42% key (black).
The WCAG contrast ratio of #2B9488 against white is 3.69:1 and against black is 5.69:1. This only passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. For normal body text on white, darken the color or use it on a dark background where it achieves 5.69:1.
The complementary colour #922A37 creates maximum visual tension when paired with #2B9488. For more harmonious color combinations, use the analogous colours #2A9252 and #2A6A92, which sit 30 degrees on either side of the hue wheel. To build a complete design system, start with the monochromatic scale above for consistent shade variations, then add one complementary or triadic accent for interactive elements.
How to Explore Color #2B9488
- Enter your color value in HEX format.
- The tool converts it to RGB, HSL, CMYK format in real time.
- Copy the converted value to your clipboard.
What is HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK color conversion
Converting from HEX to RGB, HSL, CMYK translates a color value between two different color models. Different color models are used in web design (HEX, RGB), print (CMYK), and color theory (HSL, HSV).
Related Tools & Colors
Frequently Asked Questions
- What color / colour is #2B9488?
- #2B9488 is Color #2B9488, a cyan color (colour) with RGB(43, 148, 136), HSL(173, 55%, 37%), and CMYK(71%, 0%, 8%, 42%). Its perceived brightness is 115/255.
- Is #2B9488 accessible for text?
- Against white, #2B9488 has a contrast ratio of 3.69:1 (fails AA for normal text). Against black, it has 5.69:1 (passes AA). It passes AA for large text (18pt+) on white. Use the contrast checker tool for custom background pairings.
- What colours pair well with #2B9488?
- The complementary colour is #922A37 (hue 353). For subtle color combinations, use analogous colours #2A9252 and #2A6A92. The triadic palette adds #862A92 and #92862A for vibrant variety.
- How do I use #2B9488 in CSS?
- Use any format: color: #2b9488; or rgb(43, 148, 136); or hsl(173, 55%, 37%). For CSS custom properties: --color-primary: 173 55% 37%; then use it as hsl(var(--color-primary)).
- Is this color / colour explorer free?
- Yes, completely free with no signup required. All colour calculations run in your browser. You can explore any valid hex color code, not just the pre-generated palette.