Matsui Alpha Series Blue 072 C | Ready-for-Use Water-Based and Dischargeable bright vivid blue Ink — Print Straight from the Bucket or Mix Custom Pantone® Colors Using Your Pantone Book — No Software Required

Matsui

Matsui Alpha Series Blue 072 C
Matsui Alpha Series Blue 072 C

Matsui Alpha Series Blue 072 C is a ready-for-use (RFU) water-based hybrid ink that can be printed straight from the bucket as a bright vivid blue spot color OR blended with other Alpha Series colors to create custom Pantone®-matched shades — using your Pantone Formula Guide directly, no software required. Dual-mode ink: water-based on light garments, dischargeable on dark 100% cotton when activated with 3-8% Discharge Activator. No separate base needed — Alpha IS the complete ink. Part of the 16-color Alpha Series mixing system. Prints through mesh up to 230. Cure at 320°F (160°C). Flash at 160°F. Wet-on-wet capable. Cotton and cotton-poly blends. Light, medium, and dark fabrics. PVC-free. Ultra-soft hand feel.

Price range: $29.99 through $99.99

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SKU: Matsui Alpha Dark Blue-C-1 Category: Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Description

Alpha Series Blue 072 C — Ready for Use, No Base, No Software

Alpha Series Blue 072 C is a complete ink. Open the container and print.

Unlike Neo Pigments (which are pigment concentrates that MUST be mixed into a separate base), Alpha Blue 072 C is a ready-for-use ink that requires no base, no mixing software, and no pigment calculations. Print it straight from the bucket as a bright vivid blue spot color, or blend it with other Alpha colors following the formulas printed directly in your Pantone Formula Guide.

Alpha Blue 072 C fills a critical gap in the blue spectrum — brighter and more vivid than Reflex Blue C, but deeper and richer than Process Blue C. It is a clean, saturated blue that works as both a high-impact spot color and a key blending component. Blend with Reflex Blue C for darker corporate blues. Blend with Process Blue C for brighter, greener teals and cyans. Blend with Violet C for electric indigo. Blend with Dark Blue C for rich navy tones. Add Trans White C for sky blue, powder blue, and baby blue pastels. Add Black C for dark slate and midnight blue.

Two Modes — Water-Based on Lights, Discharge on Darks

Mode 1: Water-based on light and medium garments. Print Alpha Blue 072 C directly on white, ash, light-colored, or medium-colored cotton and cotton-poly blend garments. No activator needed. The ink deposits color on the fabric surface with an ultra-soft hand feel.

Mode 2: Discharge on dark 100% cotton. Add 3-8% Matsui or Printers Choice Discharge Activator by weight. The discharge chemistry removes the garment dye and replaces it with the Alpha color — embedded in the cotton fibers with zero surface buildup. 12-hour pot life once activated. 100% cotton with dischargeable (reactive) dyes only.

On dark garments WITHOUT discharge: Print over a white underbase. Use Under Base Blocker Gray (dark cotton) or Under Base Blocker Black LG (dark polyester/blends) under the white to prevent dye migration. Or print two hits with a flash in between.

How to Match Pantone® Colors — Book Formulas, No Software

Step 1: Customer selects a Pantone color from the Pantone Formula Guide.

Step 2: Open the book to the selected color. The formula is printed right there — showing pigment ratios by weight.

Step 3: Follow those ratios using Alpha Series colors. Weigh on a gram scale. Mix thoroughly.

Step 4: Print a test swatch on your actual garment. Compare to the Pantone page. Adjust if needed.

Important: Pantone book formulas are designed for ink on paper. Minor adjustments may be required for an exact visual match on fabric. Discharge ink colors shift upon complete curing — the wet color may differ from the final cured result. Always test before production.

Recommended Additives

Additive Dosage Production Problem It Solves
Discharge Activator (Matsui or Printers Choice) 3-8% ⚠️ REQUIRED FOR DISCHARGE MODE ONLY — enables discharge on dark 100% cotton. 12-hour pot life. Not needed on light garments.
Retarder MG 1-3% Ink drying in the screen — extends open time.
Fixer WF-N 1-3% Improved wash fastness.
Softener MG 1-5% Better fabric penetration and softer hand feel.
Fixer L 1-3% Low-curing fabrics or electric dryers.
Quick Additive 6-9% All-in-one — Retarder MG + Fixer WF-N + Softener MG. One additive, three benefits. Recommended for most jobs.

Browse the complete Matsui additive collection here.

Blocker Guide for Dark Garments (Water-Based Mode)

Level 1 — Under Base Blocker Gray: Dark cotton. Default starting point.

Level 2 — Under Base Blocker Black LG: Polyester, poly-blends, aggressive dye migration.

Level 3 — Kombat Blocker: Sublimation-printed polyester.

No blocker needed: Light garments and discharge mode.

48-hour test rule: Print, cure fully, wait 48 hours. If dye bleeds through, escalate blocker level.

