Pantone has selected its Colour of the Year for 2026 — and it has ignited a lively discussion online. For the first time since it started naming a Colour of the Year in 1999, Pantone has selected white. The eagerly awaited colour is regarded by many as embodying the present cultural zeitgeist and establishing the mood for the upcoming year.

On December 4, the worldwide colour authority unveiled the defining hue for the upcoming year: Cloud Dancer (PANTONE 11-4201). This year’s selection aims to embody serenity and tranquillity, which Pantone believes is increasingly necessary “in a hectic society.” Pantone characterized it on Instagram as a “light white neutral that brings a sense of tranquillity and serenity to a chaotic world.”

“Similar to a blank canvas, Cloud Dancer signifies our desire for a fresh start. Peeling away layers of outmoded thinking, we open the door to new approaches,” Pantone said in its announcement.

Why is Pantone facing backlash for its Colour of the Year choice?

The selection has not only taken designers by surprise, but as many are noting online, it also carries significant weight considering the present political atmosphere. On social media, some users are labelling the decision as “dystopian” and “pretentious.” Others have drawn parallels to the controversy surrounding Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle advertisement, where she played with the terms jeans and genes, a move that some internet users interpreted as having eugenic implications.

“White is a loaded colour. On many levels,” added Alex Vadukul, a style writer, in the Times story, which also notes that white has traditionally been used to symbolize wealth.

“In a moment when colour is used to express culture, diversity, emotion, and innovation, choosing a white-based shade feels tone-deaf at best,” writes a user on Instagram. “At worst, it unintentionally aligns with cultural and political symbolism that many of us find deeply troubling.”

“Choosing the colour white during this social and political climate really says something…” writes Jason Rhee, a designer and creative at the Rheefined Company.

“I can’t think of a more appropriate colour than klansman white,” commented another person.

Others have noted that it could symbolize peace, via the white flag or the dove.

Executive director of Pantone Colour Institute Leatrice Eiseman addressed the critiques of a perceived lack of creativity while speaking with The Washington Post, saying that it was not a matter of “defaulting to white.” Rather, the shade is meant to signify a blank canvas “opening up new avenues and ways of thinking,” she said.

How is Pantone’s Colour of the Year chosen?

Pantone depends on a worldwide group of colour experts to select the colour of the year, taking inspiration from various sources — such as movies and TV shows, art, fashion and design trends, new technologies and materials, along with social media and significant upcoming sports events.

“Anything and everything taking place in our culture during the year can influence our Pantone Colour of the Year selections for the upcoming year, and each source carries a different weight from year to year,” the company’s Vice President, Laurie Pressman said in the interview on their site. “If you look back 15 years, technology would have played an infinitesimal role. Today, that is no longer the case.”

This isn’t the first time Pantone has tried to soothe the world with its Colour of the Year. In 2025, they picked Mocha Mousse for its cozy and harmonious vibe, and 2024’s Peach Fuzz was also noted for being a soft and caring hue. While Cloud Dancer might be the first white to be named Colour of the Year, Pantone nearly hit that mark in 2006 with the neutral Sand Dollar, which was said to be selected due to worries about the economy.

Sources: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/pantone-colour-of-the-year-2026-cloud-dancer-9.7002771
https://time.com/7338176/pantone-color-of-the-year-2026/
https://www.pantone.com/articles/color-of-the-year/color-of-the-year-2026-color-palettes