What’s Your Favorite Pantone Color of the Year?
By Jen Barnett, Co-founder, Expatsi
November 13, 2023 · Updated October 31, 2025 · 2 min read
Have you ever wondered where all those colors of the year come from? Who decides, and how do they come up with them? The concept was originated by Pantone, the undisputed king of color and creators of the Pantone Matching System.
When you work in industries like advertising or printing, you buy big, expensive books of swatches with all the available Pantone colors. Designers use the books to choose colors for things like logos, and printers use them to make sure the finished product (like a sign or poster) is a perfect match. Your company’s official Pantone color is a law you don’t break: think of Home Depot orange (Pantone 165) or Starbucks green (Pantone 3425).
The color of the year is big business. Hundreds of products are made featuring the color, from sneakers to kitchen knives, and many paint companies now announce their own annual pick.
You can see how colors are meant to capture the national mood, like 2002’s True Red in response to the patriotism stirred by 9/11 or 2021’s juxtaposition of gray against bright yellow to capture our feelings about the pandemic.
To learn more, The Hustle did a deep dive into who chooses the color of the year, how they choose it, and the impact it has. Here’s each winning Pantone Color of the Year since 2000, along with the latest color for 2023. Which one is your favorite?
2000
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Cerulean Blue
2001
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Fuchsia Rose
2002
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
True Red
2003
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Aqua Sky
2004
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Tigerlily
2005
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Blue Turquoise
2006
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Sand Dollar
2007
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Chili Pepper
2008
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Blue Iris
2009
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Mimosa
2010
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Turquoise
2011
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Honeysuckle
2012
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Tangerine Tango
2013
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Emerald
2014
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Radiant Orchid
2015
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Marsala
2016
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Serenity and Rose Quartz
2017
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Greenery
2018
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Ultra Violet
2019
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Living Coral
2020
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Classic Blue
2021
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Illuminating and Ultimate Gray
2022
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Very Peri
2023
Photo Credit: Expatsi.
Viva Magenta