The RAL D3 Colour Toolbook is a professional colour design and specification tool containing all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours as removable semi-matt colour chips. Supplied as a slipcase with two large-format ring binders, it is designed for architecture, interior design, product development, industrial design, graphic design, coatings, paints, engineering and every discipline that works professionally with colour.
RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus is one of the most systematic colour systems for professional design. Based on the CIELab colour model, it organises colours by hue, lightness and chroma. This makes the system highly valuable for designers and technical teams who need to move from intuitive colour selection to precise, structured and reproducible colour communication.
The RAL D3 Colour Toolbook brings this three-dimensional colour space into a physical working format. Across large-format pages, the 1,825 colours are arranged by hue, lightness and saturation, allowing users to see the full range of nuances within a colour family. This structured layout makes colour relationships easier to understand and helps professionals compare subtle shifts in brightness, chroma and tone.
The toolbook is supplied in a slipcase containing two ring binders. The slipcase measures approximately 46.5 × 39.5 cm, while each ring binder measures approximately 38.2 × 45.0 cm. The binders and slipcase are covered with a high-quality embossed glossy film, giving the set a professional presentation while protecting the content during studio, office and client-facing use.
Each colour is represented by three removable colour chips in a 4.0 × 3.5 cm format. This is one of the defining advantages of the RAL D3. Instead of only viewing colours in a fixed fan or printed chart, designers can remove chips, compare them freely, place them next to materials, attach them to mood boards or share them with clients, suppliers and production partners.
The three-chip structure gives users more flexibility during project development. One chip can remain in the toolbook, while another can be used in a mood board and a third can be sent to a supplier or included in a specification folder. This makes the D3 especially useful for workflows where colour must move between concept, presentation, sourcing and production.
The colour chips have a semi-matt finish. This surface quality is particularly relevant for architecture, interiors, product design and many industrial applications where final colours are often applied to moderately reflective surfaces rather than high-gloss finishes. Semi-matt chips provide a practical physical impression for painted surfaces, coated components, furniture, fixtures, interior elements, consumer products and material combinations.
Each chip is printed on the back with the colour code and colour name in German and English. This supports international communication and helps reduce ambiguity when colours are discussed across teams, languages, suppliers and production sites. The RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus code provides a precise reference, while the colour name adds an intuitive layer for design discussion and client communication.
The content pages are printed in 4 colours and include a register that helps users find specific shades quickly. This is essential in a collection of 1,825 colours, where efficient navigation can save significant time during presentations, colour reviews and project meetings. The toolbook is designed not only to contain colour, but to make complex colour work more accessible and efficient.
For product design and industrial design, the RAL D3 Colour Toolbook supports the development of colour systems for consumer goods, appliances, electronics, furniture, mobility products, packaging components, hardware, tools and technical products. Designers can compare colours within a hue family, build tonal progressions, test contrasts and create coherent colour palettes for product lines and brand-related surfaces.
For architecture and interior design, the D3 is useful for colour concepts involving walls, doors, windows, frames, façades, furniture, built-in elements, fixtures, signage, retail interiors, hospitality spaces and public environments. Removable chips can be placed next to wood, stone, textiles, metal, glass, plastics, flooring and coating samples to create convincing material and colour presentations.
For industrial manufacturing, the toolbook helps improve communication between design, engineering, sourcing, suppliers and production teams. Physical chips allow a colour to travel through the workflow with more clarity than a screen image or verbal description. They support early sampling, supplier discussion, prototype review and project documentation.
For paints, varnishes and coatings, the RAL D3 is a practical reference for colour planning, customer consultation and preliminary specification. Paint producers, coating specialists, contractors and designers can use the removable chips to compare shades, create colour collections and discuss possible applications before developing material-specific samples or final coating references.
The D3 is especially powerful for mood boards, colour collages and collection development. Colour work often requires comparison at multiple levels: within one hue, across neighbouring hue families, between light and dark values, or between muted and saturated tones. The removable chip format makes this comparison physical, flexible and direct.
For graphic design, branding and environmental communication, the toolbook is valuable when colours need to move from digital identity into real materials and built environments. Signage, wayfinding, branded interiors, exhibition design and applied surface graphics often require physical colour references because the final result depends on paint, coating, material, light and surface context.
The RAL D3 Colour Toolbook is also a strong complement to other RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus tools. While the RAL D2 fan supports compact browsing and the RAL D6 box provides A6 sheets for larger design work, the D3 offers maximum flexibility through removable chips. It is particularly useful when colour must be compared, shared, arranged and integrated into physical design documents.
The RAL D3 should be understood as a professional colour design and communication tool. For binding production approval, final coating decisions or formal quality control, application-specific samples, controlled viewing conditions and relevant technical procedures may be required. The D3 is ideal for creative development, structured colour selection, client presentations and precise pre-production communication.
For colour professionals who need access to the complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus range in a flexible working format, the RAL D3 Colour Toolbook is an indispensable tool. It transforms the full 1,825-colour system into removable, shareable and highly practical colour chips for advanced design, specification and colour communication.
Key Benefits
- Complete RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus Colour Toolbook
- Contains all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours
- Supplied in a slipcase with two ring binders
- Slipcase format approx. 46.5 × 39.5 cm
- Ring binder format approx. 38.2 × 45.0 cm
- 3 removable colour chips per colour shade
- Colour chip format approx. 4.0 × 3.5 cm
- Semi-matt gloss level
- Chip backs printed with colour code and colour name in DE/EN
- Content pages printed in 4 colours
- Register for fast colour navigation
- Ideal for mood boards, collages and palette development
- Useful for product design, architecture and interiors
- Supports colour communication with clients and suppliers
- Ring binders and slipcase covered with embossed glossy film
FAQ
What is the RAL D3 Colour Toolbook?
The RAL D3 Colour Toolbook is a professional set of two ring binders containing all 1,825 RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus colours as removable semi-matt colour chips.
How many colours are included?
The toolbook contains the full RAL DESIGN SYSTEM plus range with 1,825 colours.
How many chips are included per colour?
Each colour shade is represented by three removable colour chips, allowing users to share, compare or integrate chips into project materials.
What size are the colour chips?
The colour chips are specified in a 4.0 × 3.5 cm format and are stored in large-format ring binders.
What information is printed on the chip backs?
Each chip is printed on the rear with the colour code and colour name in German and English.
Is the RAL D3 suitable for final colour control?
The RAL D3 is primarily a colour design and communication tool. For binding production approval, application-specific samples and controlled quality procedures may be required.