The heat from the thermal transfer printhead melts ink from the ribbon onto the print material. Thermal transfer printers, on the other hand, transfer heat to ribbons and not directly to the label. Direct thermal printers apply direct heat to heat-sensitive labels to create an image.

Thermal Transferīy now, you already know that there are two types of thermal printing mechanisms: direct thermal and thermal transfer. More so, thermal transfer printers use ribbon cartridges to create long-lasting images on labels. Thermal transfer materials can withstand chemicals, extreme temperatures, abrasion, and sunlight better than direct thermal print materials. It could take years before thermal transfer labels fade. Thermal transfer print fading takes a long time to occur. That time is long enough for applications like labels and others that only require short-term scannability and durability. But they usually take about six months before they fade. How long it would take before a thermal label fades would depend on the following factors: Print materialĭirect thermal print materials have a shorter lifespan compared to thermal transfer materials. They are generally not built to last forever. And even in the absence of these factors, most thermal prints will eventually fade. Thermal print labels fade because of print material degradation, abrasion, sunlight exposure, contact with chemicals, and improper storage, among many other possible reasons. Direct thermal labels fade more easily than thermal transfer labels.ĭo you know why thermal labels fade? How can you stop thermal labels from fading? Are you aware that you can restore thermal label faded prints? We will explain these, among other important things, as you read on. Most thermal labels fade within six months, but if you store them properly, the image can last for as long as ten years.

These concerns are the things we will address in-depth in this article.ĭo thermal printed labels fade? Thermal labels fade eventually no matter how long it takes.

But then, there are growing concerns on the durability of thermal label prints. More and more retailers now use thermal printers because they are cheaper and faster than ink printers. People have been asking us if thermal printed labels fade.

Card thermal printer fades