RAL

Also known as: Reichsausschuss für Lieferbedingungen

RAL is a color system widely used for various types of paints, coatings and plastics. RAL stands for Reichsausschuss für Lieferbedingungen, the German for conditions of supply and quality (today: Deutsche Institut für Gütesicherung und Kennzeichnung). RAL was introduced in 1927 as a series of 40 standard colors.

Previously, manufacturers and their customers had to exchange samples to determine the desired colors. By recording colors in coded system, color fans or color swatches that follow the RAL standard are sufficient to reproduce exactly the desired color.

Number of RAL colors and notation

The classic RAL system has now expanded to 210 standard colors. The aim of the system is emphatically not to standardize every possible color. Only important colors qualify as RAL colors. This can also be seen in the large number of RAL colors used for official expressions such as national flags, road signs and the house styles of national postal companies and other government agencies.

The coding of RAL Classic consists of the letters RAL followed by four digits. The first digit indicates which of the nine basic colors (yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, green, gray, brown and black/white) the color falls under. As with PMS, unlike coding systems such as RGB and CMYK, there is otherwise no direct relationship between the color code and the composition of the color.

Each unique RAL color has its own official color name. For example, RAL 9010 is referred to as "pure white," RAL 6005 as "moss green" and RAL 2002 as "vermilion" (the red of the Dutch flag). In addition to the original German designations, official translations exist in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Dutch.

In addition to RAL Classic, there are several other RAL palettes. RAL Design has 1,625 colors, defined in seven-digit codes. RAL Digital is a system that includes several RAL standards and makes them suitable for digital use in graphics programs.