For nearly 100 years, RAL colours have been the international standard for colour communication in architecture, design, industry and trade. SNKI is an Official Partner of RAL gGmbH and supplies the complete range — including advice on which product suits your application.
The three RAL collections
RAL Classic — 216 colours
The most widely used colour standard in the world. 216 colours with a four-digit number, used by government institutions and virtually all sectors of the private sector.
RAL Classic includes standard, signal, safety and metallic colours. The collection is continuously adapted to changing requirements.
Colour registers (primary standards):
- RAL 840-HR — 216 colours in semi-matt (silk gloss). The master samples for colour formulation
- RAL 841-GL — 199 colours in high gloss. The master samples for gloss applications
RAL Design System plus — 1,825 colours
The systematic colour system for professional colour users. Based on the CIELAB model: 1,825 colours arranged in 39 hue tones with varying lightness and saturation.
Each colour has a 7-digit code that directly describes its position in colour space:
| Position | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Digit 1–3 | Hue tone (hue angle, 000–360) |
| Digit 4–5 | Lightness (00–100) |
| Digit 6–7 | Saturation (00–high) |
Example: RAL 260 30 35 — Royal Blue — dark (L=30), saturated (C=35).
The advantage: creating colour combinations based on the same hue, lightness or saturation becomes a systematic process.
RAL Effect — 490 colours
The collection for product developers and designers. 420 solid colours in colour families of six harmoniously tuned hue tones, plus 70 metallic colours.
RAL Effect is the first RAL collection based on a waterborne coating system — a standard for environmentally friendly production.
Product overview by collection
RAL Classic products
| Product | Description | Application |
|---|---|---|
| K7 | Handy colour fan, 216 colours | Office, construction site, quick reference |
| K5 semi-matt | Colour fan with large format samples | Professional colour selection |
| K5 high gloss | Colour fan in high gloss | Gloss applications |
| K1 | Colour block | Quick colour matching and combinations |
| K4 | Ring binder with A4 colour samples | Defining colour gradations |
| K6 | Box with DIN A6 loose samples | Moodboards and presentations |
| 840-HR | Colour register semi-matt | Primary standard — colour formulation |
| 841-GL | Colour register high gloss | Primary standard — gloss applications |
| P1 | 100 most popular colours in plastic | Plastics industry |
| F9 | 9 camouflage colours (matt) | Defence |
| Digital library | 216 colours for graphic software | Digital design |
RAL Design System plus products
| Product | Description | Application |
|---|---|---|
| D2 | Colour fan, 1,825 colours | Standard reference |
| D8 | Box with 8 solid colour fans | Professional colour design |
| D6 | Loose A6 colour samples | Presentations and moodboards |
| P2 | 200 colours in plastic (opaque + transparent) | Plastics industry |
| Digital library | 1,825 colours for graphic software | Digital design |
RAL Effect products
| Product | Description | Application |
|---|---|---|
| E3 | Colour fan, all 490 colours | Standard reference |
| E4 | Colour fan, 70 metallic colours | Metallic applications |
| E1 | Colour register, A6 colour cards | Primary standard |
| E6 | Loose A6 colour samples | Presentations |
| Digital library | 490 colours for graphic software | Digital design |
Primary standards vs. colour fans
An important distinction:
| Colour fan | Primary standard (colour register) | |
|---|---|---|
| Function | Choose, communicate, compare colour | Formulate, produce, control colour |
| Accuracy | Indicative | Binding — with measurement data |
| Measurement data | No | Yes — XYZ, colour distance to original |
| Use | Design, specification, presentation | Production, QC, recipe formulation |
| Classic example | K5, K7 | 840-HR, 841-GL |
Those who specify colour use a colour fan. Those who produce colour need a primary standard.
Which collection for which application?
| Application | Recommended collection |
|---|---|
| Construction, architecture, government | RAL Classic |
| Industrial production, coatings | RAL Classic + primary standards |
| Product design, industrial design | RAL Design System plus |
| Plastics industry | RAL P1 (Classic) or P2 (Design) |
| Design colours, metallic | RAL Effect |
| Digital design | RAL Digital libraries |
Ordering
All RAL products are available through ral-shop.nl — the official Dutch RAL webshop, managed by SNKI.
Need advice on which RAL product suits your application? Contact us.
