2025 Pantone Color of the Year compared with C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

 

 

 

Pantone Color of the Year 2025 is Mocha Mousse - Pantone just made it public in December.  

Why is this color important? Major designers for fashion and home follow and anticipate these trends so many items in stores are already available in this color or will be soon available. 

C-Lon Colors: I matched Mocha Mousse with MB-Medium Brown. For a lighter tint, I chose BLS-Blush, and for darker tones, BR-Brown and CHO-Chocolate.

For Apparel: According to Pantone, Mocha Mousse extends our perception of brown, crossing from the humble and earthbound to the luxury and aspirational or subtle luxury. 

For Fashion Accessories: Mocha Mousse is an adaptable and neutral tone blending effortlessly with any color, enriching each ensemble with a touch of warmth and refined luxury. Soft and hard fashion accessories harmonize a sense of elegance with inviting warmth, enhancing the visual appeal of any outfit. Mocha Mousse introduces elevated sophistication. 

 

Coloro Color of the Year is Future Dusk. It was announced in May 2023 and this year unlike last year, the Coloro and Pantone colors are completely different. Future Dusk is a dark celestial tone in between blue and purple, similar in hue to Very Peri, the 2022 Pantone Color of Year. This might explain why the Pantone and Coloro colors are not aligning this year. 

Coloro says: “Future Dusk is a dependable blue, essential to reinforcing a sense of trust and stability, but as a purple it also carries an imaginative quality that will dynamically power the creation of new futures.”

C-Lon Colors: I matched Future Dusk with PI-Persan Indigo as the main color, and with HYA-Hyacinth and PKL-Periwinkle as the lighter tints. 

Coloro like Pantone forecasts industrial and fashion color trends. Pantone is an international company based in the USA, Coloro is the color trend arm of WGSN, a international company forecasting trends in design and innovation.

 

Mocha Mousse Pantone Color Palettes

We can also start looking at color palettes. It's a really fun way to bring in new color combinations into your designs. A great way to refresh for the new year.

 

The Exotic Balance Palette

For these Pantone colors I chose these C-Lon Colors....

AU-Aurum   |   PL-Pink Lemonade   |   AQ-Aqua   |   RA-Raspberry

LC-Lt Copper | LO-Lt Orchid | MB-Med Brown | BL-Blue Lagoon

 

The Deliciousness Palette

For these Pantone colors I chose these C-Lon Colors....

LTM-Lt Magenta   |   AP-Apricot   |   BG-Bubblegum   |   NT-Nutmeg

WN-Wine   |   TN-Tangerine   |   P-Pink   |   MB-Medium Brown

 

The Subtle Contrast Palette

For these Pantone colors I chose these C-Lon Colors....

BE-Beige   |   BLS-Blush   |   STL-Steel   |   CHO-Chocolate

CO-Cocoa  |  DKT-Dark Tan  |  MB-Medium Brown  |  PK-Peacock  

 

The Floral Palette

For these Pantone colors I chose these C-Lon Colors....

OY-Oyster   |   FE-Fern   |   K-Khaki   |   MB-Medium Brown

CO-Cocoa   |   RS-Rose   |   O-Orchid   |   LB-Light Blue

The Relaxed Elegance Palette

For these Pantone colors I chose these C-Lon Colors....

OY-Oyster   |   BLS-Blush   |   S-Sable   |   BR-Brown

L-Latte   |    NT-Nutmeg   |  MB-Medium Brown   |   CHO-Chocolate

 

 Not all the matches are exact, but I tried to keep the same color spirit. You will notice that Mocha Mousse-Medium Brown is in all the collections. Some colors can be found in several groups. All the color collections of 8 spools are gorgeous. 

All the photos of the C-Lon Bead Cord groups were taken in the same exact light on top of a linen bead tray liner and no photo adjustment were made in a photo editing program other than cropping the photos, adding the color codes and the Pantone color palettes above and below to give the color comparison all in one image.

