How Do I Select a Color Code?

The primary guideline is that the color code is based on the predominant background color of the product.  You can download the color code guidelines here.  But here are some simple tips to get started:

A color is "Compared" or "Uncompared"
A color is “Uncompared” when a vendor offers only one shade of a color group for a specific Product ID/Style.  If a vendor offers multiple shades of a color group within one Product ID/Style (for example three kinds of dark brown), then the color is “Compared.”  The lowest number in a color group is for the “Uncompared” color.  For example, the NRF Color Code for "Uncompared Red" is 600.

Colors are arranged in Color Groups
The Color groups are: black, grey, white, brown, beige, green, blue, purple, red, pink, yellow, orange, miscellaneous (overflow codes).

Within a group, the colors range in intensity from darker to lighter

• The lower the number, the darker the color.  For example, the blue group ranges from sub-groups Dark Blue (401-409) to Navy (410-419) to Medium Blue (420-429), etc., to the sub-group Light Pastel Blue (450-459). 

• Select the color code from the appropriate shade group within the color group to represent each of the color designations in a product line.  For example, the colors coffee, carob and chocolate fall into the dark brown shade group, 201-209. 

• Assign each color variation within a particular Product ID a unique NRF color code.  The first code in the color group is the “uncompared” color code designation.  Use this code whenever color shades such as dark brown, rust/copper brown or light/pastel brown are not used for a vendor Product ID/Style.

• You can use the same NRF Color Code to represent an entirely different shade for another product with a different Product ID/Style.

What do I do for multi-packs and assortments?
For assortments, such as three-packs of socks where the pairs are of different colors, use NRF Color Code 999, which is reserved for assortments. 

So what if I run out of colors?
No new color codes will be assigned.  Please reassign and re-use color codes according to the color code guidelines.  NRF recommends that you not assign NRF Standard Color Codes in your internal systems.