The RAL P1 + P2 Plastic Colour Sample Set is the complete professional RAL PLASTICS collection for colour design, specification and quality control in plastic materials. It combines 300 polypropylene plastic colour plates from the RAL CLASSIC and RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus palettes, supplied in three protective cases. Developed for industrial manufacturing, product development, industrial design, architecture, interiors, engineering, advertising and plastics-related colour communication, it provides a material-specific reference for accurate colour decisions in plastic applications.
Colour behaves differently in plastic than in paint, paper or digital media. Material thickness, surface texture, opacity, transparency, pigment behaviour and light transmission all affect the final perception of colour. The RAL P1 + P2 set addresses this challenge by translating selected RAL colours into real polypropylene material samples. This makes it a significantly more relevant reference for plastic products than a standard paint fan or printed chart.
The combined set contains the RAL P1 and RAL P2 plastic standards. The P1 case includes the 100 most important and widely used RAL CLASSIC colours as plastic plates. The two P2 cases contain 200 selected colours from the RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus palette, including 160 opaque plastic samples and 40 transparent plastic samples. Together, these three cases provide a broad and practical plastic colour library for professional design and manufacturing workflows.
Each plate is made from polypropylene, a widely used plastic material found in many industrial and consumer products. Polypropylene was selected because it offers balanced technical characteristics, strong processing versatility, good cost-performance value and compatibility with a broad range of pigments. For plastics manufacturers, product developers and masterbatch suppliers, this makes the RAL PLASTICS system a practical material basis for colour communication.
Each plastic colour sample measures 10.5 × 14.8 × 0.3 cm. The A6 format gives designers and technical teams enough surface area to evaluate colour in a meaningful material context. Compared with small swatches, a larger plastic plate provides a clearer impression of colour depth, opacity, transparency, surface behaviour and light interaction.
The samples feature three different levels of thickness: 0.3 cm, 0.2 cm and 0.1 cm. This is an essential feature for plastics, because colour can shift depending on wall thickness and light transmission. A colour that appears strong and opaque at one thickness may look softer, lighter or more translucent at another. The RAL P1 + P2 plates make these differences visible in a direct and practical way.
Each plate also shows three surface textures: high-gloss polished, VDI 24 and VDI 42. These surfaces demonstrate how roughness, polish and texture influence colour perception. The same shade can appear more brilliant on a polished surface, more subdued on a textured surface or more technical on a rougher finish. This makes the set highly valuable for evaluating how colour will behave on real product surfaces.
The set includes both opaque and transparent colour samples. Opaque plates are essential for solid plastic components, housings, panels, trims, equipment, packaging parts and consumer products. Transparent plates show how colour changes when light passes through the material, making them useful for translucent components, lighting parts, display elements, packaging, accessories and technical design details.
Each plastic colour sample includes technical information such as reflectance curve, absolute values and colour distance from the original plastic sample. This transforms the set from a purely visual design tool into a technical reference for colour matching and quality control. It supports communication between designers, plastics engineers, compounders, moulders, masterbatch producers, material suppliers and quality teams.
For industrial manufacturing, the RAL P1 + P2 set helps define plastic colour for components, housings, structural parts, handles, trims, panels, appliance parts, tools, equipment, electronics, furniture components, packaging systems and technical products. Physical polypropylene samples make colour discussions more precise because they show how colour appears in a material closer to final production.
For product design and industrial design, the set supports the development of colour concepts for consumer goods, lifestyle products, mobility products, packaging, accessories, hardware, toys, cosmetics packaging, pharmaceutical packaging and technical product families. Designers can compare classic colour standards with more nuanced RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus shades, evaluate transparent and opaque options, and test how texture influences the emotional and functional character of a colour.
For plastics processors, moulders and masterbatch producers, the RAL P1 + P2 set provides a more direct starting point for colour development than paper-based colour references. Translating paint samples into plastics can create inaccuracies, extra trials and unnecessary material use. A plastic colour standard helps reduce this gap, supporting more efficient colour matching, clearer tolerances and better coordination with clients.