All these C-Lon colors are available in the 2 main sizes:

> C-Lon Bead Cord - Tex 210 - The Standard Size ~ 0.5mm Ø

> C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord - The Heavy Size ~ 0.9mm Ø

Some of these colors are available in the Micro and Fine Weight Sizes:

> C-Lon Micro Bead Cord - Tex 70 -  a bit less than 0.3mm Ø

> C-Lon Fine Weight Bead Cord - Tex 135 ~ 0.4mm Ø

 

C-Lon Bead Cord Colors versus the Pantone NYFW Spring 2024 Color Trends

 

To continue on the ideas of the previous post... Pantone publishes its color trends for the general public just in time for the season. This year I have chosen one C-Lon Bead Cord color for all the 15 Pantone colors. 

 

 

I have already seen an uptick in purchases of C-Lon Bead Cord colors matching the color palettes precisely, especially the New Classics. Is it on purpose or subliminal, planned or accidental, a reflection of these color trends? Or do I simply notice the similarities more because I am aware of the colors chosen for 2024.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The way I look at this ... It's another fun way to look at colors. If one of them gets you excited, then yes, include it in your next piece; if not, then ignore it. When I was doing 32 shows a year selling lots of earrings, I saw the effect of these trends, but they were delayed, especially on the West Coast. A year after a Color of the Year and Fashion Color Trends were announced, I got customers looking for earrings to go with clothes in these hues, shades, or tints. 

 

References:

–> Post on C-Lon Colors and the 2024 Color of the Year

C-Lon Bead Cord –> In the Standard Tex 210 0.5 mm diameter

C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord –> In the heavier 0.9 mm diameter

Pantone Color of the Year –> Pantone Official Website

WGSN and Coloro –> WGSN+Coloro Website

C-Lon Bead Cord Colors versus the Pantone & Coloro 2024 Color of the Year

 

The Color of the Year? Peach Fuzz by Pantone or Apricot Crush by Coloro... Why is it important when choosing C-Lon Bead Cord Colors?

 

 

 

 

A lot of new fashion items will come out in the Color of the Year. In short, there will be many clothes available in this color range in the stores. And why does this matter for C-Lon Bead Cord colors? If someone buys a shirt or sweater in this color, they may want to accessorize with a new bracelet, pair of earrings, or necklace in a matching color. So yes, jewelry made with the Color of the Year can fulfill someone's desires. 

 

With this in mind, I started to choose the C-Lon Color of the Year about six years ago. Sometimes, it is just one color; other times, several. This year, I matched the Pantone Color of the Year 2024 Peach Fuzz with the C-Lon Bead Cord colors: Ginger, Sea Shell, Peach Glow, Tangerine, and Light Copper.

Oops, last year, I completely forgot to create the post in January, and when I realized it in June, I took a pass...

 

 

In retrospect, here are the C-Lon Bead Cord colors I now choose for Viva Magenta, the 2023 Pantone Color of the Year: Wine, with the lighter Cerise and the darker Eggplant.

Back to the 2024 Color of the Year... A few years ago, WGSN, an international company specializing in trend forecasting and analysis, launched its own color system, Coloro, in partnership with the China Textile Information Center. Unsurprisingly, the Coloro and the Pantone Color of the Year belong to the same apricot bisque color family.

 

 

  

 

 

 

For the Coloro 2024 Color of the Year, Apricot Crush, I kept most of the same colors, added Copper Rose, and substituted Orange, a brighter, darker shade of orange, for the more earth-tone Light Copper. Light Copper was a better match to Pantone Color of the Year, whereas I found that these two new shades enhance the complexity of Apricot Crush. 

 

 

 

In addition, WGNS and Coloro have announced 4 additional colors besides Apricot Crush for their key color trends for Winter and Spring 2024-2025. From left to right:

Intense Rust –> Go with Black Currant C-Lon Bead Cord

Midnight Plum –> Go with Purple C-Lon Bead Cord

Sustained Grey –> Go with Grey and Nickel C-Lon Bead Cord 

Apricot Crush –> Color of the Year - See info above

Cool Matcha –> Go with Peridot C-Lon Bead Cord

 

Pantone comes out twice a year with a Spring/Summer and a Fall/Winter color trend report, but they hold everything closer to the vest, allowing only paying customers to see their future trends. Right now, only the Spring trends are available. See the next post for this report and how it intersect with C-Lon Bead Cord colors

 

 

References:

Next Post –> C-Lon Colors vs Pantone NYFW 2024 Color Trends

C-Lon Bead Cord –> In the Standard Tex 210 0.5 mm diameter

C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord –> In the heavier 0.9 mm diameter

Pantone Color of the Year –> Pantone Official Website

WGSN and Coloro –> WGSN+Coloro Website

Pantone 2022-23 Fall/Winter New York Fashion Color Palette compared to C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

Pantone forecasts fashion colors and let manufacturers and designers buy in advance their color palettes, and this is the reason why when you go in stores the same set of colors is dominant everywhere... 

