What Are Direct Thermal Labels?
Direct thermal labels are printed using a heat-sensitive paper that reacts directly to the thermal print head, producing text, barcodes, and graphics with no ink, toner, or ribbon required. When the print head applies heat to the label surface, the coating darkens to form the printed image. This makes direct thermal the simplest and lowest-cost label printing method available, with no consumables to replace between rolls and no ribbon jams or cartridge changes to manage.
Direct thermal labels are supplied on rolls for use with desktop and industrial direct thermal printers. They are available in a wide range of sizes, core sizes, and adhesive grades to suit different printers and applications, and are the standard choice for shipping, logistics, warehousing, retail, food production, and healthcare labelling across the UK.
Direct Thermal Label Adhesive Types
Permanent Adhesive Direct Thermal Labels
Permanent adhesive is the standard grade across our direct thermal range, providing a strong bond to most surfaces including cardboard, plastic, and polythene. Permanent labels are not intended for clean removal after application and are the correct choice for shipping labels, product identification, barcode labels, and any application where the label must stay in place for the life of the product or package. Browse our full range of Permanent Adhesive Direct Thermal Labels.
Removable Adhesive Direct Thermal Labels
Removable adhesive labels use a lower-tack bond that allows the label to be peeled cleanly from the surface without leaving adhesive residue. Suited to temporary labelling applications including reusable containers, promotional pricing, shelf-edge labels, and any situation where the label may need to be repositioned or removed after application. Browse our Removable Adhesive Direct Thermal Labels.
Freezer Adhesive Direct Thermal Labels
Freezer adhesive labels are formulated to bond to surfaces at low temperatures, including frozen and chilled packaging that would cause standard adhesives to fail. They are suitable for direct application to frozen food packaging, chilled distribution cartons, and cold store products at temperatures down to -25°C. Browse our Freezer Adhesive Direct Thermal Labels.
Direct Thermal Label Sizes and Formats
4" x 6" and 100mm x 150mm Shipping Labels
The 4" x 6" (101.6mm x 152.4mm) format is the most widely used shipping label size in the UK and internationally, compatible with all major courier and logistics platforms including Royal Mail Click and Drop, Evri, DPD, DHL, and Amazon Seller Central. Our 100mm x 150mm format is the metric equivalent and suits the same applications. Both are available in permanent, removable, and freezer adhesive grades, in standard and perforated formats. Browse our 4x6 Inch Direct Thermal Labels and 100 x 150mm Direct Thermal Labels.
100mm x 100mm Labels
The 100mm x 100mm square format is widely used for product identification, warehouse bin labels, compliance labels, and Amazon FBA labelling. Available in permanent, removable, and freezer adhesive grades, in standard and perforated formats. Browse our 100mm x 100mm Direct Thermal Labels.
Perforated Direct Thermal Labels
Perforated labels have a micro-perforation between each label on the roll, allowing clean manual separation without scissors or a cutter. Suited to applications where labels are applied by hand in environments without a label dispenser, or where part of the label needs to be detached after application. Available across most sizes in our range in permanent, removable, and freezer adhesive grades.
Top Coated Direct Thermal Labels
Top coated direct thermal labels have an additional protective coating applied over the heat-sensitive surface, improving resistance to moisture, abrasion, and short-term UV exposure compared to standard economy direct thermal paper. Suited to labels that need to remain legible in slightly more demanding conditions, such as outdoor parcels, refrigerated product labels, and healthcare applications. Browse our full Direct Thermal Top Coated Labels collection.
Coloured Direct Thermal Labels
Coloured direct thermal labels are used for colour-coded identification in warehousing, logistics, and production environments where visual sorting or zone identification is required. Available in yellow and orange. Browse our Coloured Direct Thermal Labels.
Fan Folded Direct Thermal Labels
Fan folded labels are supplied in a stacked concertina format rather than on a roll, suited to printers where roll-fed labels are not practical or where a flat stack is preferred at the workstation. Browse our Direct Thermal Fan Folded Labels.
Continuous Direct Thermal Labels
Continuous labels are supplied on an uncut roll with no pre-cut gaps, allowing the printer to determine label length at the point of printing. Suited to scale printers, variable-length applications, and jobs where a standard pre-cut size does not match the content. Browse our Direct Thermal Continuous Labels.
Compatible Printers
Our direct thermal labels are compatible with all major desktop and industrial direct thermal printer brands. Common compatible models include the full Zebra ZD and GK range, Honeywell PC and PM series, TSC TE and TH series, SATO CG and CT series, Toshiba TEC B series, Godex EZ series, and Citizen CL series. If you are unsure which label size or core suits your printer, see our Self Adhesive Labels Size Guide or contact us with your printer model and we will advise. Browse our Label Equipment range for compatible hardware and Thermal Transfer Ribbons if you also run thermal transfer printers.
Why Choose Label Metrics for Direct Thermal Labels?
Label Metrics supplies direct thermal labels alongside a full range of Thermal Transfer Labels, Specialist Labels, A4 Laser Labels, and Label Equipment, so you can source your complete labelling requirements from a single UK supplier. All orders ship free to UK mainland addresses. Call us on 01482 485005 or email info@labelmetrics.co.uk if you need advice on size, adhesive grade, or compatibility with your printer.