MATSUI WATER-BASED SCREEN PRINTING ADDITIVES
Solve every water-based and discharge screen printing problem with the right additive. Ink drying in the screen? Prints fading after washing? Hand feel too stiff? Ink too thick or too thin? Matsui additives give you precise control over open time, wash fastness, softness, viscosity, and special effects. Compatible with Matsui, CCI, and most major brands of water-based and discharge inks. One additive system that works across your entire ink inventory.
QUICK ADDITIVE — THE ALL-IN-ONE ADDITIVE FOR EVERY JOB
If you only buy one additive, buy Quick Additive. It contains Retarder MG + Fixer WF-N + Softener MG in a pre-balanced blend. Add 6-9% by weight to any water-based or discharge ink. It slows drying, improves wash fastness, and softens hand feel — all in one product. Use individual additives only when you need to fine-tune a specific property beyond what Quick Additive provides.
Quick Additive
Add 6-9% by weight
Retarder + Fixer + Softener in one bottle. The default additive for every water-based and discharge print job.
Shop Quick Additive �When Quick Additive Is Enough
Standard cotton printing on manual or automatic press. Average humidity (35%+). Standard wash expectations. Normal viscosity. This covers 80% of production jobs. Just add 6-9% and print.
When to Add Individual Additives
Extra-dry shop or low humidity → add more Retarder MG. Premium wash durability required → add Fixer WF-N. Ink too thick for high mesh → add RV Additive. Halftone dot retention → add Thickener B.
EVERY MATSUI ADDITIVE — WHAT IT DOES, DOSAGE & WHEN TO USE IT
These seven additives appear on the technical data sheet of every Matsui ink. They solve the most common water-based and discharge printing problems.
| Additive | Dosage | Problem It Solves | What It Does | Works With |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-9% | Start here. The all-in-one additive for every job. | Pre-balanced blend of Retarder MG + Fixer WF-N + Softener MG. Slows drying, improves wash fastness, and softens hand feel in a single product. No measuring three separate additives. Add 6-9% by weight, mix, and print. | All WB & Discharge | |
| 1-5% | “My ink dries in the screen.” | Anti-drying agent. Slows water evaporation to keep ink open on the screen during production. Critical in dry environments, low humidity, hot shops, fine-mesh screens, and long print runs. Keep shop humidity above 35% for best results. Essential for discharge inks which dry faster than standard WB. | All WB & Discharge | |
| 1-5% | “My prints fade after washing.” | Crosslinker that chemically bonds ink to fabric fibers during the 320°F cure. Dramatically improves wash fastness, abrasion resistance, and color durability. Prints survive 50+ washes without yellowing, cracking, or fading. The insurance policy for every water-based and discharge print. | All WB & Discharge | |
| 1-5% | “My print feels thick or stiff.” | Silicone softener that improves ink penetration into fabric fibers for an ultra-soft hand feel. Also doubles as a mesh lubricant (30% Softener + 70% water in a spray bottle) and a foil release agent (10% concentration). At 20% with water, it becomes a screen and utensil cleaning solution. OEKO-TEX® certified. | All WB & Discharge | |
| 1-3% | “My ink won’t push through the screen.” | Also called Catalyst 3000. The official Matsui viscosity reducer — listed as the designated thinner on EVERY Matsui ink TDS. Unlike adding water (which dilutes resin and weakens prints), RV Additive reduces viscosity while simultaneously improving fabric penetration, cross-linking during cure, and ink-to-fiber adhesion. Use on thick inks, high mesh, heavyweight garments, and polyester. | All WB & Discharge | |
| 0.25-1% | “My ink is too thin / runny.” | Increases ink viscosity for better dot retention in halftone printing and reduced bleed-through on thin garments. Use in 0.25% increments with a high-speed mixer. Essential for holding fine halftone dots on press. Start low — a little goes a long way. | All WB & Discharge | |
| 1-3% | “My dryer can’t reach 320°F.” | Low-temperature crosslinker for shops with electric dryers or equipment that cannot maintain 320°F. Provides the same wash-fastness improvement as Fixer WF-N but activates at lower cure temperatures. Also accelerates air drying for specialty applications. | All WB & Discharge |
Additive Stacking Rules
You can combine multiple additives. Typical stack: 2% Retarder + 2% Fixer WF-N + 2% Softener = 6% total (same as Quick Additive). Or 6-9% Quick Additive + 1% RV Additive for extra flow. Do not exceed 15% total additives. More than that degrades opacity, color accuracy, and print durability.
Order of operations: Add additives to your ink BEFORE adding Neo Pigments or Discharge Activator. Mix additives into the base first, then add pigments, then add activator last (discharge only).
