Buff
A pale brownish yellow named for the colour of natural leather
Buff is a light brownish yellow, close to ochre, and is best known as the colour of undyed leather. Its name comes from the look of buffalo hide once used for soldiers’ coats. Buff is used in uniforms, flags, heraldry, and is common in nature and architecture where buff-coloured stone or sand is found.
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- Named for the colour of undyed buffalo leather
- First recorded as a colour in 1686
- Used in British and US military uniforms
- A recognised heraldic colour in the US and Canada
- Common in nature and architecture where buff stone or sand is found
What colour is Buff?
Buff is a pale, ochre-like yellow with a hint of brown, most often compared to the colour of natural, undyed leather. It sits between yellow and brown, lighter than tan and less red than tawny. Buff is often seen in nature, such as in sand, rocks, and the coats of some animals. Its muted tone makes it useful for camouflage and as a neutral background in art and design.
Where does Buff come from?
The name 'buff' comes from the colour of buffalo leather, which was widely used for protective coats in Europe during the 17th century. The first known use of 'buff' as a colour term in English appeared in 1686, describing military uniforms. The word itself is linked to the Latin 'bubalinus', meaning buffalo-like. Over time, 'buff' became associated with the look of undyed animal hide, and its use spread to uniforms, flags, and everyday language.
How Buff is defined
Buff as a pigment can be created by mixing yellow ochre with white, often using two parts white lead to one part yellow ochre, or by tinting white lead with French ochre. In the RYB (red-yellow-blue) colour model, buff is made by combining the tertiary colours citron and russet in equal parts. In practice, buff can also refer to the natural colour of materials like leather, stone, or paper.
Where Buff is used
Buff has a long history in military uniforms, especially in Britain and the United States, where it was used for coats, facings, and waistcoats. It is a recognised colour in heraldry in both the US and Canada. Buff is also common in architecture, especially where local stone or brick is naturally this colour, such as Cotswold stone and Cream City brick. In art, buff paper provides a neutral background. The colour appears in many flags, including those of Delaware and New Jersey, and was used on the funnels of famous ships like the RMS Titanic.
What Buff means
Buff does not have a single symbolic meaning across cultures, but it is valued for its camouflage qualities in military and natural settings. Its use in uniforms and heraldry often connects it to tradition and history. In English, 'in the buff' refers to nakedness, based on the similarity between the colour of undyed leather and light skin.
Yellow around the world
What the yellow family means from country to country.
Many First Nations use the medicine wheel, a circle in four parts. A common form has yellow, red, black and white quarters for the four directions, though the colours vary between nations.
Sacred and holySource: Medicine wheel (symbol)People wear yellow for Vasant Panchami, the spring festival of the goddess Saraswati. Before many weddings, turmeric paste is rubbed on the bride and groom in the haldi ceremony.
Sacred and holyFestival and celebrationWeddings and marriageJoySource: Vasant PanchamiThe luzzu, the traditional fishing boat, is painted in bright yellow, blue, red and green. A pair of eyes on the bow is said to guard the fishermen at sea.
Protection and healingLuck and prosperitySource: LuzzuA yellow ribbon tied round a tree or pinned to a coat means someone is waiting for a loved one to come home. It spread during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979 to 1981.
Protection and healingLove and desireHopeSource: Yellow ribbonSchool buses across the country are painted one shade of yellow, agreed at a conference in 1939 because black lettering on it is easy to read in early morning light.
Protection and healingSource: School bus yellowThe yellow disc of the Aboriginal flag is the sun, giver of life. The flag was designed by the Luritja artist Harold Thomas and first flown in Adelaide in 1971.
Sacred and holySource: Australian Aboriginal flagShades and relatives of Buff
Buff is related to other pale earth tones such as beige, fallow, tan, and tawny. It is lighter than tan and less reddish than tawny. In the RYB colour system, it is made from citron and russet. Buff is sometimes confused with similar shades used in architecture and design, but each has its own specific mix and history.
Colours that go with Buff
Harmonies are worked out from the value #FFC680. Contrast ratios follow the WCAG 2 formula.
Questions people ask about Buff
What colour is buff?
Buff is a light brownish yellow, similar to the colour of natural, undyed leather. It sits between yellow and brown, lighter than tan and less red than tawny.
Where does the name 'buff' come from?
The name comes from the colour of buffalo leather, which was used for protective coats in 17th-century Europe. The word was first recorded as a colour in English in 1686.
How is buff made as a pigment?
Buff pigment can be made by mixing yellow ochre with white, often using two parts white lead to one part yellow ochre, or by tinting white lead with French ochre.
Where is buff used?
Buff is used in military uniforms, heraldry, architecture (such as Cotswold stone), art (as a paper colour), and in the flags of some US states.
Is buff a natural colour?
Yes, buff appears naturally in sand, rocks, and the coats of some animals. It is also the natural colour of undyed leather and some building materials.
Good reading and sources
- Buff (colour) on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More pictures on Wikimedia CommonsPictures
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Buff (colour)", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Rang rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. The swatch is an approximation: named colours are not fixed standards, and every screen shows them a little differently. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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