The main difference between Ivory and Teal is hue — Ivory is a cool-leaning off-white, while Teal is a cool cyan. Ivory and Teal are often confused but have distinct differences in hue, saturation, and tone. Ivory (#FFFFF0) and Teal (#008080) each suit different design contexts — understanding their differences helps you choose the right color for your project.
Four real design scenarios, with the recommended pick based on hue, saturation, and WCAG contrast.
Ivory is more saturated (100% HSL vs 100%) so it reads as bolder and more memorable at logo scale, while Teal can feel washed out when printed small.
Teal hits a 4.77:1 WCAG contrast against white — safer for text-heavy interfaces — where Ivory only reaches 1.01:1 and risks failing AA at small body sizes.
Ivory is a cool-leaning tone that flatters spring/summer collections and warmer skin undertones, while Teal leans cooler and is better suited to autumn/winter layering.
Ivory is the more muted of the two (100% saturation) and sits more calmly on large wall surfaces, while Teal's higher chroma can overwhelm a room when used beyond accent pieces.
Ivory (#FFFFF0) is a very light, vivid off-white with a cool-leaning undertone — it feels pale, delicate, gentle and bright, energetic, eye-catching.
Teal (#008080) is a dark, vivid cyan with a cool undertone — it feels rich, serious, substantial and bright, energetic, eye-catching.
Text legibility depends on the contrast ratio between foreground and background. WCAG 2.1 AA requires at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text; AAA requires 7:1. Use these numbers to choose accessible combinations for your design.
Each color has a dedicated page with shades, tints, CSS name, pairings, and color psychology.