Introduction
What is thermal paper? Simply put, it is a magical paper that changes color when exposed to heat! Although it looks like ordinary paper, it hides a little secret: as long as it encounters heat, it can turn into text or patterns, without the need for ink or ribbon! Isn’t it cool? Thermal paper is everywhere, from supermarket receipts to express delivery orders, ATM receipts, and medical records. Today, let’s unveil its mystery, and see: what is thermal paper.
structure of thermal paper
Although thermal paper looks like ordinary paper, it has a special coating on its surface. So how does thermal paper work? The working principle of thermal paper is based on the thermal coating on its surface. When the print head of the thermal printer is heated, the colorless dye in the coating reacts chemically with the developer to produce a visible image or text. Thermal paper is usually composed of multiple layers, each with its specific function. The following is a typical structure of thermal paper:
1. Top Coat Layer (optional)
The protective layer is made of resin or wax material, which can prevent the coating from abrasion, improve waterproof and oil-proof properties, and extend the image preservation time.
2. Thermal Sensitive Layer
The thermal coating is the most important part of making thermal paper. It is made of colorless dyes, color developers (such as bisphenol A), sensitizers, and adhesives. After heating, a chemical reaction occurs to generate images or text.
3. Pre-coat Layer
The pre-coat layer is made of minerals (such as calcium carbonate) or synthetic materials, which can improve the smoothness of the paper surface, heat resistance, printing clarity, and color rendering.
4. Base Paper
The base paper is made of high-quality wood fiber or recycled paper, with a smooth and uniform surface, suitable for thermal coating, which can provide strength, flexibility, and flatness to the paper, ensuring that it is not easily damaged during printing and transportation.
5. Back Coat Layer (optional)
The back coating is made of polymer or wax material, mainly used for high-end thermal paper, suitable for high-speed printing, can prevent paper curling, reduce print head friction, and enhance water resistance and antistatic properties.
thermal paper vs normal paper
Thermal papers are particularly suitable for places where fast and low-cost printing is required, such as receipts, labels, etc., but it is not very durable and has a certain impact on the environment. In contrast, normal paper is more versatile and durable and is suitable for printing high-quality content, but it requires additional resources, such as ink or toner. Below I have sorted out the differences between thermal paper and ordinary paper in a table so that you can understand their differences more intuitively.
| Aspect | Thermal Paper | Normal Paper |
| Composition | Multiple layers: base paper, thermal coating (dye, developer, sensitizer, binder). | Single layer: made from wood pulp or recycled fibers. |
| Printing Mechanism | Heat-sensitive coating reacts to heat, generating images or text. | Requires ink, toner, or ribbon for printing. |
| Printing Speed | Very fast | Slower |
| Printing Equipment | Thermal printers (simple, low maintenance). | Inkjet printers, laser printers, or impact printers. |
| Cost of Printing | Lower cost (no ink or ribbon required). | Higher cost (ink, toner, or ribbon needed). |
| Durability | Prone to fading over time | More durable; lasts longer if stored properly. |
| Environmental Impact | It may contain chemicals like BPA/BPS, which can be harmful. | More eco-friendly if recycled. |
| Common Uses | Receipts, tickets, labels, ATM slips, medical records. | Books, documents, packaging, art. |
| Water Resistance | Low (unless coated with a protective layer). | Low |
| Heat Sensitivity | Highly sensitive to heat (can darken or fade if exposed). | Not sensitive to heat. |
| Customization | Limited to monochrome. | Can print in full color with high resolution. |
Uses of thermal paper
Thermal paper has a wide range of uses, and has penetrated almost every aspect of our daily lives! Whether it is the receipt you get when shopping in the supermarket, the waybill on the express package, or even the examination report in the hospital, thermal paper is everywhere. With its unique advantages such as fast printing, low cost, and no ink required, it has become a powerful assistant in many industries, greatly improving work efficiency and bringing us convenience. So, what are the specific uses of thermal paper? Let’s see how it can show its prowess in various fields!
1.Receipt printing
Thermal paper is widely used for receipt printing in supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, and other places. It is fast and convenient, and there is no need to change the ink! Not only that, it is also often used to print price tags for goods, and the prices can be updated at any time. It is so flexible.
2.Express delivery slip
Many of the delivery slips we usually receive are printed on thermal paper. It has a fast printing speed and clear information, which is particularly suitable for the efficient needs of the logistics industry. Thermal paper can also easily handle the cargo labels in the warehouse, helping to manage inventory and track goods.
3.ATM Receipts
ATMs use thermal paper to print transaction receipts, which is simple to operate and low-cost. Banks also like to use it to print simple statements or transaction records for customers to check at any time.
4.Medical records
Thermal paper is also very useful in hospitals and clinics. Examination reports and prescriptions can be printed with it. Even some electronic thermometers will use thermal paper to print the measurement results directly, saving time and effort.
5.Transport Tickets
The tickets you get when you take a bus, subway, or train, or the boarding pass at the airport, are often printed on thermal paper. It is fast and clear and is particularly suitable for such scenarios where tickets need to be issued quickly.
6.Entrance Ticket
The tickets for concerts, cinemas, scenic spots, and lottery tickets printed by lottery machines are often made of thermal paper. It is fast to print and low in cost, and is particularly suitable for such occasions where large quantities of printing are required.
