Pantone Chooses White as its Color of the Year for the First Time Ever. See It Here

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Pantone has announced its color of the year for 2026: a soft, airy white called Cloud Dancer. People look forward to this announcement every year.

According to the leading color experts at PANTONE, the shade 11-4201 Cloud Dancer feels light and airy, offering a sense of tranquility in today’s busy world.

It is the first time Pantone has chosen white since it began naming a color of the year in 1999.

Each year, a panel of experts selects a ‘Color of the Year’ to highlight how color and culture are connected, according to the company.

Pantone’s color choice for this year aims to evoke feelings of calm and peace, something they believe is especially needed in today’s fast-paced world.

Pantone explained that ‘Cloud Dancer’ represents a desire for a fresh beginning, much like a blank canvas. They see it as an opportunity to shed old ways of thinking and embrace innovative ideas.

As we navigate a period of change and redefine our future, Pantone’s Cloud Dancer (shade 11-4201) offers a sense of calm and clarity, according to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute. With so much noise and distraction around us, it’s becoming harder to connect with our own thoughts. Cloud Dancer is a subtle color that promotes focus and helps us tune out external pressures, offering a moment of peaceful simplicity.

Pantone is a worldwide company that sets color standards. Each year, its Color Institute – a group of color experts who also predict market trends and offer color advice – chooses a ‘Color of the Year’.

Each year, a team of experts around the world chooses a color by considering emerging technologies, current social trends, art, popular travel spots, and the general emotions of both designers and consumers.

As a critic, I’ve always been fascinated by how certain colors become popular. Laurie Pressman, from the Pantone Color Institute, explained to TIME last year that their team essentially acts as ‘color anthropologists.’ They don’t just pick a color out of thin air. Instead, they carefully observe trends across all design fields, identifying emerging color families, and then pinpointing the specific shade that’s really gaining momentum. It’s a surprisingly scientific process, really – less about prediction and more about careful observation of what’s already happening around us.

Pantone has often used its Color of the Year to offer a sense of peace and comfort. In 2025, they chose Mocha Mousse for its cozy and balanced feel, and the 2024 selection, Peach Fuzz, was similarly seen as soft and caring.

While Cloud Dancer is being hailed as the first truly white Color of the Year, Pantone previously considered a similar shade with their 2006 selection, Sand Dollar – a neutral tone chosen, in part, to acknowledge economic anxieties.

The chosen color seems especially relevant given the significant unrest the U.S. has experienced over the past year. This included shocking events like the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a rise in political violence, such as the shooting of two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses. This instability has continued into 2025 with widespread protests and, most recently, a shooting involving National Guard members – tragically, one was killed and another injured.

As a critic, I found Pantone’s ‘Cloud Dancer’ to be surprisingly evocative. It’s more than just a pretty shade of white; it really taps into our fundamental need for connection and empathy. The color feels hopeful, almost like a fresh start – a blank canvas inviting us to create something new. It’s a gentle reminder that we all have the power to begin again.

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2025-12-04 17:06