Matsui Crack Base Clear — Controlled Chaos on Cotton

Perfect prints are smooth, uniform, and consistent. Crack Base prints are the opposite — on purpose.

Crack Base Clear produces a crackle effect: a randomized pattern of fractures across the ink surface that mimics aged paint, dried mud, weathered leather, cracked concrete, or distressed vintage finishes. The fractures are organic and unpredictable. Every print is unique. No two garments crack the same way. The result is a raw, textured, imperfect aesthetic that deliberate design cannot replicate, because the cracking happens as a natural physical process during flashing rather than from a designed pattern.

This is the ink for designs that are supposed to look worn, aged, lived-in, and imperfect. Streetwear brands. Vintage-inspired fashion. Distressed band tees. Aged logo treatments. Edgy graphic art. Weathered typography. Any application where perfect is not the goal, and where character, texture, and organic imperfection communicate authenticity.

The mechanics are simple. Print a thick deposit of Crack Base Clear through a low-mesh screen, up to 110 mesh, with a thick stencil. Flash the print. During flashing, the outer surface of the thick ink deposit dries and contracts before the inner layers, creating tension that fractures the surface into the distinctive crack pattern. The thicker the deposit, the more dramatic the cracking. Thinner deposits produce finer, subtler cracks. The flash is what triggers the effect, so the print must be flashed before going through the dryer for final cure.

How to Get the Best Crackle Pattern

Thick stencil equals dramatic cracks

Build a thick stencil using multiple layers of emulsion or use capillary film. The thicker the stencil, the more ink deposits on the garment, and the more dramatic the crack pattern becomes. A thin stencil produces subtle, fine-line cracks. A thick stencil produces bold, wide fractures with more pronounced texture.

Low mesh equals more ink

Print through mesh up to 110/inch (43/cm). Lower mesh such as 60–86 deposits even more ink for the most dramatic cracking. Do not use high mesh, because finer mesh deposits less ink and reduces the cracking effect.

Flash before cure

This is critical. The cracking happens during the flash step, not during final cure. Flash the print to set the surface. The rapid surface drying creates the tension that fractures the ink. Then run the garment through the dryer for final cure at 320°F (160°C).

White underlay for contrast

Crack Base Clear is semi-opaque. When the ink cracks, the cracks expose what is underneath. If printed directly on a colored garment, the garment color shows through the cracks for a subtler effect. If printed over a white underlay, where you print Matsui white first and flash before printing Crack Base on top, the white shows through the cracks and creates high-contrast, dramatic crack lines against the colored crackle surface. The white-underlay technique is the most popular because it accentuates the crack pattern.

Custom Colored Crackle with Neo Pigments

Crack Base Clear can be tinted with up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments to create colored crackle effects.

• Crack Base + Neo Pigment Red — crackled red for distressed fire engine, vintage cola tones, or aged varsity looks
• Crack Base + Neo Pigment Black — crackled black for distressed leather, weathered asphalt, or aged typography
• Crack Base + Neo Pigment Blue — crackled navy or blue for aged denim texture, vintage maritime themes, or weathered signage
• Crack Base + Neo Pigment Yellow or Orange — crackled gold-tone for aged parchment, antique poster looks, or vintage warmth
• Crack Base + Neo Pigment Green — crackled forest or military green for aged camo, weathered surplus, or vintage outdoor aesthetics
• Any Pantone formula — crackled custom color matched to brand tones with a weathered, fractured treatment

The Neo Pigment determines the color of the crackled surface. The cracks themselves reveal whatever is underneath — either the garment color if printed directly, or a white underlay if printed over white. The contrast between the colored crackle surface and the crack lines is what creates the visual impact.

Over a white underlay, you get a colored crackle surface with white crack lines showing through for maximum drama. Over the garment color, you get a colored crackle surface with garment-color crack lines for a subtler, more integrated effect.

Explore the full Matsui Neo Pigment collection here.

Crack Base Clear vs. Crack Base HO

Matsui makes two crack effect bases. Both produce the same weathered crackle effect. The difference is opacity.

