Matsui EasyPrint White 301 | High-Mesh Water-Based White Ink for Athletic & Performance Fabric Screen Printing

Matsui EasyPrint White 301 — The High-Mesh Specialist for Performance Fabric Printing

Matsui makes nine different white inks. They are not interchangeable. Each one is formulated for a specific combination of mesh count, opacity level, substrate type, elasticity requirement, and hand feel target. Choosing the wrong white ink for your job is the single most common mistake in water-based screen printing — and it leads to poor opacity, cracking, heavy hand feel, or ink that will not clear the mesh.

EasyPrint White 301 exists to solve a specific problem: you need to print white on performance fabrics through high mesh counts without sacrificing softness or elasticity.

Here is what makes EasyPrint White unique in the Matsui lineup, and exactly when you should choose it over every other Matsui white.

The Problem EasyPrint White Was Designed to Solve

Performance fabric printing demands a contradiction. You need opacity — enough white pigment to show up on dark Dri-Fit and polyester blends. But you also need to print through high mesh counts (180-225/inch) to achieve fine detail and thin deposits that do not stiffen the fabric or interfere with moisture-wicking performance.

Most high-opacity white inks are formulated with heavy pigment loads that cannot pass through fine mesh. They are designed for 110-160 mesh counts and produce thick, opaque deposits. On performance fabrics, these thick deposits create stiff spots, reduce breathability, crack during stretching, and feel uncomfortable against the skin during physical activity.

EasyPrint White 301 solves this by using a medium-opacity formulation with a particle size engineered to clear mesh counts up to 225/inch. You get visible white coverage without the heavy deposit. The print is thin, soft, and elastic — it moves with the garment instead of fighting it.

The tradeoff is opacity. EasyPrint White is medium-opacity by design. It will not match the one-hit opacity of Kombat White or Stretch White on dark garments.

If you need maximum opacity on darks, those inks are the better choice — but they max out at 150–180 mesh.
EasyPrint White gives you the highest mesh capability in the Matsui performance white lineup in exchange for a thinner, softer deposit with medium coverage.

For many performance fabric applications — especially athletic jerseys, team names, numbers, fine-line logos, and designs where the print needs to disappear into the garment — medium opacity with superior softness is exactly what the job requires.

The Complete Matsui White Ink Comparison — Every White, Side by Side

Matsui makes nine distinct white inks. This chart maps every one of them by their key differentiating specs so you can identify exactly which white is right for your specific job. The inks are grouped by their primary substrate category: cotton-focused, performance/stretch-focused, and specialty substrate-focused.

How to Read This Chart — The Decision Framework

Choosing the right Matsui white comes down to answering four questions:

Question 1: What mesh count does your job require? This is the single most important filter. If your design has fine halftone detail or thin line work that requires 200+ mesh, your only performance white option is EasyPrint White (225 mesh max). If your design uses spot color at 110-160 mesh, you have the full lineup available. For cotton-only work at ultra-high mesh (305), 301W-B is your ink.

Question 2: How opaque does the white need to be? If you need maximum one-hit brightness on black performance fabric,

Kombat White is the answer. If you need good opacity with stretch, Stretch White or 301W-10-4 are your workhorses. If you need a thinner deposit with medium coverage and the finest possible detail on performance fabrics, EasyPrint White is the correct choice.

Question 3: What substrate are you printing on?

• Light cotton only = 301W-B
• Standard performance/stretch fabrics = EasyPrint White, Stretch White, Soft Stretch White, Kombat White, Acrylicon White, 301W-10-4, or Simple White (all acrylic binder).
• Extreme-stretch or rubber-like requirement = Soft-Tex 350 (polyurethane binder — different fixer chemistry, uses Fixer V instead of Fixer WF-N).

Question 4: What finish and hand feel do you need?

• Premium matte with zero tack = Acrylicon White
• Silicone-like softness = Soft Stretch White
• Buttery soft with fine detail = EasyPrint White
• Maximum brightness = Kombat White

Why Screen Printers Choose EasyPrint White 301

“I’m printing fine-line logos and small text on Dri-Fit jerseys and I need a higher mesh count than 160.” This is EasyPrint White’s primary use case. At 225 mesh capability, it is the only Matsui performance white that can handle fine detail work that requires high mesh counts. Kombat, Stretch, Acrylicon, and Simple all max out at 150-160 mesh. EasyPrint White gives you 40-65% more mesh range for fine-detail performance fabric work.

