RAL is a color matching system. RAL refers to the RAL Classic system, mainly used for varnish, powder coating, and plastics.

In 1927 the German Reichs-Ausschuß für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung (Imperial Commission for Delivery Terms and Quality Assurance) invented a collection of 40 colors under the name “RAL 840”. Prior to that date manufacturers and customers had to exchange samples to describe a tint, whereas from then on they would rely on numbers.

In the 1930s the numbers were changed uniformly to four digits and the collection was renamed to “RAL 840 R” (R for revised). With tints constantly added to the collection, it was revised again in 1961 and changed to “RAL 840-HR”, which consists of 210 colors and is in use to this day.

As “RAL 840-HR” covered only matte paint the 1980s saw the invention of “RAL 841-GL” for glossy surfaces, limited to 193 colors. A main criterion for colors in the RAL Classic collection is to be of “paramount interest”. Therefore most of the colors in it are used on warning and traffic signs or are dedicated to government agencies and public services (for example: RAL 1004 – Swiss Postal Service, RAL 1021 – Austrian Postal Service, RAL 1032 – German Postal Service). The first digit relates to the shade of the color.

RAL 1xxx – Yellow
RAL 2xxx – Orange
RAL 3xxx – Red
RAL 4xxx – Violet
RAL 5xxx – Blue
RAL 6xxx – Green
RAL 7xxx – Grey
RAL 8xxx – Brown
RAL 9xxx – White/Black