Soft foamed silicone prints on textiles A puff print is a silicone print that swells during curing into a soft, raised print. You add a foaming additive to the silicone print paste. In the oven the additive expands, creating a light, elastic foam structure that is just as wash-resistant as...
Soft foamy silicone print on textile (1)
Soft foamed silicone prints on textiles
A puff print is a silicone print that swells during curing into a soft, raised print. You add a foaming additive to the silicone print paste. In the oven the additive expands, creating a light, elastic foam structure that is just as wash-resistant as a regular silicone print.
Puff is widely used for logos, lettering and effects on sweaters, T-shirts, children's clothing and merchandise.
⚠️ Temporarily an information page
Apart from SILME-Foam 20, the products on this page are not yet available in our webshop. They can, however, be supplied on request through our suppliers. Send us your application, the textile and the required quantity, and we will prepare a quotation or arrange a sample.
How a silicone puff print works
- →Mix the foaming additive into a 2K addition-curing silicone print paste.
- →Print the paste with a relatively thick stencil, so there is enough material to swell.
- →Cure in the oven: the heat makes the additive expand while the silicone crosslinks at the same time.
- →You control height and texture through the dosage, the layer thickness and the temperature.
Suitable products
| Brand | Product | Properties according to manufacturer | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nanotech | SILME-Foam 20 | Foaming additive for textile silicones, makes the print swell at elevated temperature | In our range, price on quotation |
| Nanotech | SILME 5700 BASE + SILME-6160 CATALYST | Base for textile printing, as a carrier for the foaming additive, 100:3 | On request |
| CHT | ALPAPRINT FOAM ADD | Foam concentrate for 2K silicones, dosage 0.5 to 10%, foams at 80 to 120 °C | On request |
| CHT | ALPAPRINT CLEAR NG / WHITE NG + ALPAPRINT CAT | Print pastes as the basis for the puff print | On request |
CHT also offers water-based puff pastes (PRINTPERFEKT EX-AR and EX-FF). These are not silicones and have different properties.
Tips for a good puff print
- ✓Start with a low dosage of foaming additive and increase in small steps until you reach the desired height.
- ✓Keep layer thickness and oven temperature constant, otherwise the height will vary from print to print.
- ✓Too much additive or too high a temperature gives a coarse, open structure that wears faster.
- ✓Colour the base first and add the foaming additive last.
- ✓Test on your own fabric, and only stretch and wash the print after a full cure.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use SILME-Foam 20 in any silicone?
The additive is intended for textile silicones that cure at elevated temperature. It does not work in the same way in mould-making casting silicones or RTV-1 silicones. Preferably combine it with a textile base such as SILME 5700.
How high does a puff print get?
That depends on the dosage, the layer thickness and the curing temperature. Run a test series with different dosages on your own fabric.
Is a puff print wash-resistant?
A properly cured silicone puff print is wash-resistant. Due to the foam structure, however, it is more sensitive to abrasion than a flat print.
Related categories
Request SILME-Foam 20 or a puff system
Email info@siliconesandmore.com or call +31 (0)85 485 83 11, Monday to Thursday 08:30 to 17:00, Friday 08:30 to 15:00 (CET).
Product information is based on the manufacturers' technical data sheets, brochures and websites (as of September 2026). Values are typical values and not a specification. Always consult the current TDS and test on your own textile and process. ELASTOSIL is a trademark of Wacker Chemie AG, ALPATEC and ALPAPRINT are trademarks of CHT, SILME and CSILFLEX are trademarks of Nano Tech Chemical Brothers.