Why does it matter for hand crafted jewelry made with C-Lon Bead Cord?

If you plan to market and sell your work as fashion accessories, these colors are important. Many of the latest fabrics and clothing will be made in these colors, so soon everyone will be looking for jewelry accessories in these colors too. If you are very close to the fashion hubs, these new colors are adopted faster, if you are further away they will trickle in over several years... And yes you can always go with the classics, these colors are chosen for their long lasting values.

"Contrasting colors that bring together our co-existing desires for rest and relaxation with exuberant expression"

 

  

 

 

Pantone 2022-23 Fall/Winter Core Classics compared C-Lon Bead Cord Colors

 
"Classic, seasonless hues whose versatility express longevity"

 

To purchase these C-Lon colors in the standard Tex 210 size, or the heavier Tex 400 size, go to the July 2022 entry on Marion Jewels in Fiber Online Store News Page.

C-Lon Bead Cord vs S-Lon Bead Cord - What's the Difference and How Do the Colors Compare

Switching from S-Lon to C-Lon can be tricky as S-Lon renamed many colors... But let's be clear C-Lon originated the colors, S-Lon mimicked. The S-Lon colors are not new and different colors even if the names are new or changed. Watch for switcheroos such Aqua-Ice Blue, with Ice Blue by S-Lon closer to Steel (see 3rd image) and occasional dye lot shifts  such Milk Chocolate-Chestnut, with SLBC-CH darker than CLC-CST.

 

Marion Jewels in Fiber has been stocking and selling C-Lon Bead Cord since January 2006. Why do we also now stock some S-Lon as well although the colors are the same? About a year ago one of our customers sent us a chart of the possible color equivalents across the two competing brands of US made bonded nylon cord. We are now following up to see how the two brands, C-Lon and S-Lon intersect. 

Why did we pursue this now...

1. Customers have been contacting us looking for color equivalents looking for a C-Lon color corresponding to an S-Lon color they bought in another store or for colors no longer in production. 

2. Due to global supplies disruption, some C-Lon colors have been out of stock for a longer period of time. Finding an equivalent across the brands becomes necessary for higher volume customers with immediate production needs who can not wait for a color to be back in stock. 

For a bit of history on these two brands

Visit one of our earlier post on the subject here: https://jewelsinfiber.blogspot.com/2010/02/c-lon-versus-s-lon.html. Now as of summer 2022, after spending time comparing the 2 brands, S-Lon produces less colors than previously while C-Lon continues their production with the same amount of colors as in our last survey. 

Here the dye lots between the brands are amazingly similar,
however watch for name changes.

Summer 2022 - C-Lon

• 116 Colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter - 39 yd spool
• 116 Colors of C-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter - 92 yd spool
• 60 Colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter - 50 and 136 yd spools
• 48 Colors of C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter - 100 and 320 yd spools

C-Lon checks the thread quality, for looks dye lot divergences, rejecting colors that are too far off, and generally does a great job at quality control.

Summer 2022 - S-Lon

• 30 Colors of S-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter - 35 yd spool
• 96 Colors of S-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter - 77 yd spool
• 11 Colors of S-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter - 118 yd spool
• 17 Colors of S-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter - 262 yd spool

S-Lon does not check the thread and dye quality, nor look for dye lot divergences, so sometimes colors are quite off the original color. Also they are in the process of discontinuing colors and as the numbers of colors shrinks, finding C-Lon equivalents becomes more important if you want to design with a fuller color palette.  

