Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT | PVC-Free Water-Based 3D Puff Ink for Screen Printing

Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT — Water-Based 3D Puff That Feels as Good as It Looks

Puff printing has been a staple special effect in screen printing for decades. The problem is that traditional puff inks are plastisol-based — they contain PVC, they feel stiff and rubbery, and the raised texture often cracks or flattens after repeated washing. For printers who have transitioned to water-based inks for the soft hand and eco-friendly chemistry, going back to plastisol just for puff has always been a frustrating compromise.

Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT eliminates that compromise entirely.

This is a fully water-based, PVC-free foaming ink that produces soft, tactile, raised 3D puff textures with a hand feel that plastisol puff cannot match. When the ink passes through the dryer, heat-activated foaming agents inside the ink expand, causing the printed area to rise up off the garment and create a dimensional, pillowy texture. The effect is permanent — once cured, the puff retains its shape and does not deflate, flatten, or collapse. Matsui classifies this as a “static” special effect: what you see after curing is what you get, wash after wash.

What makes Puff Foaming Base HT truly unique in the market is the level of creative control it gives you. You can adjust the height of the puff effect by changing your dryer settings — higher temperature and longer dwell time produces more dramatic loft, while lower heat and faster belt speed produces a subtler raised texture. You can pigment it with up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments for custom puff colors. And you can combine it with other Matsui special effect binders to create hybrid textures that no other ink system on the market can produce.

How Puff Foaming Works — The Science Behind the Rise

The puff effect is not achieved by printing a thicker ink deposit (although that helps). It is created by a chemical reaction during the curing process:

Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT contains thermally-activated foaming agents — microscopic particles embedded in the ink that remain dormant at room temperature. When the printed garment enters the dryer and reaches the activation temperature (starting around 320°F / 160°C), these foaming agents decompose and release gas. The gas creates tiny bubbles inside the ink film, causing it to expand and rise. The surrounding ink resin simultaneously cures and locks the expanded structure in place, creating a permanent raised texture.

Key insight: The puff effect does NOT appear until the ink reaches the dryer. When you print, the design will look flat. Do not assume the ink is not working — the foaming activation only happens during the heat cure.

Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT Key Features:

• Soft, Raised 3D Puff Texture: Creates a dimensional, pillowy print surface that adds visual depth and tactile interest to any design. The texture is soft and flexible — not stiff or rubbery like traditional plastisol puff.
• Adjustable Loft Height: Control how much the puff rises by adjusting dryer temperature and dwell time. More heat and longer time = more dramatic puff. Less heat and shorter time = subtler raised texture. This gives you creative control over the effect from job to job.
• PVC-Free Water-Based Formula: Fully water-based with no PVC, phthalates, heavy metals, or formaldehyde. A true eco-friendly alternative to plastisol puff inks. OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, CPSIA and HR4040 compliant.
• Custom Puff Colors with Neo Pigments: Add up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments directly into the base to create any custom puff color. Match Pantone shades using Matsui’s CMS Color Mixing Software for precise brand-color puff prints.
• Combinable with Other Matsui Special Effect Binders: Mix Puff Foaming Base HT with other Matsui special effect inks (Crack Base, Pearl Binder, Suede Base, Reflectalite, and more) to create unique hybrid textures. Exception: not compatible with Foil Adhesive or Shine Binder.
• Static Effect — Permanent After Cure: Once cured, the puff does not deflate, flatten, or collapse over time. The raised texture is locked in permanently and maintains its shape through machine washing.
• No Viscosity Modifications Needed: Prints smoothly straight from the container with no adjustments required. User-friendly for both manual and automatic presses.
• Exceptionally Soft Hand Feel: Delivers a soft, matte, flexible finish that plastisol puff cannot achieve. The raised texture feels cushiony rather than hard or plastic-like.
• All Fabric Types: Suitable for cotton, cotton-poly blends, polyester, and performance fabrics on light, medium, and dark garments.

Why Screen Printers Use Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT

Puff printing creates a visual and tactile effect that flat prints cannot replicate. It adds dimension, depth, and a premium feel to designs — turning a standard screen printed garment into something customers actually want to touch. For brands selling direct-to-consumer, streetwear labels, fashion lines, and merch companies, puff is one of the most effective ways to add perceived value to a printed product without significantly increasing production cost.

