What is the Difference Between Thermal Paper Labels and Coated Paper Labels?

Self-adhesive labels are composite materials consisting of a face stock (paper, film, or specialty material), an adhesive backing, and a release liner. They are widely used in various industries due to their many advantages, such as not requiring glue, being mess-free, and saving significant time during the labeling process.

Currently, the most common types on the market are thermal paper labels and coated paper labels. But what exactly is the difference between them? Here, we provide a clear explanation.

What are Thermal Paper Labels?
Thermal paper is a special type of paper used in devices like electronic scales and cash registers. The easiest way to test it is to scratch the paper with a fingernail, which will leave a black mark.

Thermal paper is often used for shelf tags in places like cold storage or refrigerated display cases, with a common standard size of 40mm x 60mm.

It is specifically designed for thermal printers and fax machines. The quality of the thermal paper directly affects the print quality and the longevity of the print, and can even impact the service life of the printer itself. A key characteristic of thermal paper labels is that they are not waterproof, not oil-proof, and are tearable.

What are Coated Paper Labels?
Coated paper is a popular material for barcode printers, with a typical thickness of around 80g. It is widely used in supermarkets, inventory management, clothing hang tags, and industrial production lines—anywhere a large quantity of labels is needed.

Standard coated paper is a semi-gloss white paper with a basic weight of 80g/m², a face stock thickness of 72 microns, and an overall label thickness of 147 microns. It can be used in temperatures ranging from -50°C to +90°C, with a minimum application temperature of +7°C.

Coated paper labels are commonly used for promotions and semi-gloss color printing in industrial settings. Typical applications include cosmetic labels, pharmaceutical labels, and food industry labels. They can be applied to most flat and simple curved surfaces, including cardboard and plastic films.

The Differences Between the Two
Here are the key differences between thermal and coated paper labels:

1. Preservation Time

Coated paper labels generally have a longer preservation time, lasting around 2 years.

Due to their inherent properties, thermal paper labels have a much shorter lifespan, typically around half a year. Even high-quality, three-proof thermal papers can only last up to about a year.

Therefore, you should choose a label based on the product's lifespan. For example, a thermal paper label is suitable for the outer packaging of bread, which has a shelf life of only a couple of days. However, if the product is in a box that needs to be stored for over a year, such as electronics for export, then a coated paper label is the better choice.

2. Temperature Sensitivity

Coated paper labels are less affected by temperature.

Thermal paper labels, however, are highly sensitive to temperature. If the temperature exceeds 30°C, the print on the label can easily fade. This is because the chemical coating on the surface of the thermal paper reacts to high temperatures, causing the text to disappear. Coated paper does not have this chemical coating and is therefore more resistant to temperature changes.

If your labels will be exposed to significant temperature fluctuations, coated paper is generally recommended.

3. Printing Method and Cost

This is the most obvious difference: Coated paper labels require a ribbon to be printed, which adds to the cost.

Thermal paper labels do not require a ribbon. You can print on them directly, provided your barcode printer supports direct thermal printing.

This difference in consumables affects the overall cost. Using coated paper labels requires an additional expense for purchasing ribbons, whereas thermal paper does not, making it a potentially more cost-effective option for some applications.