Direct Thermal Labels

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Choose from a variety of sizes of blank labels for your direct thermal shipping label printer, inventory management system, product identification, asset tracking and more. With permanent adhesive, multiple sizes and varying quantities of labels per roll, you can trust Wasp for all your direct thermal labels.

Direct thermal labels are an affordable option for many companies because you don’t have to purchase ink, toner, or ribbons. The heat from the thermal printer's print head blackens the thermal label when it passes under it, directly printing the image on the material. For example, have you ever had a receipt that turned black because it sat in a hot car and/or in direct sunlight? If so, chances are it was a direct thermal printed receipt.

Because of the label material's sensitivity to elevated temperatures and light, direct thermal barcode labels are not recommended for harsh environments where both conditions exist. Instead, they are reserved for low-temperature environments or items with a shorter shelf life. However, you can add a special coating to get more durable labels that are water- and chemical-resistant. This extends the lifetime of the barcode label to six months or more, which may make them ideal for a distribution center where wide ranges of materials are constantly moving in and out.

Keep in mind whether you use direct thermal or thermal-transfer printers. Direct thermal labels only work with thermal printers, not thermal transfer label printers. While they sound like similar thermal printing technologies, the thermal transfer printing uses a chemical reaction to create a permanent bond between the label material and a special ribbon. Unlike thermal transfer label printers, direct thermal label printers use a special print head and require no toner, ribbons, nor ink cartridges. Both options deliver excellent print quality compared to regular paper labels. The choice comes down to how durable you need the label material to be and whether you intend to use them for short-term or long-term applications. 

Wasp direct thermal labels are blank labels with a permanent adhesive in a wide variety of label sizes and varying quantities of labels per roll. Compatible with most label printers, they come in rolls with outer diameters of four inches or five inches, so whether you’re using industrial printers or desktop printers for your labeling solution, you can count on Wasp for the thermal printer label supply your business needs.

The 4x6 direct thermal shipping label is the most popular label size, available in 5-inch or 8-inch diameters. They come in four rolls per box, with 450, 540, or 1,000 labels per roll.

Direct Thermal Labels

Direct Thermal Labels