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Premium Reflective Silicone Ink for High-Visibility Screen Printing
- MOQ: Standard Items: 20 KG (1 Pail) / Custom Pantone Colors: 200 KG
- Lead Time (Shipping Time):
Ready-to-Ship: 3-5 business days
Bulk Orders (>500KG): 7-14 business days
Custom Formulations: 15-20 business days
High-Visibility Prints Without Stiffness or Cracking
Engineered with high-refractive-index glass microbeads suspended in a highly elastic silicone matrix, our premium reflective silicone series offers an ultra-soft hand feel, extreme 4-way stretch, and reliable wash durability. It effectively overcomes the common challenges of stiffness and poor breathability when adding reflective features to high-stretch materials.
Designed for rigorous physical activities, this advanced ink turns high-visibility branding into both a crucial safety feature and a striking design element. It is the ideal solution for nighttime marathon gear, urban cycling apparel, and flash-photography streetwear, ensuring wearers remain safely visible and comfortable in any low-light environment.
Contact us for wholesale prices to improve the quality of your textile printing.
Core Features & Performance
Engineered to elevate your high-visibility printing and activewear quality.
Brilliant Retro-Reflectivity
Formulated with premium microbeads (Refractive Index Nd ≥ 1.93), delivering outstanding “candlepower” visibility when illuminated by headlights or camera flashes.
Extreme Elasticity
Moves seamlessly with Lycra, Spandex, and compression wear. Supports over 400% stretch and recovers instantly, effectively resisting micro-cracking during rigorous movement.
Premium Soft Touch & Wash Durability
Leaves a smooth, integrated finish that moves naturally with the fabric. The silicone matrix encapsulates the lower half of the glass beads for a secure lock, reliably passing 50+ wash cycles at 60°C without dulling.
Silver-Grey & Custom Colors
Naturally appears as a sleek silver-grey in daylight, reflecting bright white in low-light conditions. Can be lightly tinted with specific silicone pigments to meet custom design requirements.
Tech Identity & Compliance
| Property | Value / Description |
| Product Name | High-Elasticity Textile Screen Printing Silicone |
| Synonyms | Silicone Ink, Stretch Silicone, HD Silicone, Anti-Slip Silicone, Textile Printing Rubber. |
| Key Components | Polydimethylsiloxane (Base), Barium Titanate Glass Microbeads. |
| Appearance | Silver-Grey Viscous Paste |
| Viscosity | 120,000 – 150,000 cps |
| Reflectivity Index | > 350 cd/(lx·m²) |
| Mesh Recommendation | 80 – 100 Mesh (32T – 40T) ONLY (Critical for bead passage) |
| Hardness (Shore A) | 25 – 30 (Soft & Flexible) |
| Curing System | Heat Cure (Platinum Catalyst System) |
| Mixing Ratio | 10:1 (Base : Catalyst) |
| Pot Life | 4-6 Hours @ 25°C |
| CAS No. | 63394-02-5 (Polydimethylsiloxane base) / Proprietary Formulations |
| EINECS | 264-131-3 |
| HS Code | 3910000000 (Silicones in primary forms) |
| Certifications | EN ISO 20471 Compliant (High-Visibility Clothing), OEKO-TEX Standard 100 Class I, ZDHC Level 3, PVC-Free, Heavy-Metal Free. |
| Packaging | 5KG, 20KG, 25KG plastic pails. (Sample 1KG kits available) |
| Storage | Store in a cool, dry area (10°C – 30°C). Important: Glass beads are heavy and will settle at the bottom of the bucket over time. Always stir thoroughly from the bottom up before use. Shelf Life: 12 Months. |
| Safety Information | Non-toxic, low odor, non-flammable. Safe for standard air/sea freight. (MSDS provided). |
Operational Process
Printing reflective silicone requires specific techniques to ensure the glass beads function correctly. Follow this B2B professional workflow:
1.Mesh Selection (Crucial)
You MUST use a low mesh count: 80-100 mesh (32T-40T). If you use a fine mesh (like 150+ mesh), the screen will filter out the reflective microbeads, and your print will just be plain grey silicone!
