Before printing GoodLabel labels with GoodLabel Designer, decide two things: whether the roll takes a ribbon, and if it does, which 300M ribbon product to load. The 16 sizes of direct thermal roll labels, the 9 sizes of YUPO direct thermal labels and the 2 sizes of fanfold labels have a coating that turns black under head heat, so they print without a ribbon in Direct thermal. The 6 sizes of YUPO labels and the 30, 35 and 40mm care label fabrics have no such coating, so text stays only if they take ribbon ink, and the print method goes on Thermal transfer.
Care labels are fixed to a single dedicated care label ribbon, so choosing a ribbon grade based on where the label goes comes up only with YUPO labels. The differences between the wax, wax/resin and resin grades themselves and how to check the ink side are covered in the thermal transfer ribbon types column (info.woojuoa.co.kr).
Ribbon pairings for GoodLabel labels
Grouping GoodLabel labels by surface type first splits them into rolls that need no ribbon and rolls that print only with a ribbon. The fourth column of the table is the grade by Zebra's certified ribbon classification (Wax 1600, Wax/Resin 6100, Resin series), and the fifth column is the print method in Printer settings in GoodLabel Designer.
| Label product | Surface | Ribbon | Grade by Zebra classification | Designer print method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct thermal roll labels, 16 sizes | Direct thermal paper | None | Not applicable | Direct thermal |
| Direct thermal fanfold labels 100×150 and 100×200 | Direct thermal paper | None | Not applicable | Direct thermal |
| YUPO direct thermal labels, 9 sizes | Synthetic paper with a direct thermal coating | None | Not applicable | Direct thermal |
| YUPO labels, 6 sizes | Matte synthetic paper | Wax 300M or wax/resin 300M (sets include 1 ribbon roll) | Wax/resin and up | Thermal transfer |
| Silver matte, PET or clear labels obtained elsewhere | Synthetic film | Resin 300M | Resin | Thermal transfer |
| Nylon cross and satin care labels | Fabric | Care label ribbon 40mm × 300M | Ribbon made only for care label fabric | Thermal transfer |
Only the YUPO label row has two answers. The product name of the wax 300M ribbon also includes YUPO paper, but Zebra's classification pairs matte synthetic paper with wax/resin and up. If 70×40mm asset labels go on indoor shelves where hands rarely touch them, print with wax; where moisture, detergent or handling reach them or boxes rub together, move up to wax/resin 300M in the same width. Labels in long contact with solvents or harsh chemicals call for resin 300M.
Designer settings after changing the ribbon grade
- Set the print method under Printer settings → Print options to Thermal transfer. The button stays the same even when the ribbon grade changes; check the ^MTT, SET RIBBON ON and ^AT commands sent with it for each language in the table in designer print method settings.
- The density range in the Print window differs by command language: 0–30 for ZPL (default 21), 0–15 for TSPL (default 11) and 0–19 for EZPL (default 13). If you've moved up to resin, raise it one step at a time from the default and do test prints.
- If thin strokes still break after raising density two or three steps, lower the speed below the default of 3 and print again. By TSC's ribbon guidance, resin needs more head heat than wax or wax/resin, which is why text printed at the same density comes out faint on the first roll after switching from wax to resin.
- Wipe the test label with whatever it will actually touch. Rub with detergent for a workbench that uses detergent, or with rubbing alcohol for a medicine cabinet that uses it, and check that the barcode and small text survive.
When you take the ribbon out after printing YUPO labels and switch to a direct thermal roll, set the print method back to Direct thermal as well. A Godex EZPL printer in ^AT (thermal transfer) mode shows Print Mode Error and won't print if there's no ribbon.
300M ribbon width options and ribbon length used
GoodLabel 300M ribbons come in 8 widths from 40 to 110mm in 10mm steps for wax, wax/resin and resin alike, so the width options carry over when you move up a grade. Choose the narrowest option that is equal to or wider than the label width measured including the release liner.
- YUPO label sets include a 60mm ribbon for 50×30, 80mm for 70×40 and 100mm for 100×100, so use the same width option when moving up to wax/resin.
- For care labels, use the single 40mm care label ribbon size whether the fabric is 30, 35 or 40mm wide. The length ratio is 2 rolls of 300M ribbon for 3 rolls of 200M fabric.
- The ribbon unwinds together with the media for the full length that passes through, including the spaces between labels. One roll of 1,200 YUPO labels at 70×40mm is 48m in label length alone, and the ribbon runs down by that plus 1,200 spaces.
- The ribbon width and roll outer diameter a printer accepts vary by printer, so also check the ribbon requirements on the page of the model you use, such as the Zebra ZD421T, TSC TE210 or Godex G530.
