A Black Backdrop for Glowing Flowers: How the Radilys Photo Spot Got Rid of Gray, Wrinkled Backgrounds

Musou Black User Visits, CASE 002: Radilys
Where do our blacks actually get used? In this series we visit the people who use our materials and share what they told us.

This time we visited the team behind Radilys, a technology that makes real, fresh flowers glow. Radilys uses our black materials as the background for its displays.

A one-of-a-kind technology, "flowers that glow," meets our own specialty, "black that does not reflect." What kind of photo spot does that combination create? We share it here along with what the person in charge of Radilys told us.

What is Radilys?

Radilys is a technology in which fresh flowers absorb a special dye solution and then glow vividly under black light. In visible light you see the natural colors of the flowers; under black light, the glow seems to rise from inside the petals and leaves. It is a completely new way to show flowers.

👉 Radilys product page (in Japanese)

The usual problem with black backdrops: "an ordinary blackout curtain can't do this"

The photo spot in visible light (left) and under black light (right). Photos: our team

In the room stood a photo spot shaped like a frame bordered with fresh flowers. Visitors stand in the middle and have their picture taken: an interactive, visitor-participation booth.

The wall behind this photo spot is covered with our Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI. With a light absorption of about 99.9%, KIWAMI keeps reflections off the background in both visible light and black light, true to the display's concept, "the flower blooms twice," so the subject always looks its best.

"When you put an ordinary blackout curtain on the wall, it reflects light and looks grayish, and you can see the wrinkles. With KIWAMI, we can use the photos as they are, without editing. Until now we fixed them in editing software such as Photoshop, which sometimes took a lot of time."
— the person in charge of Radilys

These words sum up the real problems faced by anyone who needs a black backdrop. Put side by side, the difference looks like this:

Being able to skip post-shoot editing is a big advantage. It ties directly into designing the visitor experience, for example asking visitors to post their photos on social media right there on the spot.

"It's truly pitch black, just what you'd expect from a lab that specializes in black."
— the person in charge of Radilys

For a materials lab that works only on black, we could not ask for a better compliment.

Glowing flowers need a black that does not get in the way of the glow

Visible light (left) and black light (right). You can even see the fine veins of the leaves, an expression only possible with living flowers. Photos courtesy of Radilys

For a glowing technology like Radilys, the black of the background is not mere decoration. It is a prerequisite for showing the glow itself at its most beautiful.

If the background reflects even slightly, or has any tint of color, the eye is drawn away from the colors of the flowers and the light they give off. It is precisely because KIWAMI provides a black that is as close to nothing as possible that the glow of Radilys stands out with no noise. That was the point we felt most strongly during this visit.

For the tabletop, they chose a black carpet instead of KIWAMI

While the wall of the photo spot used KIWAMI, the table surface where objects are placed was covered with our black carpet material.

According to the person in charge, KIWAMI is ideal for walls, but on a surface where objects are placed it tends to keep marks. So for the tabletop they chose the carpet material, which they said still keeps the black more than deep enough.

• Walls and vertical surfaces → Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI (lightweight, suppresses reflection, no wrinkles)
• Tables and horizontal surfaces where objects sit → black carpet (durable, resists marks)

Heavy displays, such as an object in a glass dome, were also placed on the carpet. There is no worry about it creasing under the weight, or the pile flattening and reflecting light, so it keeps a stable black. That is a very practical lesson in choosing materials.

"KIWAMI for vertical surfaces, carpet for horizontal ones" seems to be a golden rule that keeps coming up in our user visits.

Our black carpet material (about 99.7% light absorption) is currently sold in Japan only. If you are interested in it for your project, please contact us.

Summary: black supports the beauty of glowing flowers

At Radilys, the one-of-a-kind technology of glowing flowers, combined with our black materials, created a photo environment that looks beautiful in both visible light and black light.

• Wall: Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI gives a background with no reflection and no wrinkles, and cuts editing work.
• Tabletop: the black carpet keeps a stable black that does not mark, even with heavy objects on it.

"Both the light and the colors of the flowers go really well with a black background."
— the person in charge of Radilys

If you are struggling with background reflections or time-consuming retouching at an exhibition photo spot or in product photography, please give our black materials a try.

Many thanks to the Radilys team for taking the time to talk with us. In our user visits, we will keep visiting the companies and creators who use our products and sharing how they use them.

The material in this article

Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI is our blackest fabric, absorbing about 99.9% of visible light. It is lightweight and easy to hang, which makes it a good fit for walls and other vertical backdrops.

Originally published in Japanese on July 10, 2026. Translated into English in October 2026.