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The political divide in the United States has now reached Pantone’s Color of the Year.
The Pantone Color Institute has been selecting a color of the year since 1999, guided by “the color/colors that are bubbling up across design,” spokesperson explained.
Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2026 is Cloud Dancer, an off-white shade that, according to the institute, symbolizes calm in a frenetic society.
Highlights
- People are accusing Pantone of racism after the institute announced its Color of the Year for 2026.
- For the first time, the selected color is a shade of white: Cloud Dancer.
- Pantone insisted that the color symbolizes calmness; however, many interpreted it as a dangerous political statement.
RELATED:
The Pantone Color Institute has announced its Color of the Year for 2026…and it’s a shade of white
Image credits: Patone
The color is “associated with new beginnings” and “signifies our desire for a fresh start,” Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the institute, told CNN.
But a large group of people took issue with the selected hue, claiming that the “whitewashing of America has gone too far.”
One critic said Pantone—which, for the first time, has chosen a shade of white as its Color of the Year—failed to “read the room.”
Image credits: NoBanksNearby
Image credits: iamskrptd
“In this political & social climate, that’s interesting timing,” another person noted.
The US recorded 11,679 hate crimes in 2024, half of which were motivated by race or ethnicity, according to recent data from the US Department of Justice.
“It’s not just out of touch, it’s symbolic. It’s a reminder of who still controls the narrative. They are openly mocking us, choosing purity white as the cultural color of the year while the rest of us are screaming for humanity,” a separate critic wrote.
The off-white shade, called Cloud Dancer, is meant to symbolize calmness in a frenetic society
Image credits: TikTok/lilivhope
Another commenter said Pantone’s shade of white was a “political statement” to US society. “Call me too woke, I don’t care. I don’t think I’m wrong.”
Someone else labeled the choice “tone deaf.”
@lilivhope Pantone really chose white as the Colour of the Year… and honestly, I’m not even shocked anymore. In a year defined by genocide, far-right violence, censorship, police brutality, and the loudest rise of white supremacy we’ve seen in decades, they picked the one colour loaded with symbolism. It’s giving the same tone-deaf energy as Sydney Sweeney’s jeans ad — like they genuinely don’t understand (or don’t care) how this reads. It’s exhausting. We’re watching human rights collapse in real time and they’re out here aestheticising whiteness as a global trend. #fyp#politics#pantone#news#commentary♬ original sound – Lili 🏴
Image credits: darafaye
Image credits: jenfassino
Others compared the move to Sydney Sweeney’s controversial American Eagle ad, which featured a play on the words “jeans” and “genes.”
“It’s giving Sydney Sweeney has good genes. You’re going to choose white and market it as a soothing reset? For who, babe?” someone else asked.
“This feels racist,” agreed another user.
Several people have accused Pantone of racism, claiming that the choice represents a “political statement”
Image credits: TikTok/raebaebae28
@raebaebae28 “Color of the year” in the year of white supremecy #pantone♬ original sound – Rae
Others went on to accuse the institute of “rage-bait”—named Word of the Year by Oxford University Press—meaning that Pantone purposely made the choice to spark outrage and drive online engagement.
However, not everyone believed Pantone’s decision was ill-intentioned. “Pretentious? Yes. Racist? Doubtful. I’m all for calmness and peace in these times,” one person shared.
Some compared the color choice to Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle jeans ad
Image credits: American Eagle
From a creative perspective, many argued that Pantone should have selected a different color and even debated whether white is a color in the first place.
“I’m so sick of white… especially for interior design,” one netizen wrote.
“I wonder if the folks at @pantone were told, as I was when I was a child, that white is not a color… It’s the absence of it,” shared someone else.
Image credits: Patone
Others mocked the very concept of a “Color of the Year” and its fancy names, writing, “Oh good! We have a cute new name for ‘white.’ Now our American flag can be Tomato Puree, Cloud Dancer, and Cerulean.”
