# Zebra: Direct thermal and thermal transfer printing

> Primary manufacturer explanation of the two printing processes and the importance of intended exposure and material/ribbon matching. Used for those limited facts; no model ranking, universal durability claim, or vendor performance figure adopted.

Canonical page: https://datacenterlabeling.com/references/s42

Original source: [Zebra: Direct thermal and thermal transfer printing](https://www.zebra.com/us/en/resource-library/faq/difference-between-direct-thermal-and-thermal-transfer-printing.html)

## Scope of this source

Primary manufacturer explanation of the two printing processes and the importance of intended exposure and material/ribbon matching. Used for those limited facts; no model ranking, universal durability claim, or vendor performance figure adopted.



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## Related guidance

- [Choose a label printer for the work you actually do](https://datacenterlabeling.com/guides/choosing-a-label-printer)