Producing inks that keep the color & the future of the planet bright for over 97 years!

Innovators of Eco-Friendly Water Based Ink & Color Changing Specialty

Phone
Phone: +1 (800) 359-5679
            +1 (310) 767-7812
Address
1501 West 178th Street
Gardena, CA 90248

The colorful history of Matsui International Company began in 1923, in Kyoto, Japan.

It was 1923, when Kenji Matsui started a paint business in Kyoto, Japan. In those early days, we started out by trading dyes, and after that making crayons and painting materials. By the 1950’s, we transitioned into the production of pigments and resins for printing. The crayons and paint materials we started out with, dyed into our new focus on textile printing.

By the 1980’s was a time for change & we created Chromicolor, our color changing specialty ink. In the early 1990’s we decided that most of our ink should be eco- friendly water based for textile screen printing. Since then, we are committed to stay true to the japanese tradition of seeking balance with nature, we believe this eco-friendly approach is what is best for having a sustainable environment for the future.

Matsui International Company, a family business that has solidified passing from generations offers a wide range of exclusive products where every product is manufactured with the finest quality and highest standard in reliability fulfilling the promise of excellence synonym in the world to our Japanese heritage.

kyotoPicture

97

Years in the industry

2488

Users in allover the world

3499

liters of ink produced

1230

Partner distributors
Matsui history

Meet the team

Masa Matsui

President

Yoshi Haga

Operations Manager

Jessee Martinez

ScreenPrinting & Digital Sales Mngr

Our colorful story begins in 1923

The passion for color begins in Japan

1923

Paint business is founded by late chairman Kenji Matsui in Kyoto, Japan

Exploration of a new path

1948

Production and sales of crayons and painting materials begin

1950

Starts production & sale of pigments and resins for printing

1953

Halt of production of crayons and painting materials to focus on textile printing business

Growth with a clear pathway for the future

1960

A major driving force of Matsui Company is born in Japan, first product, Active Carbon resin agent "Hirzitt"

1969

We enter paper transfer business

1970

Additional land is purchased in Kyoto and business develops into an early form of what we are today

1972

Completion of new plant, we are ready for an increased production and operation expansion

Strides of expansion

1980

Osaka branch was developed

1983

Tokyo sales branch is established with the introduction of thermo revealing change colorant Chromic color to the market.
Chromicolor is introduced on live TV at the NHK TV show "Ultra Eye"

1984

Sanrio introduces color changing colors in the US

1985

New York offices are established

1987

Mattel introduces color changing diecast cars in US

1987

Overseas affiliated company Matsui and Company, INC, was established in Los Angeles, USA.

Business is booming

1987

5 story Kyoto factory is completed & the 7th factory Nagoya sales plant is established

1988

Matsui & Company, Inc changes its name to Matsui International Co. Inc with a clear intention of international expansion

1990

Hyper color (color changing t-shirts) applied with Chromicolor™️ becomes a great hit in the US market propelling the next expansion of Matsui

1992

We move the new head office in Kamikazan, Yamashinaku, Kyoto

1993

As the head office moves, we take the advantage, expand our technical dept considerably and create the International development department. We are ready for the next wave of hyper-growht!

Continuous innovation continuous expansion

1996

Entering the business of wall-paper material

1998

The old showroom turns into an expanded site for production for the technical section.

1998

We incusionate into the transfer paper market in the US with Unimark®

1998

"LICCA" dolls a registered trade mark of TAKARA, Co. LTD applied with Chromicolor® become a great hit in the US market.

2001

Shangay office is established in China

2003

Added printing facilities to the 7th plant expansion to accommodate for Unimark® transfer paper business demands

New lines, new markets... expansion continues

2006

We add of Thermolock to our line of Products

2010

Dyestone is developed and introduced to the global market

2013

DigiAce is developed and patented

2014

We inagurate offices in Honduras & Hong Kong