ParchmentWhite vs White — Difference, Contrast & Harmony

ParchmentWhiteexact vs Whiteexact

#F9EAE5 · #FFFFFF

Four independent scores (read the one that fits your goal): Readability 3/100 (fail) · Harmony 79/100 (analogous) · Distinguishable 31/100 (hard to tell apart) · Match 81/100 (close). There is no single “good/bad” — a pair can clash for text yet be great for an outfit.

Readability3Fail

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

Fail1.2:1

Harmony79Analogous

Analogous

15° apart

Distinguishable31Hard to tell apart

normal

protanopia

ΔE 8.7 (7.8 under CVD)

Match81Close

ΔE 8.7 — close

How different are ParchmentWhite and White?

ParchmentWhite and White are very close (ΔE 9). They have closely related hues (15° apart) and their lightness is similar, so they read as two same-weight colours.

Can you read one on the other?

ParchmentWhite text on White: 1.17:1 (Fail); White text on ParchmentWhite: 1.17:1 (Fail). Neither meets AA at body size — nudging one color to #817470 clears it.

Common questions

Do ParchmentWhite and White go well together?

Analogous — analogous — a recognised, balanced pairing (harmony 79/100). This is about how they look together (clothing, interiors, branding), independent of text contrast.

Is ParchmentWhite readable as text on White?

Not at body size — the best direction is only 1.2:1, below the 4.5:1 minimum. Nudging one colour to #817470 clears AA.

What is the colour difference (ΔE) between ParchmentWhite and White?

Their CIE76 ΔE is about 9 — very close.

Are ParchmentWhite and White the same colour?

close but visibly different (ΔE 8.7).

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