The Ideal Black for Chroma Key Compositing: Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI, the World’s Blackest Fabric

Introducing Musou Black KIWAMI Fabric, the world’s blackest fabric, developed by The Black Market.

This article presents its application as a black screen for chroma key compositing.

Chroma key compositing is a widely used technique in video editing for combining different backgrounds. It works by making a specific color in the image transparent (a process called “keying”), allowing another image or video to be inserted in its place. Common examples include weather forecasts on news broadcasts and various scenes in films.

Typically, green or blue backdrops are used because these colors contrast well with human skin tones. However, there are several challenges with this approach:

• Subjects wearing blue or green may partially disappear during compositing.
• Pure white clothing can reflect lighting, which sometimes causes unwanted blue or green tints, leading to transparency issues.
• Strong lighting from multiple angles is often needed to eliminate unnatural shadows, increasing the complexity of setup.

To address these challenges, The Black Market offers KIWAMI Fabric, the blackest fabric in its product lineup.

Engineered with a vertically aligned pile structure, KIWAMI Fabric achieves an exceptional 99.9% light absorption in the visible spectrum. This makes it ideal for filming subjects that would otherwise be difficult to capture against standard blue or green screens.

Key benefits include:

• No interference from blue or green tones, enabling clean compositing of similar-colored subjects.
• Minimal reflection from lighting due to its high light absorption, reducing unwanted color spill and glare.
• Shadows are naturally minimized, as nearly all incident light is absorbed.
• Fewer lights are required on set, contributing to more energy-efficient setups.

A Powerful Tool for VTubers and Virtual Content Creators

For VTubers and digital content creators, KIWAMI Fabric offers an innovative and highly effective chroma key solution, especially in at-home or compact studio setups.

Because it removes the need to avoid certain clothing colors or worry about green/blue spill affecting virtual avatars, creators gain greater flexibility with wardrobe and lighting choices. The deep, non-reflective surface ensures the background remains invisible to the camera, resulting in cleaner cuts around the subject and smoother virtual overlays.

Its ease of use also makes it perfect for creators working in limited spaces. With simple mounting and no need for extensive lighting rigs, KIWAMI Fabric allows for professional-quality chroma key results without the complexity—making it an ideal solution for streamers and VTubers alike.

Example Video: Chroma Key Using KIWAMI Fabric

A demonstration video is available showing chroma key compositing using KIWAMI Fabric. Even a blue puppet — typically difficult to composite cleanly using blue screens — is composited smoothly, highlighting the effectiveness of this fabric.

KIWAMI Fabric is available for purchase from the official store in A4 sheet sizes for easy trial use. It is also offered in roll format (up to 1100mm in width), allowing for large-area installations.

As an alternative to traditional blue or green backdrops, KIWAMI Fabric provides a new, high-performance option for chroma key compositing—particularly in cases where color conflicts or lighting challenges are a concern.

KIWAMI Fabric solves these issues at the source. Cleaner subject isolation, fewer visual artifacts, and far less time spent troubleshooting lighting problems. You also won’t have to worry about what your subject is wearing. No more avoiding green tops or blue hair—KIWAMI Fabric does not interfere with colors, making it incredibly versatile for any shoot.

Ready to see what ultra-black can do for your content? Feel free to contact us at contact@the-black-market.com! See you in the next blog!