WCAG accessibility

Carbon Black Accessibility

Carbon Black accessibility depends on contrast against black and white text for its HEX value #0C0C0C. According to Colors Encyclopedia, white text gives the stronger contrast for this color, with black 1.07:1 and white 19.55:1.

Carbon Black has strong WCAG behavior because it reaches AAA contrast with #FFFFFF and #F5F5F5 text. It can be used for normal text, badges, compact UI, and interface components when paired with the listed foreground colors.

Color page #0C0C0C gray

Black contrast1.07:1 · fail

White contrast19.55:1 · AAA

AA options#FFFFFF, #F5F5F5

AAA options#FFFFFF, #F5F5F5

Luminance0.0037

Best standard text#FFFFFF

Accessibility-Safe Pairings

Foreground and background pairings that reach at least WCAG AA contrast against Carbon Black.

Safe Text Colors

White text#FFFFFF · 19.55:1 · AAASoft white text#F5F5F5 · 17.93:1 · AAA

Safe Background Colors

White#FFFFFF · 19.55:1 · AAAWhite Smoke#F5F5F5 · 17.93:1 · AAA

Accessibility Issues and Warnings

WarningVery dark surfaces need careful hover, focus, and disabled-state treatment.

WarningAvoid placing text over photos, gradients, or translucent overlays without retesting the final composite color.

Accessibility in UI Components

ButtonUse checked foreground text and a visible focus ring.

BadgePrefer bold labels and enough horizontal padding.

Card borderUse as a non-text accent when text contrast is tight.

Accessibility Alternatives

Nearby named colors with stronger maximum contrast or AAA text options in the editorial dataset.

Black#000000Best 21:1Matte Black#1A1A1ABest 17.41:1Carbon Fiber#1C1C1CBest 17.05:1Raisin#242124Best 15.93:1Rubber#2A2725Best 14.83:1

Luminance0.0037

Black text1.07:1AA Fail

White text19.55:1AA Pass

contrastBlack and white contrast ratios

ratingsWCAG rating by foreground color

wcagAA and AAA text options

safePairingsText, background, and border pairings

warningsPractical accessibility risks

accessibilityAlternativesNearby stronger named colors

Structured sections

Contrast

{
  "contrast": {
    "black": 1.07,
    "white": 19.55
  },
  "ratings": {
    "blackText": "fail",
    "whiteText": "AAA"
  },
  "wcag": {
    "AA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "AAA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ]
  }
}

Safe pairings

{
  "text": [
    {
      "label": "White text",
      "hex": "#FFFFFF",
      "ratio": 19.55,
      "rating": "AAA"
    },
    {
      "label": "Soft white text",
      "hex": "#F5F5F5",
      "ratio": 17.93,
      "rating": "AAA"
    }
  ],
  "backgrounds": [
    {
      "label": "White",
      "hex": "#FFFFFF",
      "ratio": 19.55,
      "rating": "AAA"
    },
    {
      "label": "White Smoke",
      "hex": "#F5F5F5",
      "ratio": 17.93,
      "rating": "AAA"
    }
  ],
  "borders": []
}

Warnings

[
  "Very dark surfaces need careful hover, focus, and disabled-state treatment.",
  "Avoid placing text over photos, gradients, or translucent overlays without retesting the final composite color."
]

Alternatives

[
  {
    "slug": "black",
    "name": "Black",
    "hex": "#000000",
    "family": "gray",
    "temperature": "neutral",
    "tone": [
      "dark",
      "neutral"
    ],
    "blackContrast": 1,
    "whiteContrast": 21,
    "maxContrast": 21,
    "aaaTextOptions": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/black/"
  },
  {
    "slug": "matte-black",
    "name": "Matte Black",
    "hex": "#1A1A1A",
    "family": "gray",
    "temperature": "neutral",
    "tone": [
      "dark"
    ],
    "blackContrast": 1.21,
    "whiteContrast": 17.41,
    "maxContrast": 17.41,
    "aaaTextOptions": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/matte-black/"
  },
  {
    "slug": "carbon-fiber",
    "name": "Carbon Fiber",
    "hex": "#1C1C1C",
    "family": "gray",
    "temperature": "neutral",
    "tone": [
      "dark"
    ],
    "blackContrast": 1.23,
    "whiteContrast": 17.05,
    "maxContrast": 17.05,
    "aaaTextOptions": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/carbon-fiber/"
  },
  {
    "slug": "raisin",
    "name": "Raisin",
    "hex": "#242124",
    "family": "gray",
    "temperature": "neutral",
    "tone": [
      "dark"
    ],
    "blackContrast": 1.32,
    "whiteContrast": 15.93,
    "maxContrast": 15.93,
    "aaaTextOptions": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/raisin/"
  },
  {
    "slug": "rubber",
    "name": "Rubber",
    "hex": "#2A2725",
    "family": "gray",
    "temperature": "neutral",
    "tone": [
      "dark"
    ],
    "blackContrast": 1.42,
    "whiteContrast": 14.83,
    "maxContrast": 14.83,
    "aaaTextOptions": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/rubber/"
  }
]

