Direct Thermal Thermal Transfer. It also has a longer shelf life with over a year of use unlike direct thermal whose labels last around a year. There are two thermal printing methods.
Thermal labels are the perfect solution for printing information on demand such as barcodes ingredients and dates. They come into direct contact with the print head through the thermal label printer which heats up and reacts with the surface of the thermal label to create the print. However direct thermals have more color limitations than thermal transfers.
Thermal transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to produce durable long lasting images on a wide variety of materials.
More so direct thermals require fewer supplies than thermal transfers. Direct thermal printing uses chemically treated heat sensitive media that blackens when it passes under the thermal printhead while thermal transfer printing uses a heated ribbon to produce durable long lasting images on a wide variety of materials. However direct thermals have more color limitations than thermal transfers. Direct thermal media is more sensitive to light heat and abrasion which reduces the life of the printed material.