Thermal transfer labels

How does thermal transfer printing work?

In thermal transfer printing, the color of the thermal transfer ribbon is transferred to the label by heat. This is ideal for printing barcodes, filling quantity or best-before dates at a later moment. For thermal transfer printing, you need a special thermal transfer printer with a high-quality thermal transfer ribbon. Due to its printing technology, thermal transfer printing can only print one color–the color of the ribbon used. Thermal transfer printing is much higher quality and more durable than direct thermal printing. Before printing thermal transfer labels at a later date, it’s a good idea to carry out a test run. Many factors influence the printing result. For example, the characters must not be too small, the label material must be suitable for the printing process, and the temperature must be correct to obtain a high-quality printed image. If the temperature is too low, ink transfer will not be optimal. But too much heat can also be detrimental to thermal transfer printing.

Thermal transfer label applications

You’ll find thermal transfer labels in all industries and fields of application, whether on bottles, jars or as conventional mailing labels. You can use thermal transfer labels to mark foodstuffs, appliances or other products. To apply the appropriate EAN code, best-before date or fill data to your labels as required, it’s easiest to buy high-quality pre-printed labels on rolls from a professional label printer and add information later with the thermal transfer printer. The choice of substrate, paper or film, depends to a large extent on the area of use of the labels and your quality requirements. You can choose between polyethylene (PE) film, polypropylene (PP) film or various types of paper.

Difference from direct thermal printing

Direct thermal printing uses a special paper equipped with colored pigments. It is carried out by a dedicated printer, in which a print head moves across the paper and heats it. In the heated areas, a chemical reaction occurs, and the special paper turns black. However, the printed result is highly sensitive to UV rays and fades rapidly.

Can I use the labels in my thermal transfer printer?

Not all label materials and finishings are compatible with thermal transfer printing, but we do offer a range of suitable films and coated papers designed for this printing method. In addition, a protective varnish should be used to ensure durability and print quality, as lamination is not compatible with thermal transfer printing.
However, this only applies to thermal transfer printing, not to direct thermal printing, for which you need special materials and can’t normally use protective varnish. Any questions? You can reach us by phone on +33 (0)4 81 68 19 73 or by e-mail at info@ labelletiquette.fr. We’ll be delighted to help!