The most cost effective thermal ribbon is known as “WAX”.
Wax is suitable when longevity of print is not required, as as it is 100% wax based, the thermal image smudges very easily.
We recommend this grade for paper labels.

The most common thermal ribbon is “WAX RESIN”.
As the name suggests, this thermal printer ribbon grade is a mixture of wax and resin. The resin in a thermal ribbon is what gives it better scratch and smudge resistance, so it is best for logistic labels or food packaging applications.

Within the grade wax resin, there are several variations which have different resin content levels. Depending on how much resistance you require you may be able to use a lower cost alternative which is often as good as the premium brands like Ricoh.
We recommend this grade for paper labels, and some synthetics where it will not be exposed to harsh conditions.

The most premium & the most expensive is “FULL RESIN”.
Full resin thermal ribbons are designed for applications where the longevity of print is critical, or where the label will be exposed to harsh conditions such as rain, chemicals from automotive industries or essential oils, cook in the bag, freezing etc.

As there is a wide range of harsh conditions, it is common for full resin ribbons to have many different formulations for specific applications, and we always recommend they should be tested.
We recommend this grade only for synthetic labels.