The Problems with Traditional Plastisol Puff — and How Matsui Solves Them:

Creative Possibilities — Puff + Other Matsui Special Effects

One of the most powerful features of Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT is its ability to be combined with other Matsui special effect binders. This lets you create hybrid textures and multi-sensory prints that no other ink system can produce:

Not compatible with: Foil Adhesive TFG 301 and Shine Binder. All other Matsui special effect binders can be combined with Puff Foaming Base HT.

Pro tip: When combining effects, experiment with ratios on test prints first. The more Puff Foaming Base in the mix, the more pronounced the puff height. The more of the secondary binder, the more prominent that secondary effect becomes. Finding the right balance for your specific design is part of the creative process.

Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT vs. Matsui Yama Puff Base (Silicone)

Matsui offers two different puff products, and they serve different markets. Knowing which one to use depends on the garment type, the hand feel you want, and the finish you need:

Bottom line: Choose Puff Foaming Base HT when you want a soft, matte, fabric-like raised texture and maximum creative flexibility with combinable effects. Choose Yama Puff Base when you want a smooth, silicone-tactile, semi-gloss puff on performance or athletic apparel.

How to Use Matsui Puff Foaming Base HT

Step 1 — Prepare Your Ink

Puff Foaming Base HT can be used straight from the container for white/milky puff prints. For custom colors, add up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments by weight and mix thoroughly with clean utensils until evenly distributed.

Step 2 — Set Up Your Screen

Use a mesh count between 60-110 mesh/inch (24-43 mc/cm). Lower mesh = thicker ink deposit = more dramatic puff. Higher mesh within this range = finer detail but less puff height. For bold, maximum-loft designs, use 60-86 mesh. For more detailed designs with moderate puff, use 86-110 mesh.

Step 3 — Print Your Design

Apply ink to the screen and print using standard squeegee technique. Use a sharp squeegee blade at approximately 45° angle with medium speed and pressure. The print will appear flat and milky — this is normal. The puff effect does not appear until the dryer.

Step 4 — Cure in the Dryer

Run the printed garment through your conveyor dryer at 320°F-370°F (160°C-188°C) for approximately 3 minutes. The puff effect activates during this stage — you will see the printed area rise and expand as it passes through the heat zone.

Step 5 — Adjust for Desired Loft

• More puff: Increase dryer temperature (toward 370°F), increase dwell time (slower belt speed), or increase ink deposit (lower mesh, heavier squeegee stroke).
• Less puff: Decrease dryer temperature (toward 320°F), decrease dwell time (faster belt speed), or reduce ink deposit.

Step 6 — Cool and Inspect

Allow the garment to cool completely before handling. Once cooled, inspect the puff height, coverage, and texture. The effect is now permanent and will not change.

Pro Tips for Best Results:

• Bold designs work best. Puff ink expands outward as well as upward, which can cause fine lines and small text to close in or lose definition. Keep your designs bold — thick lines, solid fills, and chunky text produce the best puff results. Avoid detailed halftones or thin strokes.
• Avoid long continuous lines. Straight or curved lines that run for a long distance tend to warp or distort as the puff expands unevenly. Break long lines into segments or incorporate them into larger filled shapes.
• Lower mesh = more puff. If you want dramatic 3D height, go to the lower end of the mesh range (60-86 mesh). The thicker ink deposit gives the foaming agents more material to expand. Higher mesh (86-110) works for moderate texture with better detail.
• Conveyor dryer is essential. While technically possible with a flash dryer, puff inks cure best in a conveyor dryer where you can precisely control temperature and dwell time. Flash curing is unpredictable for puff because the heat application is uneven and the expansion can be inconsistent.
• Always do a test print first. The puff height varies with mesh count, ink deposit thickness, dryer temperature, belt speed, and garment type. Test on the actual production garment before running a full job to dial in your settings.
• Use Retarder MG (1-5%) for long runs. Puff ink can dry in the screen like any water-based ink. Add Retarder MG to extend open time, especially in dry shop environments or on multi-color jobs with delays between prints.
• Pair with Fixer WF-N (1-5%) for wash durability. For garments that will see heavy washing, add Fixer WF-N to cross-link the ink to the garment fibers and improve wash fastness.
• Combine effects for premium products. Mixing Puff with Crack Base or Pearl Binder creates textures that command premium pricing. These hybrid effects are unique to the Matsui system and cannot be replicated with plastisol.
• Clean vessels always. Contamination from other ink sources or non-approved additives can cause Puff Foaming Base HT to test positive for restricted PVCs. Always use clean, dedicated utensils.