Matsui Infinity Series Black C | Ready-for-Use Water-Based Mixing Black / DARK GRAY Ink — NOT a True Black — Use for Darkening, Shading, and Muting Other Infinity Colors in Pantone Formulas — For Opaque Solid Black, Use Spot Black Instead

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Matsui Infinity Water Base Ink - Black C
Matsui Infinity Water Base Ink - Black C

⚠️ Matsui Infinity Series Black C is a MIXING BLACK / DARK GRAY — it is NOT a true, opaque black ink. Black C is designed to darken, shade, and mute other Infinity colors when blending custom Pantone® formulas. Printed on its own, Black C produces a DARK GRAY — not a solid, dense, opaque black. If you need solid opaque black for text, logos, or fills, use Infinity Spot Black, RC 301 Spot Black, or Alpha Spot Black C instead. Ready-for-use (RFU) semi-opaque water-based hybrid acrylic ink from the Matsui Infinity RFU Color Series. Blends with other Infinity colors using your Pantone Formula Guide directly — no software required. Mesh up to 305. Cure at 320°F (160°C). PVC-free. Ultra-soft hand feel. Part of the 17-color Infinity Series mixing system.

Price range: $29.99 through $79.99

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SKU: Matsui Infinity Black Category: Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Description

⚠️ Black C Is a DARK GRAY — NOT a True Black Ink

This is the single most important thing to understand about Infinity Black C: it is a MIXING BLACK that prints as a DARK GRAY, not as a solid, opaque, true black.

Black C exists in the Infinity system for one primary purpose: to darken, shade, and mute other Infinity colors when you are mixing custom Pantone® shades. Add small amounts of Black C to any Infinity color to make it darker, richer, and more muted — forest green, navy, burgundy, chocolate brown, charcoal, olive, dark teal, and every other dark Pantone shade that requires a black mixing component.

Printed on its own, Black C will NOT look like a solid black. It will appear as a dark charcoal/dark gray. If a customer orders “black” and you print with Black C alone, the result will be too light and gray. This is by design — Black C is formulated as a concentrated darkening agent for the mixing system, not as a standalone opaque black ink.

⚠️ If You Need Solid Opaque Black — Use One of These Instead

Product Type True Opaque Black? Best For
Black C (THIS PRODUCT) Infinity Series mixing color ❌ NO — prints as DARK GRAY Mixing only. Darkens/shades/mutes other Infinity colors in Pantone formulas.
Infinity Spot Black Infinity Series spot color ✅ YES — true opaque black Solid black text, logos, fills. RFU. Same Infinity system.
RC 301 Spot Black Matsui 301 base system ✅ YES — true opaque black Densest, most opaque water-based black. Maximum coverage.
Alpha Spot Black C Alpha Series spot color ✅ YES — true opaque black Opaque black + dischargeable on dark cotton. RFU. Alpha system.

Quick rule: If the job calls for “print this in black” — use Spot Black, RC 301, or Alpha Spot Black. If the Pantone formula says “add Black” to darken another color — use this product (Black C).

How Black C Works in Pantone Mixing

Black C appears in nearly every dark Pantone formula in the Pantone Formula Guide. When the book says “add Black” to a formula, it means this product — not an opaque black. Here are examples of what Black C creates when blended with other Infinity colors:

Black C + Green = forest green, hunter green, olive

Black C + Rubine Red = burgundy, maroon, wine

Black C + Red 032 = dark maroon, oxblood

Black C + Dark Blue = near-black navy, midnight

Black C + Purple = eggplant, dark plum

Black C + Orange 021 = chocolate brown, burnt umber

Black C + Yellow 012 = olive, dark khaki, army green

Black C + Violet = near-black violet, deep indigo

A small amount of Black C goes a long way. Start with less than the formula calls for and add gradually — it is easier to darken an ink further than to lighten it.

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

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

Step 2: Open the book to that color. The formula is printed right there — showing which colors to mix and at what ratios by weight.

Step 3: Weigh Infinity colors on a gram scale per the formula. Mix thoroughly in a clean container.

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

On Light Garments — Direct Print (Dark Gray, NOT Black)

⚠️ If you print Infinity Black C directly on a white garment, the result will be a DARK CHARCOAL / DARK GRAY — not a solid opaque black. This is normal and by design. If the job requires solid black, use Spot Black instead.

On Dark Garments — Over White Underbase

On dark garments, print a white underbase first (flash-cure it), then print Black C on top. The result will still appear as a dark gray over the white underbase — not a solid opaque black. Use Under Base Blocker Gray or Black LG under the white to prevent dye migration. Again: for solid black on darks, use Spot Black, RC 301 Spot Black, or Alpha Spot Black C.

Recommended Additives

Additive Dosage Production Problem It Solves
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.
Thickener B 0.25-1% Ink too thin — thickens viscosity.
RV Additive 1-3% Ink too thick — reduces viscosity.
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.

Infinity Series vs. Alpha Series — What Is the Difference?