The bottom line: Crack Base Clear is the versatile, lighter-weight crackle. It is more translucent, more subtle, and offers more depth when layered. Crack Base HO is the heavy-duty, fully opaque crackle — more solid, more bold, and more like thick cracked paint. Both tint with Neo Pigments. Both require thick deposits and flashing to trigger the crack effect.

How Matsui Additives Improve Your Production with Crack Base Clear

Crack Base Clear is production-ready from the container. Matsui additives help optimize the production process.

The problem: Ink dries in the screen during production pauses, especially at low mesh where thick stencils and heavy deposits can slow print speed. The additive solution: Retarder MG at 1–5% extends open time.

The problem: Crackle prints fade or the crack lines lose definition after repeated washing. The additive solution: Fixer WF-N at 1–5% crosslinks the binder for improved wash fastness and durability.

The problem: Ink sits on top of fibers instead of bonding in. The additive solution: Softener MG at 1–4% enhances penetration for better adhesion and a softer hand feel.

All-in-one option: Quick Additive at 6–9% gives you Retarder MG, Fixer WF-N, and Softener MG in one measurement.

Additional additives include Thickener B at 0.25–1% to increase viscosity, and RV Additive at 1–3% to reduce viscosity.

Browse the complete Matsui additive collection here.

Why Screen Printers Choose Crack Base Clear

I print streetwear and want a distressed, weathered crackle texture.

This is the core Crack Base application. The randomized crack pattern creates an authentic weathered aesthetic that cannot be replicated with a design file. Every garment is unique. The organic imperfection communicates handmade quality and vintage character, which is exactly what streetwear and fashion brands often want.

I want colored crackle effects, not just white or clear.

Tint Crack Base with up to 15% Neo Pigments for crackled red, crackled black, crackled navy, crackled gold-tone, or any Pantone-matched color with a weathered fractured texture. Over a white underlay, the colored crackle surface with white crack lines creates maximum visual impact.

I want a vintage, aged logo treatment on tee shirts.

Print the logo with Crack Base tinted to match the brand color, then flash and cure. The logo cracks organically and looks like a decades-old print that has been through years of washing and wear, even though it is fresh off the press.

I want to combine crackle with other Matsui special effects.

Layer Crack Base over Gold Shimmer 620 or Silver Shimmer 620 for cracked metallic effects. Use it alongside Hydrochromic White or Phantom Clear for multi-effect interactive designs. The Matsui special-effect lineup is built to be layered and combined.

My crackle effect is too subtle. I want more dramatic cracks.

Increase your ink deposit. Use a thicker stencil with multiple emulsion coats or capillary film. Drop to a lower mesh count such as 60–86. Flash at a slightly higher temperature if needed. The thicker the deposit, the more dramatic the cracking.

My crackle effect is too dramatic. I want finer, subtler cracks.

Reduce your ink deposit. Use a thinner stencil. Move to a higher mesh count closer to 110. The thinner the deposit, the finer and more subtle the cracks.

Key Features

• Distinctive weathered crackle effect — produces randomized crack patterns that mimic aged paint, distressed leather, and vintage finishes
• Semi-opaque formulation — translucent crackle with depth, where garment color or white underlay can show through the cracks
• Tintable with Neo Pigments up to 15% — create virtually any color crackle effect with Neo Pigments
• White underlay technique — print over a white underlay to accentuate the crack pattern with high-contrast white crack lines
• Controllable crack intensity — thicker deposit creates more dramatic cracks, while thinner deposit creates subtler cracks
• Must be flashed — the crack effect is triggered during the flash step, not during final cure
• Ultra-soft hand feel — water-based formulation delivers softness that PVC inks cannot achieve, even with the textured surface
• Production-optimized with Matsui additives — compatible with the full Matsui additive lineup including Quick Additive
• Zero viscosity modifications required — prints from the container
• PVC-free and eco-friendly — environmentally safe

Recommended Additives for Crack Base Clear Production

Browse the complete Matsui additive collection here.