“My prints on athletic wear are too thick and stiff — the customer is complaining about hand feel.” If you are using a higher-opacity white through lower mesh, you are depositing more ink than the garment needs. EasyPrint White through 200-225 mesh creates a thinner deposit that is virtually imperceptible to the touch. The print becomes part of the garment instead of sitting on top of it.

“I need a white that works on both cotton and performance poly blends without switching inks.” EasyPrint White prints beautifully on cotton and cotton-poly blends as well as Dri-Fit and performance polyester. For dark polyester, print an Under Base Blocker first, flash, then apply EasyPrint White on top.

“I want to mix custom pastel colors from a white base for performance apparel.” EasyPrint White mixes with up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments to create thousands of custom colors. The medium-opacity white base produces clean, true pastels that maintain the soft hand feel and elasticity of the base ink.

“I’m switching from plastisol and need a water-based white that is easy to print.” EasyPrint White requires zero viscosity modifications — it prints straight from the bucket. No thinning, no thickening, no mixing required for standard production. This is as close to a plastisol workflow as water-based gets.

“I’m running high-volume production on automatic presses and need consistency.” EasyPrint White maintains stable viscosity throughout long production runs. Pair it with <a href=”https://www.screenprintsupplies.com/products/wb-ink/additives/retarder-mg/”>Retarder MG</a> (1-5%) to extend open time and prevent drying in the screen during pauses.

Matsui EasyPrint White 301 Key Features:

• Highest Mesh Count of Any Matsui Performance White: Prints through mesh up to 225/inch (89/cm) — 40-65% higher mesh capability than Stretch White (150-180), Kombat White (160), Acrylicon White (160), or Simple White (160). This enables fine-detail printing on stretch fabrics that no other Matsui performance white can achieve.
• Medium Opacity by Design: Engineered for a thinner, softer deposit rather than maximum one-hit coverage. Ideal for jobs where hand feel and garment integration matter more than maximum brightness on darks.
• Excellent Elasticity: Stretches with high-performance fabrics without cracking, peeling, or losing adhesion. Rated for Dri-Fit, athletic wear, compression garments, and other high-stretch synthetics.
• Buttery-Soft Hand Feel: Produces a print that feels like part of the fabric, not a layer sitting on top of it. Softer than traditional PVC or plastisol inks.
• Zero Viscosity Modifications Required: Prints straight from the bucket with no thinning or thickening needed. Consistent viscosity for manual and automatic presses.
• Custom Color Mixing: Compatible with up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments for creating custom colors while retaining the ink’s softness and elasticity properties.
• PVC-Free and Eco-Compliant: OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certified, CPSIA compliant, HR4040 compliant. Free of PVC, phthalates, and co-solvents.
• Safe for Ironing and Dry Cleaning: Cured prints can be ironed or dry cleaned without damage.
• Compatible with All Standard Matsui Additives: Works with

Retarder MG (open time), Fixer WF-N (wash fastness), Softener MG (fabric penetration), Thickener B (viscosity increase), RV Additive (viscosity reduction), and Quick Additive (all-in-one).

How to Print with EasyPrint White 301

Screen Setup: Stretch your screen to proper tension. Use mesh counts between 156-225/inch depending on your detail requirements. For maximum detail, use 200-225 mesh. For better coverage with moderate detail, use 156-180 mesh.

Emulsion: Use a water-resistant emulsion. Apply a thin, even coat for high-mesh work to maintain the thin deposit that makes EasyPrint White perform its best.

Printing: Print straight from the bucket — no viscosity modifications needed. For manual presses, use a medium-hardness squeegee at approximately 45 degrees. For automatic presses, standard settings work well.

Dark Polyester: For dark-colored polyester garments, first print an Under Base Blocker, flash, then apply EasyPrint White on top. This prevents dye migration from the polyester into the white print.

Curing: Cure at 320°F (160°C). Use a temperature probe or heat strips to verify garment surface temperature. Under-cured ink will have poor wash fastness and may feel tacky.

Flash Temperature: Flash at 160°F (71°C) between layers when needed.

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