How to use it
- Enter the label length and how many you are printing.
- Enter the length of the ribbon rolls you buy.
- Add backfeed if your printer retracts between labels.
When you need this
- Ordering ribbon for a known production run.
- Working out whether the ribbon on the printer will outlast the label roll.
- Costing a job where ribbon is a real line item.
Frequently asked questions
Does a mostly blank label use less ribbon?
No. The ribbon advances with the media, so a nearly empty label consumes the same length as a dense one. Only label length and backfeed change the total.
What is backfeed?
Some printers pull the label back between jobs to align the next one, which advances extra ribbon. If your printer does this, add the distance here.
Do direct thermal printers need ribbon?
No. Direct thermal printing marks heat-sensitive media with no ribbon at all, so this calculator only applies to thermal transfer.
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The calculators answer one number at a time. LabelInn applies the same maths across a whole design, a whole spreadsheet and a whole print run — and sends it to the printer without a driver.
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