The first users of the RAL Gütezeichen (Quality Marks) came from large established associations that may appear a little exotic from today’s perspective. These included, for example, the quality mark for the “Hands in oath labelling association”, for products made out of bast fibres from the flax plant or for type-specific plastic mouldings for the Technical Association of Producers whose quality marks still existed up to the end of 1993. As the concept of quality assurance came increasingly to the forefront, this was reflected in the association’s name. The new name incorporated the idea of quality and RAL was now called: Ausschuss für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung (Committee for Delivery Conditions and Quality Assurance).