• Resin ribbon is used when printing onto plastic labels, such as polyester, polypropylene or vinyl. The ink is designed to slightly dissolve into or adhere to the plastic surface of the label and become extremely durable.
• Wax ribbon is used with high-speed printers and paper based labels. It is good for applications such as shipping labels, carton labeling and retail. The life of the label can be years, but the label must be kept dry and not subjected to certain chemicals or oils, which would dissolve the wax image.
• Wax/Resin ribbon produces a finer image on very smooth paper or coated labels. The increased resin makes labels smudge-and-smear-proof. These are more durable than wax, but can only stand little contact with water. Wax/resin labels work well with synthetic and colored labels.

In most cases the ribbon needs to be matched to the type of label material you are using with your printer in order to get the best possible print image.