Zebra ZT420 Labels & Ribbons

The Zebra ZT420 does both. In thermal transfer mode it prints through a ribbon for durable, long-life labels; in direct thermal mode it prints straight onto heat-sensitive stock with no ribbon at all, which is how most shipping labels are produced.

The Zebra ZT420 takes thermal transfer ribbons up to 6.85" wide, up to 1,476 ft (450 m) long, on a 1" core, wound coated side out (CSO). Wax suits coated paper labels, wax-resin handles synthetics and heavier handling, and full resin is the choice for chemical, solvent and outdoor exposure.

The Zebra ZT420 accepts media up to 7" wide, with a maximum print width of 6.6". Any narrower label will run as well, so long as the roll core and outside diameter also fit the media bay — width alone is not enough.

The Zebra ZT420 takes rolls on 3" cores, with a maximum roll diameter of 8". A roll on a larger core will not seat on the spindle, and one over the diameter limit will not let the cover close.

Yes. The Zebra ZT420 accepts fan-folded stacks as well as rolls. A fanfold box holds far more labels than a roll of equivalent footprint, so it is the cheaper way to run high volume — the trade-off is bench space behind the printer.

Yes — 3" cores are the industrial standard and the Zebra ZT420 is built for them, which is what lets it hold the large-diameter rolls that keep reload stops down.

Three things stop a roll loading in this printer: the roll is over 8" in diameter; the core is not 3". Label width is usually the first thing people check and the least likely culprit — core size is the common one.

Vantage Labels stocks blank thermal labels and printer ribbons that fit the Zebra ZT420, shipped from Canadian stock. Everything listed on this page has been checked against the printer's published media specifications — width, core, roll diameter and ribbon format — rather than matched on the printer's name.