Thermal paper, carbonless paper, offset paper: the difference between them

As technology continues to advance, so does printing technology. Thermal paper, carbonless paper, and offset paper are common printing paper types that have their own characteristics and uses. This article describes the differences between the three types of paper.


1. Thermal paper
Thermal paper is a special paper that responds to heat. It’s usually coated with a heat-sensitive coating that creates images in response to changes in heat. As the thermal printhead heats up, it interacts with the thermal paper, producing visible text or images. Thermal paper is mainly used in e-commerce printing, supermarket cash register and other fields. Thermal paper is widely used due to its simplicity, high speed and low maintenance cost.

2. Carbonless paper
Carbonless paper (also known as carbon paper) is a type of paper used to make copies. Carbonless paper usually consists of two or more layers of paper with a carbon copying agent between them. When we apply pressure to the upper layer of paper, the carbon duplicating agent forms a duplicate text or image on the lower layer of paper. Carbonless paper is suitable for occasions that require manual copying, such as copying receipts, orders and invoices.

3. Double Adhesive Paper
Double offset paper (also known as thermal adhesive paper) is a paper that combines the advantages of thermal paper and carbonless paper. It can be used both with thermal printers and as carbon copying paper. The special coating of offset paper is able to produce the image after being heated by the thermal print head, and it can also be copied by applying enough pressure. This makes double-adhesive paper a versatile choice.
The difference between the three papers is mainly reflected in their purpose, working principle and output effect. Thermal paper is suitable for scenarios that require high-speed printing and do not need to save the printed content. Carbonless paper is suitable for business areas that require manual copying. The offset paper combines the characteristics of thermal paper and carbonless paper, which can be used for a variety of printing needs.
Thermal paper, carbonless paper and offset paper have their own unique characteristics and uses. Knowing the difference between them can help us make an informed decision when choosing a printing paper to meet our specific needs.