401 — Shell Grey Very Dark
Blacks family#3B333C
Anchor 401 — Shell Grey Very Dark — has hex #3B333C and RGB 59, 51, 60. This dark, subdued black thread sits alongside its closest DMC, Madeira, and J&P Coates matches below, with 8 similar Anchor shades and a panel of color harmonies for palette planning.
About Anchor 401
Anchor Stranded Cotton Mouliné
- Fiber
- 100% cotton
- Sold as
- 8 m
Brand Equivalents for Anchor 401
The five closest matches in each brand, ranked by CIEDE2000 perceptual color difference.
DMC
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Valdani
Crescent Colors
Similar Anchor Colors to 401
Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Anchor 401
It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground.
Its nearest neighbor, Anchor 236 (Pewter Grey Very Dark), is barely a step away (ΔE 2.36). Tweed the two together for subtle shading, or substitute freely when one is out of stock.
Color Harmonies for Anchor 401
Anchor threads that pair well with 401, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Blacks Family
Anchor401 in context with nearby shades from the blacks color family.
About Anchor 401
A dark, subdued entry in the blacks family, Anchor 401 carries the name Shell Grey Very Dark. Its tone is dark and steady, making it a popular choice for gothic accents and shadow textures. It pairs nicely in designs that call for outlines or lettering.
Frequently Asked Questions
What color is Anchor 401?
Anchor 401 is called Shell Grey Very Dark. It's a dark black shade (hex #3B333C, RGB 59, 51, 60) in the blacks family, commonly used for night skies, silhouettes, and similar motifs.
What's the closest DMC match for Anchor 401?
The closest DMC match for Anchor 401 (Shell Grey Very Dark) is DMC 09 (Very Dark Cocoa) with a 66% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 3799 (Pewter Grey very dark, 58%) and DMC 3371 (Black Brown, 55%).
What's a good substitute for Anchor 401?
The closest Anchor threads to 401 are 236 Pewter Grey Very Dark (ΔE 2.36), 1041 Beaver Grey Ultra Dark (ΔE 9.84), and 152 Navy Blue Ultra Very Dark (ΔE 10.39). These are useful substitutes when 401 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What projects use Anchor 401?
Cross-stitchers pull Anchor 401 (Shell Grey Very Dark) for charts featuring night skies, silhouettes, calligraphy, cat designs. The dark tone reads cleanly on its own and slots into multi-color palettes — see the color harmonies below for pairing ideas.
What fabric color works best with Anchor 401 (Shell Grey Very Dark)?
It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground. For reference, 401 has a contrast ratio of about 12.2:1 on white fabric and 1.7:1 on black. As a neutral shade, as a near-neutral, it plays quietly with almost any palette and works well as a background or shading tone.