There is a "commercial" grade of 550 cord available from the same mills that produce mil-spec 550. It is made to a lesser standard and differs in the way the yarn is braided and in other ways left unspecified. Commercial 550 cord is much lower in price, is often available in a rainbow of colors and accounts for much of what is available at the retail level. To the best of my knowledge, genuine 550 cord is only available in white, od green and, I believe, black.