I would say that even before the RAFAC brand we’ve all been Squadrons of the ATC and never had the authority to just invent our own Squadron brands, colours, &c.
I appreciate that many units did it anyway, but now they aren’t really in a position to complain that they’re not permitted to use something which they never had authority to create in the first place.
This isn’t a non-uniform item - this is a mode of uniform.
It’s no different than if a Squadron created their own “Squadron camouflage” and now are upset that they can’t wear that.
With regards to non-uniform items such as hoodies etc for wear with civies, my personal opinion as a graphics man is that they should still conform to the brand - because that’s literally the point of having a brand. Though, there is more wiggle room on these items because nothing has been written in regulation regarding them.
But the point really is that it’s not our decision as Sqn personnel to decide what the organization we belong too chooses as it’s brand. Just as the RAF have said “all team shirts etc will conform to the RAF brand”; the RAFAC have said the same for us.
Besides, I fail to see how wearing shirts in the “correct” colour will in any way make local recruitment and fundraising less effective than wearing something locally designed.