Why Buy Weatherproof Labels?

As important as labels are to the operations of virtually any business, the traditional models have limitations that make them a liability in certain situations. Your product, for example, may never get where it’s supposed to be going if rain smudges the address or barcode on its label before it can reach its destination. That risk is doubled for labels created in wet environments - say, foodservice or cold storage - as any label you create may be tarnished before the product even ships. These frustrations can create shipping headaches, lose you customers, and boost the amount you spend on labels to replace those rendered useless by smudges.

The issue, as it turns out, lies not in the labels themselves but in the cartridges used by your printer to transmit the image or text onto the label. Though traditional ink-based cartridges are the main culprit here - as ink has a proclivity to smudge or smear before it’s set - even laser-printed labels can sometimes fall prey to costly, moisture-based alterations. If your business has been struggling with this issue, it may be time to consider switching to resin thermal transfer ribbons.

The technology behind these ribbons is simple and works similarly to ribbons that make use of other materials. Simply but, resin thermal transfer ribbons contain a resin-based ink that melts onto the paper as it passes through the rollers to produce the desired image or text. When that ink cools, it is bound permanently to the paper and boasts resistance to a number of environmental conditions. Though labels printed with these ribbons are known mostly for their ability to be held underwater without their ink smudging, they’re also extremely adept at resisting fading when exposed to direct sunlight and at avoiding the contamination that can come from contact with certain chemicals. The ability of resin thermal transfer ribbons to maintain text and image clarity in even the harshest conditions will help ensure that your product is properly labeled and stays that way until it reaches your customer’s doorstep.

You might expect a product with this much capability to be highly specialized, coming only in certain sizes and in a limited range of styles. Not so - LLT offers resin thermal transfer ribbons with widths ranging from 1.2" to 6.85" and in a variety of lengths and carton sizes. Said ribbons are produced both by LLT and by industry-leading manufacturers like Honeywell, DNP and Zebra, so you can be certain that the ribbon you purchase will be as dependable as it is useful. Before you make a purchase, please be certain that the ribbon you’re interested in works with your printer; though we offer a wide variety of ribbons in different shapes, sizes and styles, each model is designed to work with printers produced by specific manufacturers.

There’s no way to avoid every calamity that might befall your business. No matter how much you prepare, there are certain to be unforeseen incidents that you just can’t control. What you can control, though, is the clarity of your labels through every step of the product chain. When you invest in resin thermal transfer ribbons, you’re investing in less confusion, happier customers, and lower overall labeling costs. If you have any further questions about resin thermal transfer technology or the products that make use of it, please feel free to contact one of our helpful customer service representatives.