This is the first time Pantone has selected a shade of white as its Color of the Year
Image credits: Patone
The company described the Color of the Year as “a billowy white imbued with serenity” that “invites true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe.”
Pantone is considered a leading authority on color, forecasting design trends, and advising brands.
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Previous choices for its Color of the Year included 2025’s Mocha Mousse, “a mellow brown infused with a sensorial and comforting warmth,” and 2024’s Peach Fuzz, “a light, fruity tone that conjures peace and serenity.”
Shortly after the criticism erupted, the company’s vice president, Laurie Pressman, told The Washington Post that “skin tones” had no influence on their latest color choice.
The institute has denied the accusations, explaining that the decision wasn’t influenced by “skin tones”
Image credits: TikTok/raebaebae28
@pantonetiktok Introducing the Pantone Color of the Year 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer. A lofty white neutral whose aerated presence acts as a whisper of calm and peace in a noisy world. PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer symbolizes a calming influence in a society rediscovering the value of quiet reflection. A billowy white imbued with serenity, it invites true relaxation and focus, allowing the mind to wander and creativity to breathe. In motion and in pause, Pantone Color of the Year 2026, PANTONE 11-4201 Cloud Dancer drifts between light and ethereal, a living calm that invites renewal, vision in serenity and creative release. To discover more about Cloud Dancer visit the link in our bio. #pantone#coloroftheyear#clouddancer♬ original sound – Pantonetiktok
“With Peach Fuzz and Mocha Mousse, people were asking if this was about skin tones,” said vice president Pressman. “And I think we were going, ‘Wow, really?’ Because, for us, it’s really about, at such a basic level, what are people looking for that color can hope to answer?”
Executive director Eiseman addressed the creative critiques, clarifying that it wasn’t a matter of “defaulting to white.” Instead, she said the neutral shade will “open up new avenues and ways of thinking.”
“It’s hard to understand how they didn’t anticipate controversy over this color choice,” one user commented
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What do you think ?
Littlemiss 1 day ago
I'm starting to think people will moan about anything just to look like they think. Its almost like a popularity contest for morons.
Load More Replies...
Cee Cee 2 days ago
Too many people getting offended over trivia. They need to get offended over real issues of which there are many and not just in the States.
Debbie 2 days ago
Can't paint colours be just colours anymore? White had historically shaving been a color of peace, surrender. Waving a white flag (choosing no color), but also white clouds. Are they part of a grand conspiracy too? Pfft. If they had chosen blue or would have been a boys color of democrats. Red is it of the autisten question as well. Green, for green cards, it geen with envy? I bet for every color you could find issues with it. I guess white paper is not done sad well? Can't colours just be colours again?
TotallyNOTAFox 2 days ago (edited)
Honestly, if all those people can think about is skin colour for every little thing and what is acceptable and what's not... they may be racists themselves
TACO Don's Authentic TexMex 2 days ago
Sounds like something a fox would say...
Load More Replies...
roddy 2 days ago
How many people want to paint their homes black inside? Seriously? I once made the mistake of getting all-black wallpaper for the kitchen of a shared house (it had an interesting texture and I thought it looked edgy). All my housemates hated it. It had nothing to do with racism.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 1 day ago
I knew a guy in university who painted his dorm room black. 🤷🏻♀️
Load More Replies...
Tiffany 2 days ago (edited)
I've never heard of color of the year. Until now. I honestly see nothing wrong with picking a white. Even if it's not technically a color why not have it at least once. Scotland has a Unicorn for their animal and thats not real. Godzillla is a citizen of Japan. People like to complain and throw their monkey p**p at anything they can whenever possible to do so. It's weird also that white can't be celebrated at all because it's offensive. White is everywhere. It's in nature. Snow? Clouds? In Animal and insect prints?.. it's a part of life. It's sugar, its whip cream. It's also a big part of fashion designs and choices. The black and white ball. Is a black and white ball now a statement of racism??? Idk.. I wouldn't be offended if black was color of the year. I love black in all my clothing choices. Don't people wear white wedding dresses and pay tons of money for white on their day? Even if racism was behind the color choice .. it's people making a big deal about it and actually bringing it to life and making it matter. I never heard of color of the year and I doubt people spend too much time or thought on it past 30 mins on New Years if they do keep up on it. A small few might celebrate it? Why couldn't it just be about a wedding dress? It's always about skin color. White is everywhere. So is black and brown and any other color.
