Pigments for Printing

Pigments for Printing

In printing and packaging, visual impact drives consumer decisions at the point of sale. Effect pigments deliver the pearlescent luster, metallic sheen, interference colors, and color-shift drama that differentiate premium brands from commodity products. At Kolortek, we've spent two decades optimizing pearlescent and metallic pigments for the unique demands of commercial printing, packaging, and specialty applications — where low abrasion, fast drying, press compatibility, and food-contact compliance are non-negotiable.

Our printing pigments work across offset, screen, gravure, and flexographic processes. They're formulated for good transfer on paper, board, film, and foil; compatibility with alcohol and water dampening systems; and rub resistance for folding cartons, flexible packaging, labels, and rigid boxes. Particle size ranges from 5 to 700 μm, with fine grades (5–25 μm) suited to offset, medium grades (10–60 μm) for screen and gravure, and coarse grades (60–200 μm) for specialty applications. Typical loading rates run 5–15% for offset printing and 20–40% for intaglio/gravure with color-shift effects.

Product Series for Printing Inks

Our KT-100 Silver White Series is the most commonly used pearlescent pigment in printing inks worldwide, delivering clean, bright white pearl luster across all particle sizes. The KT-200 Interference Series produces gold, red, violet, blue, and green interference colors through precisely controlled TiO₂ layer thickness on natural mica — no added dyes required. The KT-300 Gold Series, coated with iron oxide, offers metallic gold, bronze, and copper tones with excellent hiding power and weatherability, eliminating the tarnishing and oxidation issues of traditional bronze powders.

For formulators seeking brighter, more ethical alternatives, our KT-7000 Synstar synthetic mica series delivers superior purity, enhanced sparkle, and a consistent supply chain free from natural mica variability. The KT-9000 Magic Chameleon Series produces dramatic multi-angle color shifts — ideal for luxury packaging and brand protection — with particle sizes from 5–25 μm to 100–250 μm. We also offer Chromashift pigments for smooth, continuous color transitions in security printing, EASP aluminum silver paste for mirror-like metallic effects on 3C panels and cigarette packaging, and biodegradable glitter options for sustainable overprint effects.

Applications

We serve commercial printers producing publications, promotional materials, and marketing collateral; packaging converters working with folding cartons, flexible film, and luxury rigid boxes; and specialty printers focused on greeting cards, book covers, menus, calendars, and premium stationery. Our pigments meet food-contact compliance requirements for direct and indirect food packaging, and our heavy metal content remains below international regulatory thresholds. ISO 9001:2015 certification, REACH registration for synthetic mica, and support for US FDA and EU food-contact frameworks give formulators the documentation needed for global distribution.

From our application lab, we provide formulation guidance, custom color matching, process optimization for offset through gravure, and cross-reference support for Merck Iriodin® equivalents. Whether you're developing a high-speed offset ink at 5% loading or a luxury chameleon package at 40%, we deliver batch-to-batch consistency, fast technical response, and the product range to match your process and your brand vision.