For advertising, branding and visual communication, the set is valuable when brand colours need to be transferred into plastic products or physical brand environments. Displays, signage components, retail fixtures, promotional objects, product packaging and branded hard goods require material-specific colour decisions that cannot be made accurately through digital previews alone.
For architecture and interior design, the set is relevant when plastic materials are used for panels, fittings, translucent elements, lighting components, furniture details, displays, partitions, decorative surfaces or technical interior products. The A6 plates can be compared with metals, textiles, glass, wood, coatings and laminates, helping teams build more confident material and colour combinations.
The three protective cases keep the 300 plates organised and protected during storage and professional use. Each plastic plate is supplied with a protective sleeve, helping shield the samples from dust, scratches, fingerprints and external influences. For teams using the set repeatedly in design studios, laboratories, factories, client meetings or supplier discussions, this protection supports long-term usability.
The RAL P1 + P2 set is especially useful as a companion to paint-based RAL colour fans and primary standards. A design team may begin with a RAL CLASSIC or RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus reference, then use RAL PLASTICS to understand how the chosen colour behaves in polypropylene. This helps bridge the important gap between general colour specification and plastic material reality.
All 300 RAL PLASTICS colours are also available as individual plates. This is useful when selected colours are used frequently, sent to suppliers, included in project documentation or required for different development locations. Instead of replacing the full set, individual plates can be reordered as needed.
The RAL P1 + P2 set should be understood as a professional material-specific colour standard for plastics. For final production approval, additional application-specific trials may still be required, because final colour can be influenced by resin, additives, pigment concentration, masterbatch formulation, mould texture, wall thickness, processing temperature, lighting and viewing conditions. The set provides a binding and highly practical reference, but final validation should always reflect the exact production context.
For professionals working with plastic product colour, the RAL P1 + P2 Plastic Colour Sample Set is a powerful resource. It brings together RAL CLASSIC and RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus plastic standards in one complete collection and supports more accurate decisions across design, engineering, manufacturing, supplier communication and quality control.
Key Benefits
- Complete RAL PLASTICS combined set
- 300 polypropylene plastic colour plates
- 100 RAL CLASSIC plastic samples from RAL P1
- 200 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus plastic samples from RAL P2
- Includes 160 opaque RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus plates
- Includes 40 transparent RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus plates
- Supplied in three protective cases
- A6 plate format, 10.5 × 14.8 × 0.3 cm
- Three thickness levels: 0.3 cm, 0.2 cm and 0.1 cm
- Three surface textures: high-gloss polished, VDI 24 and VDI 42
- Binding colour samples for plastics
- Includes reflectance curve information
- Includes absolute values and colour distance data
- Individual plates available separately
- Ideal for plastics design, product development and quality control
FAQ
What is the RAL P1 + P2 Plastic Colour Sample Set?
It is the complete RAL PLASTICS combined set with 300 polypropylene plastic colour plates from RAL CLASSIC and RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus.
How many colour samples are included?
The set contains 300 plastic colour samples: 100 RAL CLASSIC colours from P1 and 200 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours from P2.
What is the difference between P1 and P2?
RAL P1 contains 100 popular RAL CLASSIC plastic colour samples. RAL P2 contains 200 selected RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus plastic samples, including 160 opaque and 40 transparent plates.
What material are the plates made from?
The plates are made from polypropylene, a widely used plastic material suitable for many industrial and product applications.
Which surface textures are included?
Each plate shows three surface textures: high-gloss polished, VDI 24 and VDI 42, helping users evaluate how texture affects colour perception.
Is the RAL P1 + P2 set suitable for final plastics colour control?
The set provides binding plastic colour samples and supports quality control. Final approval should still consider resin, additives, processing method, wall thickness, surface texture and production conditions.