Matsui Soft Stretch Clear | Ultra-Soft Silicone-Like Water-Based Clear Mixing Base for Premium Custom Colors on Performance & Stretch Fabric Screen Printing

Matsui Soft Stretch Clear — When “Soft” Is Not Soft Enough

Stretch Clear 301 is an excellent base. It handles 80% of performance fabric color work. Its silicone-like finish is a signature that premium athletic brands specifically request.

But some clients want more.

They want the print to essentially disappear into the fabric — a hand feel so soft, so barely-there, that you have to look at the garment to know where the print area is. You cannot feel it. That is the standard Stretch Clear cannot reach. That is why Soft Stretch Clear exists.

Soft Stretch Clear is the premium-tier upgrade in the Matsui performance clear lineup. Same 150-180 mesh range as Stretch Clear. Same excellent elasticity for Dri-Fit, Lycra, and high-stretch synthetics. Same silicone-like finish. But formulated to push softness to the absolute maximum the acrylic platform can deliver — an extremely soft, barely-there hand feel that exceeds what standard Stretch Clear achieves.

The difference is noticeable. Print Stretch Clear and Soft Stretch Clear side by side on the same Dri-Fit tee, same mesh, same squeegee pressure, and you can feel the difference immediately. Soft Stretch Clear produces a lighter, thinner, more refined print that integrates into the fabric more completely. It is the difference between “soft” and “barely there.”

This is not the base for every job. It is the base for the jobs where hand feel is the #1 specification — premium activewear brands, luxury athleisure labels, high-end fashion sportswear, and any client who is paying for the absolute best hand feel on stretch garments. For standard production work where excellent softness (not maximum softness) is the requirement, Stretch Clear is the right choice.

Soft Stretch Clear pairs with Soft Stretch White to form the complete premium-soft stretch system. When both the white underbase and the color layer use the Soft Stretch formulation, the entire print achieves maximum softness from bottom to top.

How Soft Stretch Clear Works with Matsui Neo Pigments and Glow Pigments

Soft Stretch Clear is a mixing base — it is the carrier that brings Matsui Neo Pigments and Glow Pigments to life on performance garments at the softest possible hand feel. The mixing system works like this:

Soft Stretch Clear + Neo Pigments = The Softest Custom Colors on Performance Fabrics. Add up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments (concentrated color pigments) to Soft Stretch Clear to create virtually any color in the Pantone spectrum — with the maximum softness and elasticity that premium activewear brands demand. Standard mixing ratio is 5-10% pigment to base by weight. Matsui’s free cloud-based Color Mixer Software provides exact formulas — enter the Pantone number, get the pigment ratios, mix, print.

The Neo Pigment series includes a full spectrum of concentrated color pigments — reds, blues, greens, yellows, oranges, violets, blacks, and more — that intermix precisely for accurate Pantone matching. Because they are concentrated, a small amount goes a long way, keeping per-print ink cost low.

Soft Stretch Clear + Glow Pigments = Fluorescent Neon with Premium Softness on Performance Fabrics. For high-impact specialty applications, mix Matsui Glow Pigments into Soft Stretch Clear to create vivid fluorescent neon prints on stretch garments with the softest possible hand feel. Important: Matsui Glow Pigments are fluorescent pigments — they produce ultra-bright, electric neon colors in normal daylight, not phosphorescent glow-in-the-dark effects. They do NOT glow on their own in the dark. However, fluorescent pigments are naturally UV/blacklight reactive — under blacklight (UV) illumination, they absorb UV energy and re-emit it as intensely bright visible light, creating a dramatic neon glow effect. Colors like fluorescent yellow, pink, orange, and green produce the most intense blacklight reaction. Ideal for premium fun run shirts, concert tees, festival merch, and any high-end performance garment designed for UV-lit environments where both softness and neon impact matter.

Soft Stretch Clear Alone = Ultra-Soft Silicone-Like Tone-on-Tone on Performance Fabrics. Print Soft Stretch Clear without any pigments for a barely-there, silicone-like clear overprint on colored performance garments. The print area changes texture and hand feel without changing color — an ultra-refined decoration technique for luxury activewear and premium athletic branding.

Soft Stretch Clear as Reducer for White Stretch Inks. Soft Stretch Clear can also be used as a reducer for pigmented Matsui white stretch inks — thin down the white while maintaining the Soft Stretch system’s softness and elasticity properties, rather than using water (which can compromise binder integrity).

Explore the full Matsui Neo Pigment and Glow Pigment collection here.

How Matsui Additives Improve Your Production with Soft Stretch Clear

The base and pigments create the color. Matsui additives optimize the production process — solving common water-based printing challenges that cost you time, money, and rejected garments.

The problem: Water-based ink dries in the screen during production pauses, forcing you to clean and re-flood. The additive solution: Retarder MG (1-5%) extends open time in the screen, giving you more working time between prints.

The problem: Prints fade or crack after repeated washing — especially critical on premium activewear where the client is paying for durability AND softness. The additive solution: Fixer WF-N (1-5%) crosslinks the acrylic binder for dramatically improved wash fastness. Also lowers cure temperature to 300°F (150°C). Essential for premium garments — softness means nothing if the print does not survive the wash.

The problem: The ink sits on top of synthetic fibers instead of bonding into them, affecting adhesion and hand feel. The additive solution: Softener MG (1-4%) helps the ink penetrate deeper into the garment for better adhesion and an even softer hand feel. On a base already optimized for maximum softness, Softener MG pushes the final result even further.

