M23 — Neutrals & Naturals
Browns family#8F7D72
Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) is a medium, subdued brown shade with hex code #8F7D72 and RGB values 143, 125, 114. Below you'll find the closest J&P Coates, Sullivans, and Cosmo equivalents — ranked by visual color similarity — plus 8 similar Valdani shades and color harmony pairings.
Brand Equivalents for Valdani M23
The five closest matches in each brand, ranked by CIEDE2000 perceptual color difference.
DMC
Anchor
Madeira
J&P Coates
Sullivans
Classic Colorworks
Weeks Dye Works
Gentle Art Sampler
Crescent Colors
Similar Valdani Colors to M23
Closest Valdani threads by perceptual color distance, sorted from most to least similar.
Working with Valdani M23
It has moderate contrast on both light and dark fabric — usable on either, but test a few stitches on your chosen ground first.
Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) falls where flesh tones live; portrait and figure charts lean on shades like it, graded against nearby lighter and darker threads for natural shadow.
Hand-dyed threads like Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) are never perfectly flat; expect soft variegation. Stock up in a single dye lot up front, since later batches can read noticeably different.
Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) sits a hair from Valdani 180 (Olive Stone Medium Deep) (ΔE 2.46) — close enough to blend a strand of each for a smooth gradient or to swap one for the other in a pinch.
Color Harmonies for Valdani M23
Valdani threads that pair well with M23, based on color theory harmony rules in CIELAB color space.
Browns Family
ValdaniM23 in context with nearby shades from the browns color family.
About Valdani M23
Known as Neutrals & Naturals, Valdani M23 is a medium, subdued shade sitting in the browns family with warm chocolate tones. This thread brings a restrained and earthy presence to projects featuring warm outlines or wooden textures. Look for it in charts that feature coffee themes or rustic designs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Valdani M23 — what color is it?
The color of Valdani M23 is Neutrals & Naturals — a medium brown thread (hex #8F7D72, RGB 143, 125, 114). It shows up most in bark patterns and gingerbread themes.
What is the DMC equivalent of Valdani M23?
The closest DMC match for Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) is DMC 841 (Beige Brown light) with a 67% match based on visual color similarity. Other near matches include DMC 642 (Beige Grey dark, 62%) and DMC 452 (Shell Grey medium, 59%).
Which Valdani threads are close to M23?
The closest Valdani threads to M23 are 180 Olive Stone Medium Deep (ΔE 2.46), O178 Tea Dyed Stone (ΔE 2.78), and O512 Chimney Dust (ΔE 3.12). These are useful substitutes when M23 is unavailable or for building gradients.
What is Valdani M23 good for?
Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) is commonly used in cross-stitch projects featuring bark patterns, gingerbread themes, tree trunks, earth tones. Its medium tone works well for standalone motifs and as part of larger palettes. This page includes color harmonies and similar shades to pair with M23.
Does Valdani M23 (Neutrals & Naturals) vary between dye lots?
Some. As a hand-dyed floss, M23 shifts subtly skein to skein — that gentle variegation is the appeal. Buy enough for a project in one dye lot and stitch in a random order to blend any variation.