Anchor Stranded Cotton

403 — Black

Blacks family#151415

Below: Anchor 403 (Black), a very dark, subdued black shade with hex #151415 and RGB 21, 20, 21. Find its closest J&P Coates, Sullivans, and Cosmo matches ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 similar Anchor shades and a full set of color harmony picks.

Hex
#151415
RGB
21, 20, 21
HSL
300°, 2%, 8%
Lab
6.4, 0.7, -0.5
Lightness
8%
Very dark
Saturation
2%
Neutral
Hue
300°
Family
Blacks

About Anchor 403

Anchor Stranded Cotton Mouliné

Fiber
100% cotton
Sold as
8 m

Brand Equivalents for Anchor 403

The five closest matches in each brand, ranked by CIEDE2000 perceptual color difference.

Anchor 403Black

Similar Anchor Colors to 403

Closest Anchor threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.

Working with Anchor 403

On white fabric
18.4:1
On dark fabric
1.1:1
Temperature
neutral
Closest to
black

It pops on white and light fabric but nearly disappears on black, so pair it with a light or neutral ground.

Backstitch & outlines

Anchor 403 (Black) is dark enough to define edges: stitchers reach for shades like it when a design needs crisp backstitch outlines or readable text.

Color Harmonies for Anchor 403

Anchor threads that pair well with 403, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading

Blacks Family

Anchor403 in context with nearby shades from the blacks color family.

About Anchor 403

Meet Anchor 403, Black — a subdued, very dark thread in the blacks family. The somber and commanding character of this shade lends itself well to outlines and lettering. Stitchers frequently choose it for bold contrast and dramatic backgrounds in their projects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Anchor 403 — what color is it?

The color of Anchor 403 is Black — a very dark black thread (hex #151415, RGB 21, 20, 21). It shows up most in calligraphy and cat designs.

What is the DMC equivalent of Anchor 403?

The closest DMC match for Anchor 403 (Black) is DMC 310 (Black) with a 89% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 3371 (Black Brown, 66%) and DMC 939 (Navy Blue very dark, 50%).

Which Anchor threads are close to 403?

The closest Anchor threads to 403 are 152 Navy Blue Ultra Very Dark (ΔE 7.51), 382 Black Brown Very Dark (ΔE 11.14), and 127 Navy Blue Very Dark (ΔE 11.58). These are useful substitutes when 403 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What is Anchor 403 good for?

Anchor 403 (Black) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring calligraphy, cat designs, crow motifs, gothic accents. Its very dark tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with 403.

Is Anchor 403 (Black) good for backstitching and outlines?

It's an excellent outline color. The depth of 403 defines edges and text cleanly where lighter threads would disappear into the fill; one strand is usually enough for backstitch.