RAL Classic Colors

RAL Classic was introduced in Germany in 1927 by the Reichs-Ausschuß für Lieferbedingungen (Reich Committee for Delivery Terms) — hence the name RAL. It was created to standardize colors in procurement and industry, ensuring that a color specified in Berlin would be mixed identically in Hamburg.

Each color carries a four-digit code grouped by color family: 1000s for yellows, 2000s for oranges, 3000s for reds, 4000s for violets, 5000s for blues, 6000s for greens, 7000s for greys, 8000s for browns, and 9000s for whites and blacks. Many names are functional — Traffic Red, Signal Green, Traffic White — reflecting RAL's origins in infrastructure and industrial signage.

RAL colors are defined colorimetrically (CIE L*a*b*) and measured against physical color chips. The hex values shown here are standard sRGB approximations, widely used in digital design tools and web references. For critical color work — painting, printing, or coating specifications — always match against physical RAL chips under controlled lighting.