VL Flock Sheet — Visible-Light Absorbing Fabric | Musou Black
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Cost-performance leader in the visible spectrum
Cost-performance is the whole point of VL Flock Sheet: it's built to make a large visible-light surface disappear at an accessible price. At 550nm (the wavelength the human eye is most sensitive to), it holds 0.3% total reflectance, a look that reads as flat, uniform black under normal lighting.
The chart below plots VL Flock Sheet against Musou Black Paint and a representative competitor product (a velvet-surface blackout material commonly sold for photography and lighting applications) measured under the same conditions.
Across most of the visible range, both VL Flock Sheet and Musou Black Paint hold a lower reflectance than the competitor material shown here, VL Flock Sheet the lowest of the three up to roughly 700nm, past which it rises sharply while Musou Black Paint stays comparatively flat. All three climb further as wavelength increases past this chart's range, since none of them is built or rated for near-infrared suppression. If your project needs low reflectance further into the near-infrared (LiDAR, IR cameras, NIR spectrometers), see IR Flock Sheet instead.
All reflectance values are total hemispherical reflectance measured at 8° angle of incidence (AOI) using an integrating-sphere spectrophotometer (Shimadzu SolidSpec-3700DUV) at the Tokyo Metropolitan Industrial Technology Research Institute. This is reference data, not a guaranteed specification.
An untreated dashboard (left) reflects strongly into the windshield. Lined with VL Flock Sheet (right), that reflection all but disappears, a common DIY treatment, though the material carries no automotive-interior safety certification, so use is at your own discretion.
A flocked fabric built around one idea: overwhelming cost-performance
VL Flock Sheet is made by electrostatically flocking an upright nylon pile onto a woven rayon backing fabric. It's a simple, low-cost construction (no rare fibers, no exotic coatings), which is exactly what keeps the price down without giving up the absorption that matters most for a black background: what the human eye actually sees.
It's available with or without an acrylic adhesive backing, and can be cut with ordinary scissors or a rotary cutter (a standard utility knife is not recommended), sewn, or precision-cut to custom shapes through our laser/plotter cutting service.
Folded back on itself, without adhesive; the plain rayon backing fabric is visible underneath the pile.
Standing upright from the backing fabric, the electrostatically flocked nylon pile traps incoming light through repeated multi-angle internal reflection until it's absorbed, the same structural principle behind all of our flocked and velvet fabrics. Because that principle doesn't depend on any single exotic material, VL Flock Sheet reaches a high absorption rate at an accessible price.
The trade-off shows up at the edges of the visible spectrum and beyond: reflectance rises past roughly 700nm, and the fabric isn't built for near-infrared suppression, cleanroom environments, or antistatic handling; see the specification table below for where those limits sit.
VL Flock Sheet technical data
DOWNLOAD DATA SHEET →Source: VL Flock Sheet Technical Data Sheet, Musou Black | Koyo Orient Japan Co., Ltd., 2026.05
This document is for reference only and does not constitute a guaranteed value, Musou Black TDS, 2026.05
- Product edges: due to the manufacturing process, approximately 20mm along both long edges may be unflocked or contain punch holes. Our standard 950mm width accounts for this; please factor the trimmed margin into your usable-area planning.
- Water contact: not water-resistant, and this is more than a minor caveat; moisture flattens the pile, and once flattened it does not spring back on drying. The mark is effectively permanent. We don't recommend water contact, submersion, or attempting to wash the fabric.
- Dust & cleanrooms: in independent third-party particle-emission testing, VL Flock Sheet generated more particulate under contact/impact conditions than any other fabric or foam in our lineup. For cleanrooms, precision optics, or dust-sensitive equipment interiors, our FINESHUT polyurethane-foam series is the right choice instead.
- Static: surface resistivity is in the insulating range with no antistatic treatment, and measured static behavior (friction voltage, charge half-life) is also the highest in our fabric lineup. For static-sensitive electronics or precision-equipment environments, our FINESHUT series or Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI measure meaningfully better.
- Care: if creases or a flattened pile appear, apply steam from the back only; keep the iron itself off the pile surface.
- Cutting: a standard utility knife is not recommended; scissors, a rotary cutter, or our precision laser/plotter cutting service (down to 0.1mm) all work well.
The visible-light black behind ground-based tracking experiments
Aerospace engineering research groups at Nagoya University and Meijo University have used VL Flock Sheet in flyby celestial-tracking and satellite attitude-determination experiments, to cut down stray light bouncing back into their optical setups during ground testing.
These are visible-light, ground-based testing environments, human-eye and standard-camera stray light, not sensor-specific near-infrared work. If your project needs near-infrared suppression instead, our IR Flock Sheet covers that separately.
Large-area visible-light control, at a workable cost
- Photography backgrounds and simple darkrooms for large-area reflection control
- Academic specimen and fossil photography, used by university paleontology research groups for higher tonal contrast
- Fan-goods and idol-uchiwa backgrounds for stronger visual contrast under stage lighting
- Wet-plate and other classic photography studio backdrops
- University aerospace-engineering tracking and attitude-determination experiments
- Ground-based, visible-light space-simulation darkrooms
- 3D-scanning backdrop for metal parts, reducing stray-light noise in scan data
- General optical testbeds needing an inexpensive, large-area black surface
- DIY dashboard anti-reflection lining (not an automotive-certified material; use at your own discretion)
- Aquarium and display-case background panels
- Laser-cut screw-head-concealment stickers for interior fit-out panels (adhesive version)
- High-wear mats and jigs for image-inspection equipment, where the fabric outlasted a foam alternative in one documented field case, not a formal wear test
FAQ
What's the difference between VL Flock Sheet and Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI?+
Both are visible-light flocked/velvet fabrics, but they sit at different points on the cost-versus-blackness curve. VL Flock Sheet reaches 0.3% reflectance at 550nm at a lower cost and is easier to cut and handle; Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI reaches roughly 0.1% (noticeably darker) at a higher price point. Choose KIWAMI when the absolute darkest possible black is the requirement; choose VL Flock Sheet when cost and ease of handling matter more than that last fraction of a percent.
