Inktek Gentle Soft Base – The Ultimate Plastisol Additive for Soft-Hand Prints

Inktek

Inktek SE1000 Gentle Soft Base

Inktek Gentle Soft Base (SE1000) is an ultra-low viscosity plastisol modifier engineered to achieve the maximum possible softness from your existing Inktek ink inventory. At 30–50% addition, SE1000 produces prints that are barely perceptible on the garment — the closest screen printing can come to matching the hand feel of DTG or water-based while maintaining plastisol’s durability and process reliability.

Maximum Soft-Hand Feel

SE1000 Series

Near Water-Based Feel

Mix 20–50%

Premium Cotton & Ringspun

Cures at 320°F

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Price range: $24.99 through $249.99

SKU: Inktek Gentle Soft Base Category: Special Effects Plastisol Inks & Additives Tags: apparel printing plastisol additive, custom ink mixing additive, Inktek Gentle Soft Base, plastisol ink softener, plastisol soft hand additive, screen printing ink additive, screen printing supplies and equipment, soft feel screen printing ink, soft hand plastisol ink base, soft print plastisol ink

Description

Inktek Gentle Soft Base SE1000 – Maximum Soft-Hand Plastisol Modifier for Premium Garments

Inktek Gentle Soft Base (SE1000) is an ultra-low viscosity plastisol modifier engineered to achieve the maximum possible softness from your existing Inktek ink inventory. At 30–50% addition, SE1000 produces prints that are barely perceptible on the garment — the closest screen printing can come to matching the hand feel of DTG or water-based while maintaining plastisol’s durability and process reliability.

Available in Quart, Gallon, and 5-Gallon. Mix into Inktek LB standard colors at 20–50% for premium soft-hand garment printing.

Is This the Right Product for Your Job?

Use This When You Need To…

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Customer demands the softest possible plastisol print

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Printing on premium ringspun or combed cotton blanks

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Fashion or lifestyle brand with high hand-feel standards

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Prints currently feel too heavy or plasticky on the garment

Not the Right Fit If You Are…

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Printing on dark garments (reduces opacity significantly)

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Polyester substrates or bleed-sensitive applications

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Standard production printing where hand feel is not the focus

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Need fully opaque coverage

Key Features

Pairs Best With

Inktek LB Standard Colors →

Mix SE1000 into any LB color — ratio controls softness level

Fashion Base →

Use Fashion Base when custom color creation is the goal; SE1000 when softness is the goal

Achieving Maximum Soft-Hand Feel on Premium Cotton & Fashion Garments

Premium Retail & Boutique Apparel Printing

Brands selling $40–$80+ tees expect prints that do not fight the drape and feel of the fabric. SE1000 at 30–50% into LB colors produces a print that feels earned rather than applied — the standard for premium retail screen printing.

Ringspun & Combed Cotton Print Runs

Fine ringspun and combed cotton blanks have an open weave that responds exceptionally well to low-viscosity plastisol. SE1000-modified inks penetrate the yarn structure rather than bridging over fibers. The result looks and feels closer to discharge or water-based than standard plastisol.

Underprint Colors for Multi-Layer Specialty Jobs

Use SE1000-modified inks as underprint colors in multi-layer specialty jobs where a virtually imperceptible ink foundation is needed. A very soft, semi-transparent color layer under a special-effect overprint reduces total print stiffness while maintaining visual complexity.

See It in Action

Mix Ratio Calculator

Enter your ink weight, then select your target ratio to see exactly how much Inktek Gentle Soft Base to add.

Ink Weight

Unit

Select a ratio above to calculate.

Complete Inktek Plastisol Additives — Find the Right Product for Your Job

River City Supply stocks the full Inktek SE additive line. Use the guide below to choose the right product for your specific application.

