Color Family

Zinc

Chrome-like neutrals with subtle violet undertones popular in premium editorial brands.

FuturisticEditorialPolished

Positioning DNA

Zinc mixes a hint of violet into the grayscale, resulting in a futuristic sheen that feels at home in fashion, AI, and publishing experiences. It photographs beautifully, which is why landing pages often swap default blacks for Zinc 900.

Because the palette still behaves like a neutral, you can layer iridescent gradients, noisy textures, or glassmorphism effects without losing clarity. Zinc 200-300 is especially useful for card borders that need to disappear on scroll.

UX Applications

  • Editorial hero sections with cinematic typography
  • Product landing pages featuring glass or frosted panels
  • UI chrome for 3D or generative-art tools

Sample Palette

Drop-in hex codes with usage notes

FAQ

Why does Zinc photograph better than standard black?

The violet undertone catches highlights, so when gradients or light textures pass over it, the surface feels metallic rather than flat. That keeps motion graphics crisp.

Can Zinc be used for accessibility-first dashboards?

Yes. Zinc 800 text on Zinc 50 scores above 14:1. Just avoid pairing Zinc 400 text over Zinc 200, which can dip below AA.