Siege Rook 2 days ago
Oh dear *, there are so many entitled victims-in-waiting out there, just looking for any chance to be offended by any old thing. No, I don't debate the existence of white privilege - it's unquestionably a thing. But F F S, this is just conspiracy-minded self-imposed victimhood, and b******g about this is EVERY BIT AS STUPID as any white people who might have bitched about last years' color: I'm SURE *some* racist f**k did, but it was just and stupid then as this is now.
Littlemiss 1 day ago
I'm starting to think people will moan about anything just to look like they think. Its almost like a popularity contest for morons.
Load More Replies... Cee Cee 2 days ago
Too many people getting offended over trivia. They need to get offended over real issues of which there are many and not just in the States.
Debbie 2 days ago
Can't paint colours be just colours anymore? White had historically shaving been a color of peace, surrender. Waving a white flag (choosing no color), but also white clouds. Are they part of a grand conspiracy too? Pfft. If they had chosen blue or would have been a boys color of democrats. Red is it of the autisten question as well. Green, for green cards, it geen with envy? I bet for every color you could find issues with it. I guess white paper is not done sad well? Can't colours just be colours again?
TotallyNOTAFox 2 days ago (edited)
Honestly, if all those people can think about is skin colour for every little thing and what is acceptable and what's not... they may be racists themselves
TACO Don's Authentic TexMex 2 days ago
Sounds like something a fox would say...
Load More Replies... roddy 2 days ago
How many people want to paint their homes black inside? Seriously? I once made the mistake of getting all-black wallpaper for the kitchen of a shared house (it had an interesting texture and I thought it looked edgy). All my housemates hated it. It had nothing to do with racism.
SchadenFreudian Psychology 1 day ago
I knew a guy in university who painted his dorm room black. 🤷🏻♀️
Load More Replies... Tiffany 2 days ago (edited)
I've never heard of color of the year. Until now. I honestly see nothing wrong with picking a white. Even if it's not technically a color why not have it at least once. Scotland has a Unicorn for their animal and thats not real. Godzillla is a citizen of Japan. People like to complain and throw their monkey p**p at anything they can whenever possible to do so. It's weird also that white can't be celebrated at all because it's offensive. White is everywhere. It's in nature. Snow? Clouds? In Animal and insect prints?.. it's a part of life. It's sugar, its whip cream. It's also a big part of fashion designs and choices. The black and white ball. Is a black and white ball now a statement of racism??? Idk.. I wouldn't be offended if black was color of the year. I love black in all my clothing choices. Don't people wear white wedding dresses and pay tons of money for white on their day? Even if racism was behind the color choice .. it's people making a big deal about it and actually bringing it to life and making it matter. I never heard of color of the year and I doubt people spend too much time or thought on it past 30 mins on New Years if they do keep up on it. A small few might celebrate it? Why couldn't it just be about a wedding dress? It's always about skin color. White is everywhere. So is black and brown and any other color.
Siege Rook 2 days ago
Oh dear *, there are so many entitled victims-in-waiting out there, just looking for any chance to be offended by any old thing. No, I don't debate the existence of white privilege - it's unquestionably a thing. But F F S, this is just conspiracy-minded self-imposed victimhood, and b******g about this is EVERY BIT AS STUPID as any white people who might have bitched about last years' color: I'm SURE *some* racist f**k did, but it was just and stupid then as this is now.
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