Matching your thermal transfer ribbon to your label material helps prevent faint prints, rubbing, chemical damage, and premature printhead wear. You can reduce unnecessary ribbon use by testing samples, adjusting darkness settings, and using Ribbon Save on compatible printers.

What we’ll cover:

Why ribbon and label matching matters

Ink ribbons vary and don’t suit all label materials.

Many people don’t realise the importance of getting a good match between the ribbons and labels they use. 

If you don’t get it right, your labels will look faint or too black, print will rub off, and you could be in line for an expensive surprise when your printhead burns out months or years before it should. If you work with chemicals, the print can disappear if splashed by chemical solvents.

If you are already seeing printer or printhead wear, our spare parts and preventative maintenance services can help keep the line running smoothly.

ALS Identify can help. Use our tips below:

Test before you commit

Darkness settings and ribbon types

What is Ribbon Save and how does it cut waste?

Labels often get printed with only a small amount of information, such as expiration dates, barcodes, or other variable data. 

In common label printing methods such as thermal transfer printing, the ribbon and label material pass the printing process at the same time, so ribbon consumption is the same as the label material, resulting in excess ribbon waste. 

However, when using the Ribbon Save function it ensures that only as much ribbon as necessary gets used, helping to reduce waste and saving you both ribbon and money.

Ribbon usage and material savings

Reducing unnecessary thermal transfer ribbon use can cut consumable waste and help your labelling operation use materials more efficiently.

Which ALS Identify printers support Ribbon Save?

Our XPA 93X print-and-apply system and many of our industrial label printers have the Ribbon Save function.

See Ribbon Save in action below:

Smarter ribbon usage saves money and materials

Getting the right match between your printer ribbon and label material helps prevent faded text, rubbing, and early printhead damage.

When the correct ribbon type is combined with Ribbon Save on a compatible printer, you use less unused ribbon while keeping print quality consistent.

For help matching materials or choosing compatible equipment, contact ALS Identify about your labelling setup or request a quote.

See our full labelling, identification, and conveyor products range if you want to compare compatible systems.

Frequently asked questions about thermal transfer ribbons and sustainable printing

Does the type of ribbon affect how long a printhead lasts?

Yes. Using the wrong ribbon for your label material can contribute to printhead wear and unexpected replacement costs. Matching the ribbon, label material and printer settings helps protect the printer and improve print quality.

Can you reduce how much ribbon gets used without changing your labels?

Yes. The Ribbon Save function advances only as much ribbon as needed during printing, which is useful when labels carry small amounts of variable data such as barcodes, batch codes or expiry dates. ALS Identify’s XPA 93X Print & Apply system and many ALS Identify label printers include this feature.

How do you know if a ribbon is compatible with your label material before committing to a full order?

The practical approach is to request sample ribbons, print them through your printer, and then try scratching off the print to check adhesion. If your environment involves chemical solvents, test the printed label against those chemicals too.

What is the difference between wax and resin ribbons in terms of print settings?

Wax ribbons can generally be printed at a lower temperature or darkness setting, while a pure resin ribbon usually needs a higher setting to print correctly. Starting at the lowest acceptable setting and adjusting from there helps reduce unnecessary wear on the printhead.