7.Thermal paper stickers
Thermal paper stickers are very common stickers. Whether it is a courier label, price tag, or equipment logo, thermal paper stickers are easy to use, but the printed content is easy to fade. If you need to keep it for a long time, you can choose ordinary stickers, whose printed content is more durable. If you want to know more about the types and uses of stickers, you can check out The 20 Most Popular Types Of Stickers In 2025 to help you find the most suitable sticker choice!
Advantages and disadvantages of thermal paper
Thermal paper is a very special printing material that is popular in many fields because of its fast, low-cost, and ink-free characteristics. However, thermal paper is not perfect. While it brings convenience, it also has some troublesome disadvantages, such as the printed content is easy to fade and may have an impact on the environment.
So, what are the advantages of thermal paper that make it so popular? What are the disadvantages that we need to pay attention to? Next, let’s talk about the pros and cons of thermal paper in detail to help you understand this magical paper more comprehensively!
Advantages:
Thermal paper does not require ink or ribbon and prints very quickly.
Thermal printers have a simple structure, low maintenance costs, and low failure rates.
Thermal printers are almost noiseless when working and are suitable for quiet places such as libraries and hospitals.
Thermal paper is inexpensive and does not require additional printing supplies.
Disadvantages:
The printed content on thermal paper is easily faded by light, heat, and friction, and the storage time is short.
Some thermal papers contain chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA), which may harm the environment and health.
Most thermal papers can only print in monochrome (usually black).
Thermal paper is easily blackened or damaged in high temperatures or humid environments.
Tips for choosing thermal paper
Although thermal paper looks similar, there are many types and different uses. Choosing the right thermal paper can not only improve the printing effect, but also save a lot of costs; if you choose the wrong one, you may encounter the trouble of fading, paper jams, and even equipment damage. So, how can you choose the thermal paper that best suits you? Don’t worry, the following will teach you a few practical selection tips to help you easily get it done!
1.Thermal paper quality
For receipts and tickets, choose ordinary thermal paper. If it is used for logistics, it is better to choose thermal paper with good durability. The surface coating can be waterproof, oil-proof, or friction-proof. If it is used in hospitals, it is best to choose long-lasting thermal paper to ensure that the printed content can be preserved for a long time.
2.Correct size
Here are common thermal paper sizes：
57mm width: mainly used for printing small receipts, such as supermarket receipts, and ATM receipts.
80mm width: suitable for slightly larger bills or labels, such as logistics labels.
110mm width: used for larger bills or labels, such as bank statements.
A4 size (210mm x 297mm): used for occasions that require a larger printing area, such as medical reports.
3.Cost
If the budget is limited and the storage time is not high, choose ordinary thermal paper. If you want durable and long storage time, you can choose to buy some well-known brands of thermal paper to ensure the quality of thermal paper.
4.Environmental protection
If you are an environmentalist, choosing thermal paper without bisphenol A (BPA) or bisphenol S (BPS) is more environmentally friendly and harmless to human health. You can also choose recyclable thermal paper to reduce the impact on the environment.
FAQ
Can ordinary printers use thermal paper?
Ordinary printers cannot use thermal paper directly, because thermal paper needs to be heated by the thermal print head to develop color, and ordinary printers use ink or toner, which cannot trigger the color development reaction of thermal paper. Many types of paper can be used with ordinary printers, including ordinary printing paper, photo paper, envelopes, etc.
Is thermal paper biodegradable?
Thermal paper is usually not biodegradable because its thermal coating contains chemicals that are difficult to decompose naturally. Although the paper base itself can be degraded, the presence of the coating limits the overall biodegradability. To reduce environmental impact, you can choose BPA/BPS-free thermal paper or ordinary paper as an alternative, while reducing the use and properly disposing of waste thermal paper.
What temperature is thermal paper suitable for?
The optimal printing temperature for thermal paper is 60°C to 80°C, the recommended storage temperature is between 20°C and 30°C, and the ambient temperature for use is preferably maintained between 10°C and 35°C. Too high a temperature may cause the paper to darken or fade, while too low a temperature may affect the printing effect. Special types of thermal paper (such as triple-proof) can adapt to a wider temperature range (-10°C to 50°C) and are suitable for use in extreme environments.
How long can the printed content of thermal paper be preserved?
- The printed content of ordinary thermal paper can usually be preserved for 3 to 6 months.
- The printed content of long-lasting thermal paper can be preserved for 1 to 3 years.
- The printed content of triple-proof thermal paper (waterproof, oil-proof, and friction-proof) can be preserved for 2 to 5 years.
How to extend the life of thermal paper?
- Avoid light, high temperatures, and humid environments.
- Reduce friction to prevent coating damage.
- Choose long-lasting or triple-proof thermal paper.
Is thermal paper suitable for printing photos?
Thermal paper is usually not suitable for printing photos. First, thermal paper can only print monochrome (such as black), and cannot restore the rich colors of photos. Second, the resolution of thermal printers is low (usually around 200-300 DPI), which is far from enough to present the high-definition details of photos. In addition, the content printed on thermal paper is easy to fade due to light, high temperature, or friction, and cannot be preserved for a long time.
If you need to print high-quality photos, it is recommended to choose an inkjet printer, laser printer or thermal sublimation printer, and you can also choose a professional printing service.
Conclusion
Although thermal paper looks ordinary, it plays an important role in our lives. Thermal paper is everywhere, from supermarket receipts to express delivery slips, ATM receipts, and medical records. After understanding the structure, use, advantages, and disadvantages of thermal paper and the skills of choosing thermal paper, I believe you must have a clear understanding of what is thermal paper. Next time when you get a receipt printed on thermal paper, you might as well take a closer look and feel the wonders!