⚠️ Discharge Rules — Alpha Series

100% cotton with dischargeable (reactive) dyes only. Does not discharge polyester or synthetics. On blends, only cotton threads discharge.

Discharge Activator required (3-8%). No activator = no discharge.

12-hour pot life once activated. Mix only what you need.

Cure at 320°F (160°C). Colors shift during curing — test fully cured swatches before production.

Ventilation recommended.

Water-resistant emulsions required. Chromaline CPTex or Hydro-X recommended.

The Full Alpha Series Family — 16 Colors

Alpha Color Role
Yellow 012 C Primary yellow.
Orange 021 C Primary orange.
Warm Red C Warm, orange-leaning red.
Red 032 C True primary red.
Rubine Red C Cool, blue-leaning red / crimson.
Rhodamine Red C Bright pink-red / magenta.
Purple C Primary purple.
Medium Purple C Mid-tone purple.
Violet C Deep blue-violet.
Dark Blue C Deep navy / dark blue.
Reflex Blue C Vivid blue. Common in corporate branding.
Blue 072 C (THIS PRODUCT) Bright vivid blue. Sits between Reflex Blue and Process Blue.
Process Blue C Cyan / process blue.
Green C Primary green.
Black C Mixing black / dark gray. Darkens other colors.
Spot Black C Opaque spot black for solid black prints.
Trans White C Translucent white. Lightens and pastelizes other Alpha colors.

Browse the complete Matsui Alpha Series collection here.

⚠️ Critical Contamination Warning

Alpha Series inks MUST be mixed in clean vessels using clean mixing blades and utensils. Any contamination from other ink sources or non-approved additives could cause Alpha inks to test positive for restricted PVCs.

Technical Specifications

Specification Detail
Product Name Matsui Alpha Series Blue 072 C
Type Ready-for-use (RFU) water-based / dischargeable hybrid ink. No base needed.
Ink System Matsui Alpha Series — 16-color RFU Pantone mixing system
Color Blue 072 C
Color Matching Pantone Formula Guide — book formulas directly. No software required.
Water-Based Mode Print directly on light/medium garments. No activator needed.
Discharge Mode Add 3-8% Discharge Activator for dark 100% cotton. 12-hour pot life.
Mesh Up to 230
Cure 320°F (160°C)
Flash 160°F
Printing Method Wet-on-wet capable
Substrates Cotton, cotton-poly blends. Light, medium, dark. Discharge: 100% cotton only.
Viscosity Ready for use — no modifications needed.
Emulsions Water-resistant (Chromaline CPTex or Hydro-X)
Storage 65°F to 95°F (18°C to 35°C). Avoid direct sunlight.
Cleanup Water and mild soap/detergent
Formulation PVC-free
⚠️ Contamination Mix in clean vessels only. Contamination may cause positive PVC tests.

Benefits at a Glance

  • Ready-for-use — print straight from the bucket, no base needed.
  • Blend with other Alpha colors using Pantone Formula Guide ratios — no software required.
  • Dual-mode: water-based on lights, discharge on dark 100% cotton (add activator).
  • Wet-on-wet capable.
  • Mesh up to 230.
  • Ultra-soft hand feel.
  • PVC-free.

Technical Sheets / Safety Data Sheets / Documents

Safety Data Sheet

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do I need a separate base to print Alpha Blue 072 C?

NO. Alpha Series inks are ready-for-use (RFU) — complete inks that print directly from the container. No base, no pigment calculations, no mixing software.

How do I match a Pantone® color?

Open your Pantone Formula Guide to the desired color. Follow the printed formula using Alpha Series colors and a gram scale. No software needed.

Can I print it on dark garments?

Yes, two ways: (1) Discharge mode — add 3-8% Discharge Activator on dark 100% cotton. (2) Water-based over white underbase with appropriate blocker on any dark fabric.

Can I blend it with other Alpha colors?

Yes — all 16 Alpha colors can be blended in any combination. Blue 072 C sits between Reflex Blue and Process Blue in the spectrum — brighter than Reflex, deeper than Process. Essential for vivid blue Pantone formulas that neither Reflex nor Process Blue can achieve alone.

What is the difference between Alpha and Neo Pigments?

Neo Pigments are concentrates that must be mixed into a separate base and require CMS software. Alpha Series are complete ready-for-use inks that use Pantone book formulas directly — no base, no software. Neo offers more base flexibility. Alpha offers simplicity and speed.

Does it need discharge activator on light garments?

No. On light garments, Alpha prints as standard water-based ink — no activator needed. Activator is only for discharge mode on dark 100% cotton.

What mesh should I use?

Up to 230 mesh.

What additives should I use?

Use Quick Additive (6-9%) for an all-in-one solution. Or individual additives: Retarder MG (1-3%), Fixer WF-N (1-3%), Softener MG (1-5%).

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