What are Zebra Wristband Solutions?
The world of Zebra Wristband Solutions is large and complex.
What type of wristband will work best for your application?
Will you need to purchase a separate printer?
Is it possible to print with different colors on a wristband?
Are there wristbands that are manufactured from eco-friendly materials?
The questions are never ending.
That’s why it’s so important to receive the correct, most up-to-date information regarding Zebra Wristband Solutions.
Let’s start with a few pieces of crucial information:
-
You can only print on Zebra wristbands using a direct thermal printer.
-
Zebra wristbands are only available as direct thermal media.
-
There are very limited options to print on wristbands using thermal transfer printing technology.
This means that your wristband printer choices are limited. You will need to pick a printer with direct thermal printing capabilities. Also, you will need to make sure that your wristbands have the correct core size and outer diameter settings for your printer choice.
Click here to find out information on the difference between direct thermal and thermal transfer printing.
Let’s move on to the list of printers that you can use for printing on Zebra wristbands.
Zebra Wristband Printers
There are a variety of different Zebra printers that can print onto Zebra wristbands.
Some Zebra printers are specifically designed to print solely on wristbands. Other printers can print on a variety of different types of media, including wristbands.
Here are some of the best printer options for printing onto Zebra wristbands:
- Zebra HC100 Printer
The Zebra HC100 was specifically designed to print onto Zebra wristbands.
The HC100 is a cartridge-based wristband printer. This means that the wristbands must be manufactured into a cartridge, as opposed to being loaded onto a paper core.
The HC100 can only use wristbands that have been loaded into a cartridge. The easy to load features of the HC100 require minimal, if any, user action, whilst its smart technology senses the wristband type and auto-calibrates the settings for optimized print quality and reduced waste.
There is minimal training required to use the HC100 printer or to load or switch the cartridge; it’s a quick and simple task.
Cartridge-based wristband printers are easy to load, and they have no problems with media drift or calibration.
In addition, the HC100 offers printing at 300 dpi.
The HC100 only offers direct thermal printing capabilities. Also, there are a variety of different wristband colors and designs that are available as stock options.
The one drawback of the HC100 is it’s printing speed. The HC100 is best suited for printing wristbands on the fly; that is, you print the wristband when you need it. This makes the HC100 an ideal printer for healthcare and entertainment applications.
The HC100 does not work well for large volume wristband printing. The typical print speed of 6 ips will slow you down.
Zebra has a few alternatives if you need a wristband printer for large-scale projects.
The Zebra HC100
- Zebra Desktop Printers
Zebra desktop printers are well-suited for large-scale wristband projects.
Here are some of the best Zebra desktop printers for wristband printing applications:
Remember that Zebra desktop printers have different media requirements than a cartridge-based wristband printer.
Wristbands for Zebra desktop printers will need to be ordered on a 1″ core, with a 5″ outer diameter.
Also, you may need to purchase a media guide adapter for your Zebra desktop printer.
Here is some more information on Zebra Desktop Printers.
The Next Generation Zebra ZD410
Zebra Industrial Printers
Last but not least, we have the Zebra Industrial Printer.
Zebra industrial printers are excellent for printing large volumes of wristbands.
Here are some of the best Zebra industrial printers for wristband printing applications:
Remember that the media specifications for industrial printers are different from desktop printers.
Wristbands that are being used with a Zebra industrial printer will need to be ordered on a 3″ core, with an 8″ outer diameter.
Here is some more information on Zebra industrial printers.
The Zebra 110Xi4
Wristband Materials
There are a huge variety of Zebra wristband materials to choose from, including materials suited for healthcare/hospital applications, to waterproof materials suited for rugged outdoor applications.
Here are some of the most popular Zebra wristband materials:
- Zebra Z-Band wristbands are manufactured from 100% polypropylene. These wristbands are available in several different colors as a stock option, and can be ordered in a cartridge for the HC100, or on a 1″ or 3″ core for Zebra Desktop and Industrial Printers. The Z-Band wristband does offer some resistance to outdoor elements like dirt, water, and sweat. There are a few different types of Z-Band wristbands, like the Ultrasoft, Direct, Infant Soft, QuickClip, and Fusion. Find out more information on Zebra Z-Band wristbands here.
- Zebra Hospitality Wristbands are manufactured from 100% polypropylene. These wristbands are available in several different colors as a stock option, and can be orderered in a cartridge for the HC100, or on a 1″ or 3″ core for Zebra Desktop and Industrial Printers. There are two different types of Hospitality Wristbands: the Z-Band Fun and the Z-Band Splash. The Z-Band Fun and the Z-Band Splash are both highly resistant to outdoor elements like sun, water, sweat, and even sunscreen. These wristbands are the best option for outdoor entertainment options like water parks, pools, carnivals, etc.
RFID Wristbands
Zebra does offer direct thermal wristbands with RFID capabilities.
Zebra RFID wristbands are not a stock option. They must be ordered as a custom job.
All Zebra RFID wristbands must be paired with a Zebra RFID printer.
Click here for more information on Zebra RFID wristbands.
Recycling Your Old & Unused Wristbands
All Zebra wristbands are manufactured from 100% polypropylene.
This makes them 100% recyclable, as long as your recycling program accepts #5 plastics.
Please make sure to double check with your local recycling program to see if they accept #5 plastics.
PLS Can Help You Implement Your Zebra Wristband Solution
Zebra Wristband Solutions are one of our specialties at PLS.
We’ve worked with many end users, big and small, to implement a variety of different wristband printing solutions. From healthcare to outdoor events, we can help you pick the best hardware and media for your application.
Check out our huge selection of stock Zebra wristbands here.
Got questions? Feel free to contact us anytime at 1-844-458-1078, or email us at info@professionallabelsolutions.com. Our reps are happy to help!
