Buy Zebra Color Ribbons

Zebra ID card printers use color ribbons that are sectioned into a number of panels. The panel types vary and can be a little confusing if you’re not aware of the different types. The ribbon panels are represented by letters, most commonly including:

Y = Yellow dye sublimation panel
M = Magenta dye sublimation panel
C = Cyan dye sublimation panel
K = Black resin panel for printing crisp text and barcodes
O = Overlay panel to protect the cards and delay fading

Two of the most common types of ribbons used in a Zebra direct-to-card printer are YMCKO and YMCKOK. What's the difference? Zebra YMCKO ribbons print in full color (YMC) and resin black (K) on the front of the card with an overlay (O) to protect the card. If you are using a dual-sided printer, you may print in YMCKO on both sides of the card. Zebra YMCKOK ribbons, on the other hand, are designed for use in dual-sided printers. They print in full color and resin black on the front of the card with an overlay, plus have an extra K panel for printing in black on the back of cards.

The ribbon that best suits your needs will depend on your printer model, what you’ll be printing on your cards, and how your cards will be used. If you need assistance finding the right Zebra color ribbon, call an ID Professional at (800) 321-4405.

Compare YMCKO and YMCKOK card samples

YMCKO vs. YMCKOK Card Samples

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Depending on your card printing application, you may be able to get more with half. That is, half panel ribbon for your Zebra printer can save you money!

Zebra half panel color ribbons include half-size color panels, for printing full-color images on up to half the card surface. Specifically, Zebra half panel ribbons consists of yellow (Y), magenta (M) and cyan (C) panels that are half the size of the standard YMC ribbon panels, while the black resin (K) and overlay (O) panels are full-size panels.

Zebra half panel ribbons offer a higher card yield per ribbon and a lower cost per printed card. Zebra half panel color ribbons are ideal for cards that feature a full-color picture and some black resin text or a barcode, such as student ID cards or employee ID cards. See the P330i color ribbon example and sample cards below (based on retail price):

Compare standard ribbon vs. half panel ribbon

Standard YMCKO Ribbon vs. Half-Panel YMCKO Ribbon

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