Spec Infinity Series (This Product) Alpha Series
Type RFU water-based hybrid acrylic. Semi-opaque. Matte finish. RFU water-based / dischargeable hybrid.
Discharge capable? NO — water-based only YES — add Discharge Activator for dark 100% cotton
Color matching Pantone book formulas — no software Pantone book formulas — no software
Best for Light/medium garments. Shops that do not need discharge. Matte-finish fashion prints. Shops that need both water-based AND discharge capability from one ink system.

The Full Infinity Series Family — 17 Colors

Infinity Color Role
Yellow 012 Primary yellow.
Orange 021 Primary orange.
Warm Red Warm, orange-leaning red.
Red 032 True primary red.
Rubine Red Cool, blue-leaning red / crimson.
Rhodamine Red Bright pink-red / magenta.
Purple Primary purple.
Medium Purple Mid-tone purple.
Violet Deep blue-violet.
Dark Blue Deep navy / dark blue.
Reflex Blue Vivid blue. Common in corporate branding.
Blue 072 Bright vivid blue. Between Reflex Blue and Process Blue.
Process Blue Cyan / process blue.
Green Primary green.
Black C (THIS PRODUCT) Mixing black / DARK GRAY. Darkens and mutes other colors. NOT a true black.
Spot Black Opaque spot black for solid black prints. TRUE black.
Trans White Translucent white. Lightens and pastelizes other colors.

Browse the complete Matsui Infinity Series collection here.

⚠️ Contamination Warning

Infinity 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 Infinity Colors to test positive for restricted PVCs.

Technical Specifications

Specification Detail
Product Name Matsui Infinity Series Black C
Type Ready-for-use (RFU) semi-opaque water-based hybrid acrylic ink. No base needed.
Ink Series Matsui Infinity RFU Color Series — 17-color mixing system
Color Black C — MIXING BLACK / DARK GRAY. NOT a true opaque black. Prints as dark charcoal.
Primary Purpose Darkening, shading, and muting other Infinity colors in Pantone mixing formulas.
⚠️ For Opaque Black Use Infinity Spot Black, RC 301 Spot Black, or Alpha Spot Black C instead.
Color Matching Pantone Formula Guide — book formulas directly. No software required.
Opacity Semi-opaque with matte surface appearance. Prints as DARK GRAY, not solid black.
Mesh Up to 305
Cure 320°F (160°C)
Flash 160°F
Printing Method Wet-on-wet capable
Substrates Cotton, cotton-poly blends, polyester (with Under Base Blocker). Light and medium garments direct. Dark garments over white underbase.
Viscosity Ready for use — no modifications needed. Adjust with Thickener B or RV Additive if desired.
Storage 65°F to 95°F (18°C to 35°C). Avoid direct sunlight.
Cleanup Water and mild soap/detergent
Formulation PVC-free
Care Can be dry cleaned or ironed

Technical Sheets / Safety Data Sheets / Documents

Matsui Infinity Technical Data Sheet

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Is Black C a true black ink?

⚠️ NO. Black C is a MIXING BLACK that prints as a DARK GRAY / DARK CHARCOAL. It is designed to darken, shade, and mute other Infinity colors in Pantone formulas. It is NOT designed for solid black coverage. If you print Black C by itself, you will get a dark gray — not a solid, opaque, true black.

What should I use for solid opaque black?

For solid black text, logos, fills, or any job where the customer expects true black: use Infinity Spot Black (same RFU system), RC 301 Spot Black (densest coverage), or Alpha Spot Black C (opaque + dischargeable). All three deliver true, dense, opaque black.

When do I use Black C instead of Spot Black?

Use Black C when a Pantone formula calls for “Black” as a mixing component — to darken greens into forest green, reds into burgundy, blues into navy, oranges into brown, etc. Use Spot Black when you need to PRINT solid black as the final printed color. Quick rule: mixing = Black C, printing black = Spot Black.

Why does Pantone book Black produce a dark gray and not a true black?

The Pantone Formula Guide system uses “Black” as a tinting/shading component that gets mixed in small ratios with other colors. It is formulated to darken efficiently without overpowering the other colors in the mix. A true opaque black formulation would be too concentrated and would dominate any formula — making precise shade adjustments impossible. That is why all Pantone mixing systems (Matsui, plastisol, solvent) have a separate mixing black and a separate spot black.

Can I blend it with other Infinity colors?

Yes — that is its primary purpose. Black C appears in nearly every dark Pantone formula. Blend with Green for forest green, Rubine Red for burgundy, Red 032 for maroon, Dark Blue for midnight navy, Purple for eggplant, Orange 021 for chocolate brown, Yellow 012 for olive. A small amount goes a long way — start with less and add gradually.

Do I need a separate base?

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

What is the difference between Infinity and Alpha Series?

Both are RFU mixing systems that use Pantone book formulas with no software. The key difference: Alpha Series is dischargeable (add activator for dark 100% cotton). Infinity Series is water-based only — it cannot discharge.

What mesh should I use?

Up to 305 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%). Adjust viscosity with Thickener B (0.25-1%) or RV Additive (1-3%).

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