The problem: You want all three benefits but do not want to measure and mix three separate additives. The additive solution: Quick Additive (6-9%) is a pre-balanced all-in-one blend of Retarder MG, Fixer WF-N, and Softener MG. One additive, one measurement, all three production benefits.

Additional additives for specialized needs: Thickener B (0.25-1%) increases viscosity for halftone dot control. RV Additive (1-3%) reduces viscosity for better flow and fabric penetration.

Browse the complete Matsui additive collection here.

Where Soft Stretch Clear Fits — Every Matsui Base, Side by Side

Matsui makes twelve different clear bases and mixing bases. Each one is designed to be mixed with Neo Pigments and Glow Pigments and enhanced with Matsui additives. The base you choose determines the substrate, mesh range, opacity, elasticity, and finish. The pigments determine the color. The additives optimize the process.

Soft Stretch Clear occupies the premium position — the softest clear base for performance fabrics in the entire Matsui acrylic lineup. It is the upgrade from Stretch Clear when hand feel is the #1 specification.

The Complete Matsui Water-Based Base & Clear Comparison — All 12 Bases, Side by Side

All acrylic bases above are compatible with the full Matsui Neo Pigment and Glow Pigment series and the complete Matsui additive lineup. Polyurethane 350 Series bases use Fixer V instead of Fixer WF-N.

Soft Stretch Clear vs. Stretch Clear — Premium Softness vs. Workhorse Production

This is the core decision: when does the job justify the premium base?

The bottom line: Stretch Clear is the 80% base. Soft Stretch Clear is the 20% premium upgrade. Same mesh, same stretch, same Neo Pigments, same additives. The difference is hand feel — and on premium jobs, that difference justifies the upgrade.

Soft Stretch Clear vs. Acrylicon Clear — Softest Hand vs. Zero Tack

The bottom line: Two different kinds of premium. Soft Stretch Clear optimizes for how the print FEELS (softest possible). Acrylicon Clear optimizes for how the print BEHAVES (zero tack, matte appearance). Both are premium bases for premium applications.

Why Screen Printers Choose Soft Stretch Clear

“My client is a premium activewear brand that specifies ‘the absolute softest hand feel’ on stretch garments.”
This is the core Soft Stretch Clear use case. When the specification is maximum softness on performance fabrics — and the client is paying for it — Soft Stretch Clear is the answer. Mix with Neo Pigments for Pantone colors at the softest possible hand feel. Pair with Soft Stretch White for the complete premium-soft system from underbase to color.

“I want the complete Soft Stretch system — white and clear — for maximum softness top to bottom.”
Print Soft Stretch White as your underbase, flash, then print Soft Stretch Clear + Neo Pigment colors on top. When both layers use the Soft Stretch formulation, the entire print achieves maximum softness from bottom to top — the premium benchmark for luxury athleisure and high-end activewear.

“I need to thin down my white stretch ink without compromising softness or elasticity.”
Use Soft Stretch Clear as a reducer for pigmented Matsui white stretch inks. Unlike water (which can compromise binder integrity and adhesion), Soft Stretch Clear maintains the system’s softness and elasticity properties while thinning the white for a lighter deposit.

“I want fluorescent neon prints on performance garments with the softest possible hand — that react under blacklight.”
Mix Matsui Glow Pigments into Soft Stretch Clear for vivid fluorescent neon colors at maximum softness. These pigments are naturally UV/blacklight reactive — they glow intensely under blacklight. Ideal for premium fun run shirts, upscale festival merch, and any high-end event garment where softness and neon impact both matter.

“My water-based ink keeps drying in the screen during production.”
Add Retarder MG at 1-5% to extend open time. Or use Quick Additive at 6-9% for open time, wash fastness, and softness in one shot. Browse all Matsui additives here.

“I print premium garments that need to survive 50+ wash cycles without losing softness.”
Add Fixer WF-N at 1-5% to crosslink the acrylic binder. Softness means nothing if the print does not survive the wash — Fixer WF-N ensures the premium hand feel lasts through heavy laundry cycles.

Key Features

• The softest clear for performance fabrics — premium formulation that pushes softness to the maximum the acrylic platform can deliver
• Silicone-like, barely-there finish — ultra-refined surface that integrates into the fabric more completely than standard performance clears
• Excellent elasticity — stretch-rated for Dri-Fit, Lycra, compression garments, athletic wear, and high-stretch performance fabrics
• Premium custom color creation with Matsui Neo Pigments — mix up to 15% for Pantone-accurate colors at maximum softness
• Fluorescent neon & blacklight-reactive capability with Matsui Glow Pigments — vivid neon colors that react under blacklight with premium softness
• Complete premium system with Soft Stretch White — maximum softness from underbase to color layer
• Reducer for white stretch inks — thins pigmented stretch whites while maintaining softness and elasticity (better than using water)
• Production-optimized with Matsui additives — compatible with Retarder MG, Fixer WF-N, Softener MG, or Quick Additive
• Compatible with dark polyester (with blocker) — for dark polyester, print Under Base Blocker first, flash, print Soft Stretch White, flash, then print Soft Stretch Clear with colors
• Zero viscosity modifications — prints straight from the container on manual and automatic presses
• PVC-free and eco-compliant — OEKO-TEX® Standard 100, CPSIA, HR4040 compliant; free of PVC, phthalates, and co-solvents

Recommended Additives for Soft Stretch Clear Production

Browse the complete Matsui additive collection here.