Watch for the switcheroos and dye lot shift such as SLBC-LBR is the equivalent CLC-L Latte but shifted 1/4 step towards CLC-BLS Blush, or SLBC-IB dareker than CLC-STL

Difference between the brands

 • Both cord brands are made in the same factory, but the actual output is not always the same as to spool sizes and quality control.  
• Color names are different and can lead to difficulty when switching from one brand to another. 
• Some C-Lon colors do not have an S-Lon equivalent. One S-Lon color does not have an C-Lon equivalent and it may be due to a bad dye lot batch from the factory or it is a distinct color. 

Access to the PDFs
These are spreadsheets sorted by color codes. The colors in bold fonts have been compared with actual spools side by side. The one's in regular text are best guesses. I just received a shipment with more S-Lon Bead Cord to compare and got a few surprises. The color charts and spreadsheets have been updated, today, August 15, 2022.  

1. PDF - Compare C-Lon Colors to S-Lon Colors. Sorted by the C-Lon Color Codes

2. PDF - Compare S-Lon Colors to C-Lon Colors. Sorted by the S-Lon Color Codes

The 2 PDFs have the same information, however they are sorted differently. If you are looking to transition from an S-Lon color to a C-Lon colors and you know the color name, use the #2 PDF. If you do not know the color name, send a snippet in an envelope with your name and email address to Marion Jewels in Fiber, PO Box 6776, Chico CA 95928. We will identify it for you and reply by email.

Here the same info minus the notes on color charts. The colors compared side by side are in regular font, the best guesses in lighter grey. When the S-Lon color is left blank, there is no equivalent currently available or known by us.

 

Click on image for a larger image or go here for a printable PDF. That's page 1.

 

Click on image for a larger image or go here for a printable PDF and that's page 2.  

 To order C-Lon Bead Cord, go here:

> 116 Colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord, heavy weight at about 0.9 mm in diameter
> 116 Colors of C-Lon Bead Cord, Tex 210 standard weight at about 0.5 mm in diameter
> 60 Colors of C-Lon Fine Weight Tex 135 Bead Cord, at about 0.4 mm in diameter
> 48 Colors of C-Lon Micro Bead Cord, Tex 70 heavy weight at about 0.115 mm in diameter  

Thank you for reading this post. Contact Marion or leave a comment if you have more info or questions on comparing colors across the brands. We hope this post will make it easier for you to get the colors you are looking for!

 

 

Ukraine Friendship Bracelets + Free Tutorial

Upon the onset of the war in Ukraine, like everyone else I wanted to do something to help....  

For over a month, I donated 10% of my online sales to non-profits organizations, but as of week 6, I wanted to do something different. As of April 1, I started designing special bracelets to wear in solidarity with Ukraine with the goal in mind to create a fundraiser, or many especially if other makers like you join in the effort. 

I am already selling mine locally at the Chico Art Center Gift Shop with 25% of sales going to the Ukraine Red Cross and I will be selling them at the Chico ART Festival in May with 100% of the profits going to non-profit organizations helping in Ukraine with the humanitarian crisis. I hope this will inspire you to make some bracelets as a fundraiser too.

First I needed colors...

The 8 colors of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord I have been using,  are reminiscent of the Ukraine flag. Four colors represent the sky and sea, Sky Blue, Caribbean Blue, Blue Lagoon and Capri. The other four, the fields of wheat, corn, and sunflowers are Wheat, Golden Yellow, Marigold, and Gold. Originally for the yellows and gold, I had chosen Lemon, but after making a dozen bracelets or so I switched to Gold, as I had not used any Lemon yet.  

 

I also originally though I would be using only the Tex 400 size with 0.9mm in diameter, but later on I needed the standard weight of C-Lon Bead Cord with 0.5mm in diameter for parts on the bracelets. I am in the process of designing a new bracelet variation that will be completely made with the standard size. 

These C-Lon Cord sets are available on my news page HERE. Or you can make your own set... 

The first group of bracelets I made are Multi Strand Bracelets from my Far Niente Series, that's the "Do Nothing" Series as they are fun and quick to make... The pattern is available at the bottom of this web page HERE.

 

Several of the bracelets have no beads, a Pura Vida style bracelet, however made with higher quality cord and a better construction. The peace dove carrying an olive branch charm got added as a last minute idea to make these bracelets more meaningful. Attach the charm right onto the 3-strand braid in between the knot and the sliding knot closure. 

