Valdani Perle Cotton

171 — Cocoa dark

Reds family

Looking up Valdani 171? It's Cocoa dark, a medium-dark red shade (#543836 / RGB 84, 56, 54). Scroll down for Sullivans, Cosmo, and Classic Colorworks equivalents ranked by visual similarity, plus 8 close Valdani alternatives and curated color harmonies.

Hex
#543836
RGB
84, 56, 54
HSL
4°, 22%, 27%
Lab
26.7, 12.2, 6.3
Lightness
27%
Dark
Saturation
22%
Neutral
Hue
4°
Family
Reds

Brand Equivalents for Valdani 171

Top 5 closest matches in each brand, ranked by visual color similarity. How matching works

Valdani 171 Cocoa dark

Sullivans

Cocoa Dark 45493 83% Good
Cocoa 45458 83% Good
Beige Brown Dark 45237 66% Approx
Mocha Brown Dark 45393 60% Fair
Antique Violet Dark 45371 59% Fair

Crescent Colours

Cappuccino 007 92% Good
Wisconsin Woods 114 84% Good
Chocolate Cream Pie 009 80% Good
Grape Pie 016 48% Fair
Rod and Reel 116 46% Fair

Similar Valdani Colors to 171

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

Valdani 171 Cocoa dark
Beige Brown very dark Valdani 1644 Close ΔE 5.28 Coffee Brown ultra dk Valdani 1645 Noticeable ΔE 6.83 Rosewood dark Valdani M90 Noticeable ΔE 8.04 Mocha Brown dark Valdani 1643 Noticeable ΔE 8.94 Antique Mauve dark Valdani 883 Noticeable ΔE 9.19 Rosewood medium Valdani 159 Noticeable ΔE 9.32 Shell Pink very dark Valdani O78 Noticeable ΔE 11.33 Brown Grey dark Valdani P9 Noticeable ΔE 11.83

Working with Valdani 171

On white fabric
10.5:1
On dark fabric
2:1
Temperature
soft warm
Closest to
charcoal

It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.

Hand-dyed notes

Valdani is hand-dyed, so Valdani 171 (Cocoa dark) carries subtle tonal shifts skein to skein. Buy enough for a project in one dye lot, and stitch in a random or cross-country order to blend any variation.

Color Harmonies for Valdani 171

Valdani threads that pair well with 171, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.

Complementary
Opposite on the color wheel — maximum contrast
171
833 Turquoise ultra very dark
Analogous
Adjacent hues — smooth, natural transitions
171
1643 Mocha Brown dark 883 Antique Mauve dark
Triadic
Evenly spaced at 120° — vibrant and balanced
171
199 Avocado Green dark O126 Antique Blue dark
Monochromatic
Same hue, different lightness — great for shading
171
JP6 Cocoa light O563 Shell Grey light JP4 Shell Pink ultra very light

Reds Family

Valdani 171 in context with nearby shades from the reds color family.

171 Cocoa dark 171 159 Rosewood medium 159 883 Antique Mauve dark 883 O507 Terra Cotta very dark O507 775 Garnet 775 O78 Shell Pink very dark O78 M90 Rosewood dark M90 1644 Beige Brown very dark 1644 O503 Garnet dark O503 1645 Coffee Brown ultra dk 1645

About Valdani 171

A medium-dark, muted entry in the reds family, Valdani 171 carries the name Cocoa dark with true red tones. The shade reads as muted and intense — a go-to choice for barn scenes and tomato patterns. It also turns up in patterns built around roses and hearts.

Frequently Asked Questions

What color is Valdani 171?

Valdani 171 is called Cocoa dark. It's a medium-dark red shade (hex #543836, RGB 84, 56, 54) in the reds family, commonly used for valentines, poppies, and similar motifs.

What's the closest DMC match for Valdani 171?

The closest DMC match for Valdani 171 (Cocoa dark) is DMC 779 (Cocoa dark) with a 100% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 839 (Beige Brown dark, 78%) and DMC 09 (Very Dark Cocoa, 74%).

What's a good substitute for Valdani 171?

The closest Valdani threads to 171 are 1644 Beige Brown very dark (ΔE 5.28), 1645 Coffee Brown ultra dk (ΔE 6.83), and M90 Rosewood dark (ΔE 8.04). These are useful substitutes when 171 is unavailable or for building gradients.

What projects use Valdani 171?

Cross-stitchers pull Valdani 171 (Cocoa dark) for charts featuring valentines, poppies, cardinal birds, apple motifs. The medium-dark tone reads cleanly on its own and slots into multi-color palettes — see the color harmonies below for pairing ideas.

Does Valdani 171 (Cocoa dark) vary between dye lots?

Yes, mildly. Hand-dyed threads like 171 are never perfectly flat, and later dye lots can read differently. Reserve one lot per project and avoid stitching in strict rows to keep the mottling even.

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