2.Underbase & Mixing
Underbase: Print 2 layers of standard Clear or White Silicone as an underbase. A white underbase acts as a mirror, bouncing light back up through the beads, significantly increasing the final brightness.
Mixing: Mix Reflective Silicone Base + Catalyst (10:1). Stir gently but thoroughly.
3.Printing the Reflective Layer & Flashing
Printing the Reflective Layer:
Print 2 strokes of the Reflective Silicone over the underbase.
Use a softer squeegee (65 durometer) to lay down a thick deposit.
Flashing: Flash at 100°C – 120°C for 10 seconds.
4.WARNING (NO TOPCOAT) & Final Cure
WARNING (NO TOPCOAT): Do NOT print a glossy or matte clear silicone over the reflective layer! Covering the print will “bury” the glass beads, destroying the retro-reflective effect. The reflective ink must be the final exposed layer.
Final Cure: Bake in a tunnel dryer at 150°C for 2-3 minutes.
Applications & Fabrics
Comparison: Reflective Silicone vs. Alternatives
| Feature | Our Reflective Silicone | Reflective HTV (Vinyl) | Reflective Water-Based Ink |
| Elasticity | ★★★★★ (High Stretch) | ★ (Restricts fabric) | ★★ (Cracks easily) |
| Breathability | High (Screen printed mesh) | Zero (Solid plastic block) | Moderate |
| Durability | Excellent (Chemical bond) | Prone to peeling edges | Fades after washing |
| Production Speed | Fast (Inline printing) | Slow (Plotter cutting/weeding) | Moderate |
Customer Case Study
Client: A Premium Cycling Apparel Brand in California, USA.
The Pain Point: They were using Reflective Heat Transfer Vinyl (HTV) for logos on their high-compression bib shorts. The vinyl couldn’t stretch with the Lycra, causing it to peel at the edges and feel like a stiff board against the rider’s leg.
The Solution: Transitioned to our High-Stretch Reflective Silicone.
The Outcome:
Achieved a 400% stretch rate with zero cracking.
The “barely-there” soft feel drastically improved rider comfort.
Production costs dropped by 15% because they eliminated the labor-intensive “weeding” process required for HTV.
FAQ – Troubleshooting
A: Yes, you can add up to 5% of silicone color pigment. However, be aware that adding color coats the glass beads and absorbs light. A dark pigment (like black) will reduce the retro-reflectivity by up to 50%. For maximum brightness, use the natural Silver-Grey state.
A: This usually happens for two reasons: You applied a clear topcoat over the design. The beads must be exposed to the air to bend and reflect light back to the source. You used a mesh count that was too high (e.g., 200 mesh), which filtered out the glass beads. You only printed the clear base.
A: Absolutely. But because waterproof nylon (treated with DWR) repels standard inks, you must first print 1-2 layers of our Nylon Bonding Silicone (Linker/Primer) as the underbase, flash it, and then apply the reflective silicone.
A: No, this is a direct screen-printing liquid ink. It cures via an industrial tunnel dryer or oven. If you are looking for heat press solutions, check out our Reflective Silicone Heat Transfers.
A: Yes, this is a highly sought-after premium effect in modern streetwear! However, do not try to build the 3D thickness using the Reflective Silicone itself—it is not cost-effective and the dense glass beads may prevent proper deep curing in very thick layers. The Pro Method: Build your desired 3D height (e.g., 0.5mm – 1mm) using our standard High-Density (HD) Clear Silicone. Once your 3D structure is built, print just 1 to 2 thin layers of the Reflective Silicone perfectly on top as the final finish.
A: While our silicone matrix forms an incredibly strong mechanical grip on the glass microbeads, the top half of the beads must remain exposed to the air to reflect light. Harsh chemicals can etch or scratch the microscopic glass surfaces, dulling the “flash” effect over time. Always advise your garment buyers to include a care label stating: Machine wash cold inside out, do not use bleach, and NEVER dry clean. Traditional dry-cleaning solvents will instantly strip the reflective coating off the glass beads, turning the print permanently dull.
