Soft-hand extender & transparent base

Best for: 4-color process, halftone, fashion soft-hand

Curable Reducer

Pure viscosity reducer with de-tacking agents

Best for: Auto presses, thick inks, wet-on-wet printing

Creates raised 3D textured prints

Best for: Logos, varsity lettering, fashion texture

Gray Super Blocker

Dye migration barrier underbase for polyester

Best for: Polyester, 50/50 blends, poly-cotton

Stretch & Low Cure

Flexibility additive & low-temp cure

Best for: Athletic wear, spandex, tri-blends

High-clarity soft-hand color mixing base

Best for: Fashion printing, custom color mixing

Gentle Soft Base

Ultra-soft low-viscosity base

Best for: Premium cotton, ringspun, lightweight tees

CCI Nylon Bonding

Low-temp cure bonding additive for nylon

Best for: Nylon bags, jackets, caps, synthetics

Printable Adhesive

Screen-printable adhesive for foil & flock

Best for: Foil transfer, flock application

Crystalina Fine Flake

Fine metallic flake sparkle plastisol

Best for: Fashion garments, subtle shimmer effects

How to Wash Test Plastisol Prints

Every time you change your ink formula, mix ratio, dryer settings, or substrate — run a wash test before releasing production. This is the only definitive check for cure integrity and wash durability.

Step 1 — Cure a Test Print

Print and cure a test garment at your production dryer settings. Let cool completely before washing.

Step 2 — Wash Hot

Machine wash on the hottest setting with standard detergent. Hot water is the stress test — if it holds here, it holds everywhere.

Step 3 — Repeat 3–5 Cycles

Run 3–5 full wash-and-dry cycles. Under-cured prints typically fail within the first 3 washes. Properly cured prints show no change.

Step 4 — Inspect

Look for: cracking, peeling, delamination, color fade, or ink loss. A properly cured print shows none of these. Also do a stretch test — pull the print firmly and check for cracking.

If prints fail the wash test: First check dryer temperature with a donut probe or temp tape on the actual garment surface (not air temp). If temp is correct and prints still fail, reduce belt speed slightly to increase dwell time. Retest before running production.

Light Garments Only

Gentle Soft Base reduces ink opacity significantly. Not appropriate for dark garment printing or applications requiring high coverage.

Thorough Mixing Required

Due to very low viscosity, thorough mixing with pigmented inks is essential. Mix in a container with a stir stick or ink mixer — do not rely on squeegee action to complete the mixing.

Questions about this product?

Call us at (512) 454-0505 or email [email protected] — Mon–Fri 9am–5pm CT

River City Supply · Authorized Inktek Distributor Since 2008

Technical Specifications

Technical Specifications

Product Information
Product Name	Inktek Gentle Soft Base (SE1000)
Brand	Inktek
Type	Ultra-low viscosity soft-hand plastisol modifier
Available Sizes	Quart, Gallon, 5 Gallon
Mixing Guidelines
Moderate Soft-Hand	20–30% by weight
Premium Soft-Hand	30–50% by weight
Maximum Softness	50%+ — color significantly reduced
Printing Parameters
Recommended Mesh	160–230 mesh for optimal softness and detail
Squeegee Durometer	70–75 durometer
Curing
Cure Temperature	320°F (160°C)
Compatibility
Compatible Inks	Inktek LB standard colors
Best Substrates	100% cotton, ringspun, combed cotton, premium fashion blanks
Documents
Safety Data Sheet	Inktek SDS (PDF)

Technical Sheets / Safety Data Sheets / Documents

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Gentle Soft Base different from Process Clear?

Both achieve soft-hand results, but SE1000 goes further. Process Clear is a balanced modifier that also reduces viscosity, serves as a transparent base, and works in 4-color process printing. SE1000 is optimized entirely for maximum softness at higher addition rates. For the softest possible plastisol print on premium cotton, SE1000 delivers a noticeably softer result. For process printing versatility, Process Clear is more practical.

How much SE1000 do I add for a truly soft print?

For a print that is genuinely difficult to feel on the garment, start at 40% SE1000 to 60% pigmented ink by weight. On 160–230 mesh through ringspun cotton, the cured print will have minimal surface presence. Trade-off is reduced opacity and color shift — plan your base color slightly darker and more saturated to compensate.

Is this the same as Fashion Base?

Different products in the same family. Fashion Base is a mixing vehicle — designed to receive small amounts of LB pigment to build custom fashion shades. SE1000 is a modifier added to existing fully pigmented inks to change their hand feel and viscosity. Fashion Base for color creation; SE1000 for maximum hand feel improvement.

Can I use Gentle Soft Base for water-based printing?

No — SE1000 is a plastisol-based product exclusively for use with plastisol inks.

Still have questions?

(512) 454-0505 · [email protected] · Mon–Fri 9am–5pm CT

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