Teal is an even blend of blue and green that gets its name from the Eurasian teal, a breed of duck that has a bright stripe of blue-green feathers around its eyes. It gained prominence in art and textiles in the 19th century with the introduction of synthetic dyes, and later became a popular choice in mid-century modern decor. Its equal combination of blue and green creates a perfect harmony of tranquility and vitality. Modern design movements have embraced teal for its ability to combine sophistication with approachability, making it effective in spaces meant to foster both comfort and productivity.
In digital design, teal is defined by hex code #008080 and has the RGB values of R:0, G:128, B:128. It’s created with a perfect balance of green and blue. When working with print materials, teal requires a CMYK mixture of C:100%, M:0%, Y:30%, K:50% to achieve its characteristic depth. Professional designers often adjust these values to create variations that range from vibrant cyan-leaning teals to more muted, sage-influenced tones. Color matching systems like Pantone offer standardized teal variations to ensure consistency across different media and manufacturing processes.
Other related colors to teal: