Match Pantone, HEX, or any image color to embroidery thread
Search by Pantone code, type a HEX, pick a color, or drop in an image - get the closest embroidery thread across every brand we carry, ranked by perceptual color distance. Free with no login. Sign in to save palettes, attach them to a project, and export a thread spec sheet PDF for your supplier.
Find the cone that matches
The brand standards say PMS 286. The supplier stocks Isacord and Robison-Anton. Now you need to know which Isacord and which Robison-Anton are closest to PMS 286, and how close closest actually is. Type, paste, or pick - we cross-match every brand we have.
Three ways to search
- By PMS code. Type the number (just
286, orPMS 286 C). Returns the closest cone in every brand. - By HEX or by clicking on a wheel. For when you have a brand color but no Pantone equivalent.
- By image. Drop a logo or product photo, we extract the dominant colors, you see thread matches for each one. This is the path that saves the most time when the customer hasn’t given you a real spec sheet.
Brands we cover
Madeira Polyneon 40, Madeira Classic Rayon, Isacord 40, Robison-Anton Super Strength Rayon, Coats Sylko, Floriani PolyEmbroidery. Filter to one if your supplier only stocks one.
An honest opinion, since you’re here: Madeira’s catalog is more honest about color matches than Robison-Anton’s. Robison-Anton tends to publish PMS equivalents that are a half-shade off. We use spectral data, so the ΔE numbers reflect what the cone actually looks like, not what the catalog claims.
What ΔE means
ΔE (delta-E) is a perceptual color distance. The print industry agreed on this number so we’d stop arguing about whether two colors match.
- 0 = identical
- Under 2 = visually indistinguishable
- 2-5 = a shift you can see if you’re looking for it
- 5+ = clearly different colors
The top match in our results is always the lowest-ΔE cone across all brands.
For repeated jobs
Sign up to save palettes per customer or project and export a thread spec sheet PDF you can hand to the embroiderer.
Frequently asked questions
What thread color matches PMS 286?
Type 286 into the matcher and we return the closest cone in every brand we carry - typically Madeira Polyneon 1842, Isacord 3543, Robison-Anton 5829, or similar. Each result includes the ΔE distance so you can see how close the match really is.
How do I find an Isacord equivalent for a Madeira thread color?
Search by the source code (e.g. Madeira Polyneon 1700), then filter the results to Isacord. The top result is the cone with the smallest ΔE to the original. Direct catalog cross-references between brands rarely exist; ours is computed from spectral data.
What does ΔE mean on the match results?
ΔE (delta-E) is a perceptual color distance score. 0 = identical colors. Under 2 = visually indistinguishable to most people. 2-5 = noticeable but acceptable shift. 5+ = clearly different. We use CIEDE2000 - the modern standard the print industry agrees on.
Can I match thread colors directly from a customer's logo?
Yes. Drop the logo image into the matcher and we extract the dominant colors automatically, then suggest the closest thread for each one. Useful when the customer hasn't given you a Pantone spec but wants the embroidery to "match the logo."
Which thread brands do you cover?
Madeira Polyneon 40, Madeira Classic Rayon, Isacord 40, Robison-Anton Super Strength Rayon, Coats Sylko, and Floriani PolyEmbroidery. Filter to a single brand if your supplier only stocks one.
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