Thermal transfer ribbons come in many ink formulations, and choosing the wrong one can result in useless labels. Print quality can be poor, the ink can smear or fade, and choosing the wrong ribbon can force operators to reduce the speed of their printers.

The proper ribbon formulation depends on the material being printing on. If you would like help choosing a label material, visit our label design considerations page.

There are three types of ribbon ink: wax, wax/resin, and resin.