Manufacturer · Fashion & Home Accessories
Thermal transfer printing of labels is a method in which a heated print head melts ink from a thin ribbon (foil) and transfers it onto textile tape. It needs no printing plates or screens, which makes it the most convenient option for small and medium runs and for labels with variable data – sizes, article numbers, batches and barcodes. With the right choice of ribbon and tape, the print withstands repeated washing.
Thermal transfer printing of labels – how it works
The machine feeds two tapes at the same time: the textile base and the ribbon. The print head consists of a row of microscopic heating elements. Each one switches on for a fraction of a second wherever a dot of the image should be. At those points the ink from the ribbon melts and sticks to the textile. The image is built up dot by dot, much like an office printer, and the resolution is usually 300 or 600 dots per inch.
Because the design comes straight from a file, each label can be different from the next. This is the main advantage over flexographic and screen printing, where every change requires a new plate or screen.
Types of ribbon
| Ribbon | Durability | Application |
|---|---|---|
| Wax | Low, rubs off | Paper labels, cartons – not for clothing |
| Wax/resin | Medium | Synthetic labels without intensive washing |
| Resin, textile grade | High, wash-resistant | Satin, taffeta, polyester – clothing labels |
Special textile ribbons are used for clothing labels. They are formulated to penetrate the surface of the synthetic tape and withstand detergents and mechanical friction in the drum.
Tapes suitable for thermal transfer
The best results are achieved on smooth synthetic tapes with a coating designed for printing:
- Nylon taffeta – smooth surface, sharp print, the classic for composition labels.
- Polyester satin – softer and with a sheen, good for visible labels with a size or logo.
- Coated polyester tape – excellent ink absorption and high durability.
Cotton tape has a coarser structure and printing on it is less sharp, so screen printing or flexographic printing is used more often for it.
Advantages and limitations
Advantages
- No plate costs – suitable for many variants in small quantities.
- Fast content changes – size, batch or article without stopping production.
- High resolution – clear barcodes, small care symbols and text in several languages.
- Labels can be numbered sequentially.
Limitations
- Usually one colour per pass.
- White or light print on dark tape is limited compared with screen printing.
- For very large runs with an identical design, flexographic printing becomes more economical.
Common problems and how to solve them
Most complaints about thermal transfer labels have a clear cause and are solved at the sample stage.
- The print rubs off after washing – most often an unsuitable ribbon or a tape without a print coating was used. The solution is a textile resin ribbon and a compatible base.
- Blurred or broken letters – the font is too small or thin for the print head resolution. Increase the letter height or choose a heavier font.
- The barcode does not scan – there is no quiet zone around the code, the bars are too narrow or the code is printed across the direction of tape travel.
- The tape curls – excessive printing temperature or a tape that cannot take the heat. The manufacturer adjusts the machine settings.
- Uneven contrast – dark tape with a dark ribbon. For legibility, choose a light tape with black or navy print.
Why thermal transfer is convenient for production
For a garment factory the biggest benefit is predictability. When labels with size and batch are printed according to the actual cut, there are no surplus quantities of sizes that did not sell. For a repeat order of one style, only what is needed can be printed, without making a new plate. It also makes traceability easier: the batch number on the label matches the production documents, and in case of a complaint it is quick to find out which run the item came from.
For brands with online sales, it is also useful that a barcode or internal code matching the warehouse system can be added to the label. This way the label works not only for the customer but also for logistics.
Thermal transfer printing or another method
The choice usually follows the quantity and the number of variants. If you have a collection of twenty styles in six sizes, thermal transfer will save you from making dozens of plates. If you have one label in hundreds of thousands of pieces, flexographic printing will give a lower unit price. If you want a rich colour on black tape, look at screen printing.
Thermal transfer is also the standard for care and composition labels – there the text is long, often in several languages, and the composition varies between articles.
How to prepare the print data
- Send the main design as a vector file with fonts converted to outlines.
- Prepare a table of the variable fields – size, article, batch, barcode – and the quantity for each row.
- State the tape width, the finished label size and the cutting and folding method.
- Describe the washing and drying conditions of the finished garment.
The minimum text height must take the print resolution into account. Very thin lines below half a point may be lost. For barcodes, leave a quiet zone on both sides so they scan reliably.
Thermal transfer labels from Polkom
Polkom is a Sofia-based manufacturer and wholesaler of clothing accessories. We make printed labels using thermal transfer printing, including sizes, numbers and composition, as well as other textile labels. We make samples quickly and deliver across the EU. The price depends on the tape, sizes, quantities and number of variants – send a request for a quote via our contact page.
