Derived from the Persian word "khak," meaning dust or soil, Khaki emerged as a military uniform color in the late 19th century, which led to its associations with durability, practicality, and understated strength. Modern interpretations have expanded khaki's symbolic meaning to represent reliability and adaptability. The color's natural earth-tones make it a timeless choice in both fashion and interior design.
The technical specifications of khaki vary across different color models, with the standard web color khaki represented by hex code #C3B091. In the RGB color model, khaki consists of 76.5% red, 69% green, and 56.9% blue, creating its characteristic warm neutral tone. Print applications using CMYK values typically render khaki as C:24% M:25% Y:42% K:0%, though variations exist depending on the specific shade desired. Digital designers frequently adjust these base values to create custom khaki variations, ranging from light desert tones to deeper olive hues, enabling their projects to exude competence while maintaining approachability.