What's the difference between VL Flock Sheet and IR Flock Sheet or the FINESHUT series?+
VL Flock Sheet and Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI are optimized purely for the visible spectrum; both climb sharply in reflectance past roughly 700nm. IR Flock Sheet is a separate, near-infrared-optimized flocked fabric built to stay low well past 1000nm, and our FINESHUT polyurethane-foam series adds very low particle-shedding for cleanroom and precision-optics use. If your application touches LiDAR, IR cameras, or NIR sensors, or needs to sit inside a cleanroom, one of those is the better fit.
What is the operating/heat-resistant temperature?+
There's no official heat-resistance rating, but in practice we've seen it used without issue in the 60–80°C range. That isn't a guaranteed value; please confirm with a sample before committing to a hot environment. In our own dashboard test (27°C ambient, 1 hour of direct sun), an untreated dashboard reached 65.4°C; with VL Flock Sheet laid over it, 66.9°C, only 1.5°C higher, and a smaller rise than a named commercial black-fabric product we tested under the same conditions (+2.2°C).
Can you cut non-standard sizes or complex shapes?+
Yes. Through our precision cutting service, we can laser- or plotter-cut your design, from a single prototype to full production runs, based on your CAD or design data.
Is a version with adhesive available?+
Yes. VL Flock Sheet is available both with an acrylic adhesive backing and without; see the specification table above and choose the type that fits your application.
Is VL Flock Sheet suitable for cleanroom or dust-sensitive equipment?+
No. We'd actively steer you away from it for this use. In independent third-party particle-emission testing, VL Flock Sheet generated more particulate under contact/impact conditions than any other fabric or foam in our lineup. For cleanrooms, precision optics, or dust-sensitive equipment interiors, our FINESHUT polyurethane-foam series is the right choice instead.
Is VL Flock Sheet antistatic?+
No. Its surface resistivity is in the insulating range with no antistatic treatment, and its measured static behavior (charge half-life and friction voltage) is also the most static-prone among our fabric lineup. For static-sensitive electronics or precision-equipment environments, our FINESHUT series or Musou Black Fabric KIWAMI measure meaningfully better.
Is VL Flock Sheet water-resistant?+
No, and this is more than a minor caveat: moisture flattens the pile, and once flattened it does not spring back on drying; the mark is effectively permanent. We don't recommend water contact, submersion, or attempting to wash the fabric.
Is VL Flock Sheet flame-retardant?+
No. It carries no flame-retardant certification and will ignite in direct contact with an open flame. Keep it away from candles, cigarettes, and other ignition sources. If your application (a stage, event venue, or exhibition booth, for example) requires flame-retardant certification, our Musou Black Fabric FR is built and certified for exactly that.
Can VL Flock Sheet be used as a car dashboard cover?+
As a DIY treatment, yes, cutting a piece to the dashboard's shape and laying it in place is a common use, and our own testing found only a modest heat increase (see the heat question above). That said, VL Flock Sheet has no automotive-interior safety certification, so this is entirely a self-directed, at-your-own-risk installation. Take care not to cover sensors, airbag panels, or air vents.
Is "VL Flock Sheet" a trademarked name? Are there other, unrelated products sold under a similar name?+
The name we sell this product under domestically describes its function rather than a brand, so it isn't trademarked, and other sellers list similar-sounding flocked black fabrics under their own brand names. If you're comparing a listing you found elsewhere against this page, please confirm the seller and product code directly with us; we can't speak to the construction or performance of unrelated third-party products.
Do you provide product samples, and what about bulk pricing?+
We don't provide free samples, but you can purchase a standard cut size starting at A4 from our online store with no minimum order, an easy way to evaluate the material firsthand. For high-volume or roll-quantity orders, please contact us with your project details.
Are there export restrictions on VL Flock Sheet?+
No special export controls apply; unlike our near-infrared-absorbing products, VL Flock Sheet is optimized purely for the visible spectrum and doesn't carry infrared-absorption characteristics that would bring it under catch-all export-control review. Standard shipping restrictions still apply: we're unable to ship to PO boxes or military addresses.
Do you provide a certificate of conformance or test report with each shipment?+
No. We don't issue a formal certificate of conformance or lot report as standard, and we don't perform lot-by-lot verification testing. If you need supporting documentation, we can prepare a paid measurement report based on a sample from your order, covering the properties we're equipped to measure in-house (reflectance and thickness); testing beyond that scope, or third-party lab testing, is also available on request, with timeline and cost to be discussed separately.
Musou Black | Koyo Orient Japan Co., Ltd.
VL Flock Sheet is developed and manufactured by Musou Black, a black-materials specialist brand founded in 2020 as an in-house venture of Koyo Orient Japan Co., Ltd., based in Ageo, Saitama, Japan.
Driven by a mission to solve light-reflection problems across industry and art, Musou Black combines world-class light-absorption technology with small-lot accessibility, serving customers in over 60 countries. VL Flock Sheet has been adopted by university aerospace-engineering research groups for stray-light control in ground-based tracking experiments.
Let's spec your project.
From photography studios to space-simulation darkrooms, our team can help confirm whether VL Flock Sheet is the right fit for your budget and performance needs, and advise on adhesive selection, custom cutting, and volume pricing.
Whether you're asking "will this hold up to daily handling in our studio?" or "can you cut this to our CAD file?", reach out and we'll give you a straight answer.
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