# Thermal printer labels

> Blank labels for thermal printers, in direct thermal paper or for thermal transfer with ribbon, in the size and with the adhesive you need.

*Grafidel Etiquetas · https://grafidel.com/en/services/thermal-labels · en · 2026-09-25*

Blank labels for thermal printers, in direct thermal paper or for thermal transfer with ribbon. Shipping labels, barcodes, batches or prices printed on the spot, at your own premises.

Thermal labels are for printing on your own premises, at the moment you need them: shipping labels, barcodes, batches, prices or dates. They arrive blank and the printer fills them in. We make them in both of the existing types, direct thermal and thermal transfer, in the size and with the adhesive your job requires. They are one of the applications of our [blank adhesive labels](https://grafidel.com/en/services/blank-adhesive-labels).

## Direct thermal or thermal transfer

- **Direct thermal** : the paper has a coating that darkens with the heat of the print head. No ribbon is needed, and it is the simplest option for short-lived labels, such as shipping labels.
- **Thermal transfer** : the print head melts ink from a [ribbon](https://grafidel.com/en/products/ribbon) onto the label. It lets you print on more materials, plastics included, and gives a longer-lasting print that stands up to light, rubbing and the passage of time.

## Matched to your printer

What matters is that the label works with your machine: the width, the core, the roll diameter and the winding direction. Tell us the model and we will match it. If you print a lot, we can also supply them folded in [fanfold](https://grafidel.com/en/services/fanfold-labels) stacks, so more fit in each box. And if you do not have a printer yet, we sell desktop and industrial [thermal printers](https://grafidel.com/en/products/printers).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long does the print on a direct thermal label last?

It depends on the light, heat and rubbing it is exposed to. For a shipping label, which only lasts a few days, it is more than enough; for a product that will spend months on a shelf or in the sun, thermal transfer is the better choice.

### Which ribbon do I need?

It depends on the label material: wax for paper, wax-resin for coated papers and some plastics, and resin for plastics and anything that has to withstand a lot. We will tell you which one along with the label. [Write to us](https://grafidel.com/en/contact) with your printer model.

## Applications: Blank adhesive labels

- [Fanfold (zigzag-folded) labels](https://grafidel.com/en/services/fanfold-labels)