The release follows on from the launch of Magna’s environmentally friendly range of inks last April. 

The range, which is comprised of MagnaPrint Reflective SB, Reflective Clear, Reflective Crystal Clear, Reflective 3R Black and Reflective 3R Silver, is mainly for use on fashion garments, sportswear and some textiles. It is compatible with all screen printers.

Reflective is available from now at a UK cost of approximately £20/kg.

Managing director Tom Abbey said: “We’ve been working with big sports brands on lots of new developments and we’ve been trying to make as many special effects as we can.

“The amazing thing with these inks is you are actually taking a water-based ink, a small glass bead that’s half coated with an aluminium coating and you’ve then got to stick that to the water, which is incredibly difficult. It’s the fact we can do that and go through full 360° multiple wash durability that is quite unusual."

Abbey couldn’t reveal any buyers but he said one major retailer will soon be using Reflective inks on 60% of its garments. He also said Magna had been working closely with Nike and other big sports brands during the inks’ development phase.

He said he particularly likes the Reflective SB ink, which has incredibly good durability for washing.

The inks have a 12-month shelf-life, which Abbey said is about four months longer than most competitors’ inks.

Abbey was in praise of the research and development department in his Barnsley-based company, which makes up approximately one third of its workforce, and has been vital to the development Reflective.

He added: “We have very clever chemists that make sure they are working with raw materials that don’t contain formaldehyde or PVC or a lot of harmful chemicals. It’s constantly about making sure that we are ahead of the game.”