The RAL D8 Design Box is a professional colour fan set containing all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours in 8 compact, clearly organised colour fans. Developed for architecture, interior design, product development, industrial design, graphic design, manufacturing, coatings, paints and engineering, it offers a highly practical way to navigate one of the most systematic colour systems for professional design and specification.
RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus is based on the internationally established CIELab colour model. Its 1,825 standardised colour tones are organised according to hue, lightness and chroma, allowing colour professionals to work both creatively and methodically. Each shade has a 7-digit RAL code that describes its position in the colour space, making the system especially useful for clear colour communication, precise design development and reproducible project work.
The RAL D8 Design Box divides the full RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus range into 8 handy fan decks. Each fan focuses on a specific colour space, making it easier to move through the system without being overwhelmed by the full collection at once. This structure is particularly useful when a project requires a specific shade of orange, blue, green, red, neutral or another defined colour direction.
Each colour is shown as a full-surface semi-matt colour page. This gives every shade its own dedicated visual field and makes it easier to evaluate colour nuances than with small multi-colour swatches. The semi-matt surface is especially relevant for architecture, interiors, product design, paints, coatings and industrial surfaces where colour is often applied to materials with a moderate, non-glossy finish.
The box measures approximately 28.0 × 11.5 × 6.5 cm. Each fan measures approximately 3.2 × 10 cm. The compact format makes the D8 ideal for mobile use, customer appointments, construction sites, workshops, showrooms and studio work. The individual fans can be removed separately from the box, making the system flexible during client consultations or project meetings.
The protective box keeps all 8 colour fans together and helps protect the colour samples from dust, light and other external influences. The box is covered with a high-quality embossed glossy film and includes a CIELab colour circle on the inside cover. This visual orientation aid helps users understand where the fan decks sit within the colour system and makes navigation faster during practical work.
On the back of each colour page, users find the 7-digit colour code and the associative colour name in English and German. This supports international project communication and helps teams move from visual selection to written specification. Clear codes and colour names reduce misunderstandings between designers, clients, suppliers, production partners and contractors.
For architecture and interior design, the RAL D8 Design Box supports colour decisions for walls, doors, windows, frames, metal details, furniture, built-in elements, lighting, signage, retail interiors, hospitality spaces and public environments. The compact fans make it easy to compare colours directly with materials such as wood, stone, textile, metal, glass, plastics and flooring.
For product design and industrial design, the D8 helps teams define colour concepts for consumer goods, appliances, electronics, tools, furniture, mobility products, packaging components, hardware and technical products. Because the system is structured by hue, lightness and chroma, designers can refine colour decisions systematically rather than choosing only by impression.
For industrial manufacturing, the D8 supports colour communication between design, engineering, sourcing, suppliers and production. A clearly defined RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus code provides a shared language for colour discussions, while the physical semi-matt colour page gives teams a practical reference for early sampling and project coordination.
For paints, varnishes and coatings, the RAL D8 is a useful reference during consultation, colour planning and specification preparation. Paint producers, coating specialists, contractors and designers can use the fans to identify colour directions, compare related nuances and discuss possible applications before producing material-specific samples or final coating references.
The D8 is particularly useful when colour decisions need to be made quickly. In a customer meeting or on site, the 8 smaller fans are often easier to handle than one large fan or a box of loose sheets. Users can select the relevant colour-space fan, compare nearby shades and move from light to dark within a controlled colour family.
The tool is also valuable for developing harmonies, contrasts and colour collages. By combining different fans, users can compare colour families, build contrasts across hue groups or create combinations with similar lightness values. This makes the D8 suitable for palette development, surface concepts, interior schemes, product ranges and brand-related colour systems.
For graphic design, branding and environmental communication, the D8 helps when colours need to move from visual identity into physical space. Signage, wayfinding systems, exhibition design, branded interiors and applied surface graphics often require physical colour references because final results depend on paint, coating, material, lighting and surrounding surfaces.
Compared with the RAL D6 Design Box, which uses removable A6 sheets, the RAL D8 is more compact and faster to use when browsing or comparing colours on the go. Compared with the RAL D2 fan, the D8 divides the full system into 8 smaller fans, making it easier to focus on limited colour spaces during consultations and practical planning.
The RAL D8 Design Box should be understood as a professional colour selection and communication tool. For binding production approval, formal quality control or final coating decisions, application-specific samples, controlled viewing conditions and relevant technical procedures may be required. The D8 is ideal for quick orientation, systematic selection, client consultation and confident colour specification before final production control.
For professionals who need the full RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus range in a compact and mobile format, the RAL D8 Design Box is a highly practical solution. It combines systematic CIELab colour logic with portable semi-matt fan decks, supporting precise colour decisions across design, architecture, interiors, coatings, manufacturing and product development.
Key Benefits
- Complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus fan set
- Contains all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours
- 8 handy colour fan decks in one box
- Box format approx. 28.0 × 11.5 × 6.5 cm
- Fan size approx. 3.2 × 10 cm
- Full-surface colour pages
- Semi-matt gloss level
- Clear organisation by colour space
- Arranged according to hue, from light to dark
- CIELab colour circle on the inside cover
- 7-digit colour code for every shade
- Colour designation on the reverse
- High-quality protective box included
- Ideal for client meetings and on-site colour matching
- Practical for architecture, interiors, product design and coatings
FAQ
What is the RAL D8 Design Box?
The RAL D8 Design Box is a professional set of 8 compact colour fans containing all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours.
How many colours are included?
The box contains the complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus collection with 1,825 semi-matt colours.
What size are the fans and the box?
The box measures approximately 28.0 × 11.5 × 6.5 cm. Each colour fan measures approximately 3.2 × 10 cm.
How are the colours organised?
The colours are divided into 8 fans by colour space and arranged according to the CIELab colour system, helping users navigate hue, lightness and chroma relationships.
What information is printed on the back?
The back of each colour page includes the 7-digit RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colour code and the associative colour name in English and German.
Is the RAL D8 suitable for final colour control?
The RAL D8 is mainly a colour selection and communication tool. For binding production approval, application-specific samples and controlled quality procedures may be required.