The color green: meaning and palettes to use it
Green is nature, health and calm, and in Spain it's also hope. It's so easy to tie to “eco” that it's been worn thin. Here's what it means, which green to choose and palettes that don't look like a recycling flyer.
Click a color to copy its code.
What the color green means
It's linked to nature, plants, health, growth and balance. It rests the eyes, and the human eye is especially sensitive to it: that's why digital camera sensors have twice as many green pixels as red or blue ones.
It also means “go” (traffic lights) and, in some contexts, money. Its downside is envy (green with envy) and inexperience (being green at something).
What green says about a brand
It's the color of sustainable, healthy and natural. So overused that it can read as greenwashing when the brand doesn't back it up with facts.
A dark green or olive conveys quality and tradition; a lime green, energy and youth. Pick the shade for what you want to say, not just because “we're eco.”
Not every shade of green says the same thing
Forest green
Tradition, quality, deep nature.
Leaf green
Health, growth, “go.”
Olive green
Mediterranean, food, crafts.
Mint green
Freshness, cleanliness, wellness.
Palettes with green to copy
Each swatch shows the contrast of the text that reads best on top of it. From 4.5:1 it works for body text.
Kitchen garden
Food, restaurants, markets
Wellness
Health, natural cosmetics, yoga
Electric green
Tech, sports, music
What goes with green
- Goes well with
- Beige, earth brown, off-white and dusty pink (its soft complement).
- Use with care
- Pure red right next to it and blues at the same intensity.
Green around the world
In Spain, green is the color of hope, an association rooted in Christian tradition. In Mexico it's on the flag and, in the most common reading, stands for hope and independence. In the US it's also the color of money, thanks to the dollar bill.
In Islam it's a sacred color, found on the flags of many Muslim-majority countries.
Design with this palette, for free
Copy the codes and take them to Polimake's design canvas: social posts, covers and thumbnails with your own photos, no subscription needed.
Frequently asked questions
- Why is green the color of hope?
- Because of Christian tradition, which links it to life returning in spring. The association is especially strong in Spain and other Catholic countries.
- What goes with green?
- Beiges, earthy browns, off-white and soft pinks.