DISCHARGE ACTIVATOR, PUFF BASE & SPECIALTY ADDITIVES
These additives solve specific problems or enable special effects. You only need them for the situations described.
| Additive | Dosage | Problem It Solves | What It Does | Works With |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-10% | Required for all discharge printing. | Triggers the discharge reaction that removes garment dye from dark 100% cotton. Without activator, discharge base is just water-based ink. Dissolve in warm water first for even dispersion. 6% recommended. Higher % = brighter result. 12-hour pot life once mixed. Compatible with Matsui, CCI, and Allureglow discharge inks. | Discharge Only | |
| 1-2% | “My thick ink won’t flow on the screen.” | Flow enhancer specifically for thick, high-viscosity inks like puff bases, shimmer, pearl, and specialty effect inks. Different from Retarder MG — SP-1 improves ink flow and leveling rather than slowing evaporation. Use when the ink is too thick to push smoothly. | Thick / Specialty Inks | |
| 1-5% | “My print sticks to the screen / pops.” | Tack-preventing agent. Reduces stickiness without changing the appearance of the ink. Prevents garments from sticking to the screen on the upstroke. Produces a smoother matte finish. Formalin-free, organotin-free. Blend into your binder before printing. | All WB | |
| 2-3% | “My polyurethane prints won’t survive washing.” | Specialized crosslinker formulated for polyurethane-based water-based binders. Standard Fixer WF-N is designed for acrylic systems. If you are using polyurethane-based inks (check your TDS), Fixer V provides the correct crosslinking chemistry for maximum wash durability. | Polyurethane WB | |
| Mix into ink | “I want raised/3D texture on my prints.” | Water-based foaming base that creates raised, tactile, 3D puff effects. Adjust loft by varying dryer temperature and dwell time. More heat + more time = more puff. Mix with up to 15% Neo Pigments for colored puff. Cure at 320°F-370°F. Print through lower mesh for maximum deposit. | Special Effect |
TIPS FROM THE PRESS THAT SAVE TIME & INK
Mesh Lubricant Recipe
Mix 30% Softener MG with 70% water in a spray bottle. Before printing, spray on the ink side of your screen and wipe evenly over the image area. This lubricates the mesh threads and prevents water-based and discharge inks from drying in the open areas. Essential for fine detail, halftones, and discharge work. Works like WD-40 for your screen.
Keep Screens Flooded
Between pulls and during pauses, always flood your screen with ink. Never leave an open screen sitting without ink covering the image area. Continuously add small amounts of fresh ink during the run rather than dumping a large amount at the start. Fresh ink stays hydrated longer.
Humidity Matters
Keep your shop humidity at 35% or higher. Low humidity causes water-based inks to dry dramatically faster. In dry climates, use a humidifier near the press. Increase Retarder MG to 3-5% in dry environments. In hot/dry shops, apply mesh lubricant before every job.
Water Rehydrates — RV Additive Thins
If ink has started to skin over or dry in the bucket, a few drops of water can rehydrate it. But if you need to reduce viscosity for printing, use RV Additive instead of water. Water dilutes the resin and weakens the print. RV Additive reduces viscosity while improving penetration and cross-linking. They are not interchangeable.
� Never Exceed 15% Total Additives
Adding too many additives dilutes the ink resin system. Beyond 15% total, you risk reduced opacity, poor color accuracy, weaker adhesion, and degraded wash fastness. If Quick Additive at 9% isn’t solving the problem, the issue is probably environmental (humidity, cure temp, mesh choice) rather than the ink formula.
ADDITIVES — FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Quick Additive at 6-9%. It covers open time, wash fastness, and softness in one product. Use individual additives only when you need to fine-tune beyond what Quick Additive provides.
Yes. Matsui additives (Retarder MG, Fixer WF-N, Softener MG, RV Additive, Thickener B) work with most water-based and discharge ink brands. Always test on a small batch first. The Discharge Activator works with Matsui, CCI, and Allureglow discharge inks.
Yes. For example: 6% Quick Additive + 1-2% extra Retarder MG in a dry shop. Just keep total additives under 15%.
Fixer WF-N is the standard crosslinker for 320°F cure. Fixer L is for low-temperature cure when your dryer can’t reach 320°F. Fixer V is for polyurethane-based binders specifically. Most shops need Fixer WF-N only.
Water dilutes the resin system and weakens the print. RV Additive reduces viscosity while simultaneously improving fabric penetration, cross-linking, and adhesion. Use water only to rehydrate ink that has started to dry in the bucket.
Make a mesh lubricant (30% Softener MG + 70% water). Keep screens flooded between pulls. Use thin-thread mesh (Saati Hydro). Keep shop humidity above 35%. Add fresh ink continuously during the run. On discharge: print fast and don’t stop.
At recommended dosages, no. Retarder, Fixer, Softener, RV Additive, and Thickener are all clear or near-clear and do not shift color. Beyond 15% total additives, you risk diluting the color concentration.
Discharge Activator (3-10%) is required. Then add Quick Additive (6-9%) or individual Retarder + Fixer + Softener. Discharge inks dry faster than standard WB, so Retarder and the mesh lubricant trick are especially important.
SOLVE YOUR WATER-BASED PRINTING PROBLEMS
Every additive you need for water-based and discharge screen printing. Retarder, Fixer, Softener, Thickener, RV Additive, Discharge Activator, and more. Works with Matsui, CCI, and most major ink brands. Free shipping over $200. Same-day shipping before 3:30 PM CT.