The others are made with 4mm Czech Fire Polished floating beads. I matched the Antique Brass Metallic with the Antique Brass Peace Dove Charm, and the Argento with the Antique Silver Peace Dove. The 4mm Czech Fire Polished Beads are available HERE. 

The next group of bracelets incorporates pewter peace beads made in the USA with high quality plating by TierraCast. The choice of finishes is either a 24k gold plate or a sterling silver plate. This group bypass the multi stand center and it braided all the way through with overhand knots keeping the sliding knot panel from sliding too far in.

I am still not 100% sure of the best method to insert the central beads. Only 1 cord will fit into its hole... and so far I have tried it several different ways. I think I like to one at the very top. That's the last bracelet I made in this group. It has an overhand knot on each side of the bead, one cord through the beads and the other two are left behind the beads. Another change, this last one has the ends left loose and turned into a thread tassel instead of the cut and melted ends.

 

This next series was made with the same concept, but the central beads are replaced by the charms. Oh, and as with the last group, I started making the square knot sliding closure with the thinner standard C-Lon Bead Cord instead of using the Tex 400 Bead Cord. I like the proportions better. I will make all future all bracelets in this style like this. 

 

For the next style, I went for a minimalist look light to wear. I also wanted to play around with new stopper/sliding beads I just got. They are 6 mm wide and 3 mm long and have a silicone insert with a 1.2 mm opening. They are very simple and quick to make. Here is the free tutorial showing how to make one of these bracelets.

Materials 

–> C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord - Colors for Ukraine 

–> Peace Charms & Beads - made in the USA out of pewter with good quality plating.

–> Smart/Stopper/Sliding Beads for Closure - Available in various metal finishes, made in Europe with good hypoallergenic standards.

 

Tools 

–> Macrame Board - a mini-board with option #1 will work as it includes T-pins and tapestry needles

 –> 100% Organic Beeswax and/or Thread Magic - or get a mini-board with option #2 or #3

 –> Thread Burner - or get a mini-board with option #4

1. Cut 3 pieces of C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord 18 inch (50 cm) long.
Iron the curls out on low heat setting.

 

2. Tie an overhand knot with all 3 cords leaving a 6 inches tail.
To tighten the knot, pull on one cord at a time.

3. Make a 3-strand braid 2.5 inch (6 cm) long.
For best results, cross the cords at 90º from each other.
That means the cords are crossing the vertical line at 45º.
Stop by inserting the cords into slots on the side of the board.

 

4. Add the charm onto one of the cord, then continue the braid until it is 5 inches (12 cm) long. 

5. Tie an overhand knot at the end of the braid with all 3 cords. 

 

 6. Melt 1 of the cords at each overhand knots with a thread burner. Push the melted ends right into the knot, taking care not to melt the remaining cords or the knot. 

 

7. Cut all the cords at the same length.

 

8. Make a self needle with beeswax at all the ends. 
If you do not know how to make a beeswax self needle, check this post, it has all the best ways to load beads onto cords. 

 

 

9. Insert the cords through the stopper/sliding bead closure and separate the cords in two groups.

 

 

10. Tie an overhand knot 5.5 inch from the center charm.
Repeat for the other set of cords.

 

11. Melt one of the cord at the last knot. 
Repeat for the other set of cords.

12. Insert the peace beads and tie an overhand knot right after the beads using tweezers to keep the knot against the bead. 

Now you have a choice as to how to finish the ends of the cords.
Melt the end of the cord right into the knot, or leave the end of the cord as is after cutting it away for the knot, or...

13. Cut the cords and separate the plies of the nylon fiber with a blunt ended tapestry needle.

 

14. Apply some beeswax to the C-Lon Tex 400 Bead Cord that slides in and out of the closure. It will keep the cords from separating.

 

Let me know if you end up making any bracelets like these in support of Ukraine. Of course you can make the same design for a school fundraiser in the school colors. There are lots of possibilities and design options to explore, certainly more than I can explore all by myself. But hey, I already have lots of other new ideas for my next batch of bracelets!