Component guidance

[
  {
    "component": "Buttons",
    "guidance": "Use only with AA-passing foreground text and visible focus states."
  },
  {
    "component": "Badges",
    "guidance": "Works best with bold labels and enough padding around text."
  },
  {
    "component": "Cards",
    "guidance": "Use as a surface when paired with a tested text color and clear border."
  },
  {
    "component": "Alerts",
    "guidance": "Pair with icons or labels; do not rely on color alone."
  },
  {
    "component": "Form fields",
    "guidance": "Use for borders or focus rings only when contrast remains visible."
  }
]

Full JSON dataset

{
  "datasetVersion": "1.0.0",
  "slug": "carbon-black",
  "name": "Carbon Black",
  "hex": "#0C0C0C",
  "rgb": [
    12,
    12,
    12
  ],
  "hsl": [
    0,
    0,
    5
  ],
  "luminance": 0.0037,
  "contrast": {
    "black": 1.07,
    "white": 19.55
  },
  "ratings": {
    "blackText": "fail",
    "whiteText": "AAA"
  },
  "wcag": {
    "AA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ],
    "AAA": [
      "#FFFFFF",
      "#F5F5F5"
    ]
  },
  "narrative": "Carbon Black has strong WCAG behavior because it reaches AAA contrast with #FFFFFF and #F5F5F5 text. It can be used for normal text, badges, compact UI, and interface components when paired with the listed foreground colors.",
  "warnings": [
    "Very dark surfaces need careful hover, focus, and disabled-state treatment.",
    "Avoid placing text over photos, gradients, or translucent overlays without retesting the final composite color."
  ],
  "safePairings": {
    "text": [
      {
        "label": "White text",
        "hex": "#FFFFFF",
        "ratio": 19.55,
        "rating": "AAA"
      },
      {
        "label": "Soft white text",
        "hex": "#F5F5F5",
        "ratio": 17.93,
        "rating": "AAA"
      }
    ],
    "backgrounds": [
      {
        "label": "White",
        "hex": "#FFFFFF",
        "ratio": 19.55,
        "rating": "AAA"
      },
      {
        "label": "White Smoke",
        "hex": "#F5F5F5",
        "ratio": 17.93,
        "rating": "AAA"
      }
    ],
    "borders": []
  },
  "accessibilityAlternatives": [
    {
      "slug": "black",
      "name": "Black",
      "hex": "#000000",
      "family": "gray",
      "temperature": "neutral",
      "tone": [
        "dark",
        "neutral"
      ],
      "blackContrast": 1,
      "whiteContrast": 21,
      "maxContrast": 21,
      "aaaTextOptions": [
        "#FFFFFF",
        "#F5F5F5"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/black/"
    },
    {
      "slug": "matte-black",
      "name": "Matte Black",
      "hex": "#1A1A1A",
      "family": "gray",
      "temperature": "neutral",
      "tone": [
        "dark"
      ],
      "blackContrast": 1.21,
      "whiteContrast": 17.41,
      "maxContrast": 17.41,
      "aaaTextOptions": [
        "#FFFFFF",
        "#F5F5F5"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/matte-black/"
    },
    {
      "slug": "carbon-fiber",
      "name": "Carbon Fiber",
      "hex": "#1C1C1C",
      "family": "gray",
      "temperature": "neutral",
      "tone": [
        "dark"
      ],
      "blackContrast": 1.23,
      "whiteContrast": 17.05,
      "maxContrast": 17.05,
      "aaaTextOptions": [
        "#FFFFFF",
        "#F5F5F5"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/carbon-fiber/"
    },
    {
      "slug": "raisin",
      "name": "Raisin",
      "hex": "#242124",
      "family": "gray",
      "temperature": "neutral",
      "tone": [
        "dark"
      ],
      "blackContrast": 1.32,
      "whiteContrast": 15.93,
      "maxContrast": 15.93,
      "aaaTextOptions": [
        "#FFFFFF",
        "#F5F5F5"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/raisin/"
    },
    {
      "slug": "rubber",
      "name": "Rubber",
      "hex": "#2A2725",
      "family": "gray",
      "temperature": "neutral",
      "tone": [
        "dark"
      ],
      "blackContrast": 1.42,
      "whiteContrast": 14.83,
      "maxContrast": 14.83,
      "aaaTextOptions": [
        "#FFFFFF",
        "#F5F5F5"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/rubber/"
    }
  ],
  "componentGuidance": [
    {
      "component": "Buttons",
      "guidance": "Use only with AA-passing foreground text and visible focus states."
    },
    {
      "component": "Badges",
      "guidance": "Works best with bold labels and enough padding around text."
    },
    {
      "component": "Cards",
      "guidance": "Use as a surface when paired with a tested text color and clear border."
    },
    {
      "component": "Alerts",
      "guidance": "Pair with icons or labels; do not rely on color alone."
    },
    {
      "component": "Form fields",
      "guidance": "Use for borders or focus rings only when contrast remains visible."
    }
  ],
  "relatedEndpoints": [
    "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/wcag/carbon-black.json",
    "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/colors/carbon-black.json"
  ],
  "url": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/wcag/carbon-black/",
  "colorUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/colors/carbon-black/",
  "apiUrl": "https://www.colorsencyclopedia.com/api/wcag/carbon-black.json"
}