The 3 Types of Thermal Transfer Ribbons: Wax, Wax-Resin and Resin

If your labels print with a thermal transfer printer, the ribbon is doing as much work as the label. It is the ribbon's ink that ends up on the label, so the ribbon decides how well the barcode and text hold up to rubbing, heat, moisture and chemicals.

There are three types of thermal transfer ribbon: wax, wax-resin and resin. They are not interchangeable. The right choice is not about which one is "best." It depends on the label material you print on and the harshest conditions that label will face.

Wax ribbons

Wax ribbons are the most economical option and print at high speed. The trade-off is durability. Wax has the lowest resistance of the three to friction, heat and chemicals.

Wax is ideal for paper labels. It is a good fit for labels that live a short, gentle life: shipping and distribution labels, retail tags, and general inventory labels that stay indoors and are not handled roughly.

Where wax falls short is on synthetic materials. A standard wax ribbon should not be paired with synthetic films or used where labels see heavy abrasion.

Wax-resin ribbons

Wax-resin ribbons blend wax and resin ingredients to balance cost and durability. They give better smudge and scratch resistance than wax, but less scratch, heat and solvent resistance than resin.

Wax-resin is the most versatile of the three. It prints on almost all label materials, from vellum and coated paper to synthetics like polypropylene, polyethylene and polyester, and it prints about as fast as most wax ribbons.

That makes wax-resin a common choice for labels with moderate exposure: some handling, some moisture, some temperature change, over a medium-term life.

Resin ribbons

Resin ribbons are the toughest. They offer the highest durability and resist solvents, heat and abrasion far better than wax or wax-resin.

Resin is made for synthetic labels such as polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene. On polyester, resin gives the most durable print. Wax will not bond well to it, and some wax-resin ribbons work on specific polyester grades, so check the label maker's recommendation.

Resin generally prints more slowly than wax and costs more. For labels that face chemicals, heat or heavy abrasion, the extra durability is the point.

Wax vs. wax-resin vs. resin at a glance

How to choose the right ribbon

Start with two questions:

1. What is the label made of? Paper points to wax. Coated paper or common synthetics point to wax-resin. Polyester and other demanding synthetics point to resin.

2. What is the harshest condition it will face? Think about the worst day in the label's life, not the average day: solvents or cleaning chemicals, heat, outdoor exposure, or constant handling. The tougher the condition, the further you move toward resin.

Then confirm the ribbon fits your printer. Printers differ in printhead technology (flat head or near edge), core size, and which side of the ribbon must be coated. A mismatch can mean poor print quality or no print at all.

Match the ribbon to the label and its harshest condition, and the barcode will keep scanning for as long as the label needs to last.

Pro tip: run the ribbon slightly wider than the label

Use a ribbon that is wider than the label, and measure the label width including the liner. The ribbon sits between the printhead and the label stock. Thermal transfer media can abrade the printhead if it touches it directly, and if the ribbon is narrower than the media, parts of the printhead are left unprotected and can wear prematurely.

A ribbon that is slightly wider than the label protects the full print area of the printhead. That small detail adds up to fewer printhead replacements and less downtime.

Need the right labels and ribbons?

SPE Labels supplies custom labels, barcode labels and thermal transfer ribbons matched to

your printer, your label material and the conditions your labels face. SPE is ISO 9001:2015 certified and a WBENC-certified women's business enterprise, based in Plano, TX and serving DFW.

Not sure whether you need ribbons at all? Read our guide to direct thermal vs. thermal transfer labels, or browse everything we label on the SPE Labels home page.

See our thermal transfer labels and printer ribbons, or request a quote and tell us what you print on, which printer you run, and where your labels end up.