Matsui Stretch Clear 301 | Silicone-Like Water-Based Clear Mixing Base for Custom Colors on Performance & Stretch Fabric Screen Printing

Matsui Stretch Clear 301 – The Workhorse Clear for Performance Fabric Color

If your shop prints custom colors on performance fabrics, this is the base that should always be on your shelf.

Stretch Clear 301 is the standard-bearer in the Matsui performance lineup – the clear mixing base that most shops reach for first when a Dri-Fit, athletic, or stretch-fabric job comes through the door. It is designed for one thing: delivering bold, vibrant custom colors on stretch garments with the elasticity to move with the fabric and a silicone-like finish that feels premium to the touch.

The silicone-like finish is the signature. Where most water-based clears produce a standard matte or translucent surface, Stretch Clear 301 produces a smooth, slightly tactile surface that feels like silicone ink – but without the complexity, cost, or substrate limitations of actual silicone systems. Fashion-forward athletic brands and premium activewear decorators choose Stretch Clear specifically for this finish. It communicates quality the moment you touch the garment.

At 150-180 mesh, Stretch Clear deposits a heavier ink film than high-mesh bases like EasyPrint Clear (225 mesh) or 301C Clear (305 mesh). That heavier deposit means more vibrant, more saturated custom colors – ideal for bold graphics, team names, numbers, large logos, and solid color fills where visual impact matters more than ultra-fine detail. For fine-detail work on performance fabrics (thin lines, small text, halftone gradients), step up to EasyPrint Clear at 225 mesh. For maximum softness on cotton, use 301C Clear at 305 mesh.

Stretch Clear 301 is the 80% base. It handles the majority of performance fabric color work in most shops. The specialty bases handle the other 20%.

How Stretch Clear Works with Matsui Neo Pigments and Glow Pigments

Stretch Clear is a mixing base – it is the carrier that brings Matsui Neo Pigments and Glow Pigments to life on performance garments. The mixing system works like this:

Stretch Clear + Neo Pigments = Bold Custom Colors on Performance Fabrics. Add up to 15% Matsui Neo Pigments (concentrated color pigments) to Stretch Clear to create virtually any color in the Pantone spectrum – with the elasticity needed for the color to flex and rebound on stretch garments without cracking. 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.

The key advantage of Stretch Clear over higher-mesh bases for color work: the 150-180 mesh range deposits more ink, which means more saturated, more vibrant colors. If your client wants a punchy neon green or a deep navy on a white Dri-Fit tee, Stretch Clear delivers more color intensity than EasyPrint Clear at 225 mesh. The tradeoff is a slightly heavier hand feel and less fine-detail resolution – but for bold graphics and solid color fills, Stretch Clear’s color vibrancy wins.

Stretch Clear + Glow Pigments = Fluorescent Neon on Performance Fabrics. For high-impact specialty applications, mix Matsui Glow Pigments into Stretch Clear to create vivid fluorescent neon prints on stretch garments with bold coverage and excellent elasticity. 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. The heavier ink deposit at 150-180 mesh means more fluorescent pigment per square inch – which means brighter, more intense neon color and stronger blacklight reaction than higher-mesh bases. Ideal for fun run shirts, concert tees, festival merch, nightclub and rave apparel, and any performance garment designed for UV-lit environments.

Stretch Clear Alone = Silicone-Like Tone-on-Tone on Performance Fabrics. Print Stretch Clear without any pigments for a tactile, silicone-like clear overprint on colored performance garments. The print area changes texture and hand feel without changing color – a premium decoration technique for athletic branding, high-end sportswear, and fashion-forward activewear where the silicone-like touch creates a luxury impression.

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

How Matsui Additives Improve Your Production with 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 on athletic garments that see heavy, frequent laundry cycles. 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). Highly recommended for any performance garment – athletic wear gets washed more aggressively and more frequently than casual wear.
• 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.
• 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 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.

Stretch Clear 301 occupies the workhorse position – the standard-mesh, stretch-rated, silicone-finish clear that handles the majority of performance fabric color work. It is the base most performance shops use 80% of the time.

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.

Stretch Clear vs. EasyPrint Clear – Bold Coverage vs. Fine Detail on Performance

This is the most common decision for performance shops. Same substrate. Same stretch rating. Different mesh ranges for different design types.

The bottom line: Stock both. Stretch Clear handles 80% of performance color work – bold graphics, solid fills, team names and numbers, large logos. EasyPrint Clear handles the 20% that needs fine detail at high mesh. Same Neo Pigments, same additives, same stretch. Different mesh ranges for different design needs.

Key Features

• The Workhorse Performance Clear: The standard clear mixing base most shops reach for first on Dri-Fit, athletic, and stretch-fabric jobs. Handles 80% of performance color work.
• Silicone-Like Finish: Smooth, tactile surface that feels like silicone ink – without the cost, complexity, or substrate limitations of actual silicone systems. Premium feel from a standard acrylic system.
• Excellent Elasticity: Stretch-rated for Dri-Fit, Lycra, compression garments, athletic wear, and high-stretch performance fabrics. Prints flex and rebound without cracking.
• Maximum Color Vibrancy with Neo Pigments: The 150-180 mesh range deposits more ink than higher-mesh bases – meaning more Neo Pigment per square inch, more saturated colors, and more visual impact. Mix up to 15% for Pantone-accurate custom colors.
• Fluorescent Neon & Blacklight-Reactive Capability with Glow Pigments: Mix with Matsui Glow Pigments for vivid fluorescent neon colors that are naturally UV/blacklight reactive. The heavier deposit means brighter neon and stronger blacklight reaction.
• Production-Optimized with Matsui Additives: Compatible with the full Matsui additive lineup – Retarder MG for open time, Fixer WF-N for wash fastness, Softener MG for fabric penetration, or Quick Additive for all three in one shot.
• Compatible with Dark Polyester (with Blocker): Usable on polyester when paired with an Under Base Blocker to prevent dye sublimation migration.
• Zero Viscosity Modifications Required: 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 Stretch Clear Production

Browse the complete Matsui additive collection here.