Wristband printing with label printers

In recent years, the technology for printing identification wristbands has developed extremely rapidly. Thanks to this advancement, printing and customization of wristbands can be done through a direct thermal or thermal transfer printer at any given venue.

 

The same devices used to print non-adhesive and self-adhesive labels are used for the production of wristbands.

 

In this blog article, we will take a look at the different types of wristbands for guests, patients, and clients. We will also introduce you to their many benefits and applications.

 

APPLICATIONS

 

Guest management

This is perhaps the most common application of wristbands. They are an extremely convenient and useful way of sorting guests and managing access to large events such as concerts and festivals.

 

Wristbands can be customized with different colors, content and images to display different guest details. This information can relate to access to different areas of the event (different rooms/stages, backstage, media areas), alcohol permission, age verification and days of stay at the event. Establishing your right of entry and level of access by raising your hand and showing your wristband is almost instantaneous.

 

High-quality personalised wristbands are manufactured using special technology and well-chosen materials to ensure that it cannot be removed and reapplied. Any attempted removal results in the destruction of the wristband, thus limiting unauthorized access to your event.

 

For added security, if the event will be held more than once, we recommend that the wristbands be a different design and/or color each time.

 

All-inclusive wristbands are a very common solution for sorting customers at all-inclusive resorts. They are durable and provide hassle-free use during the guests’ entire stay. They are most often made of the synthetic material Tyvek which self-destructs when you try to remove the wristband and prevents reuse. Because of this tamper-proof feature, Tyvek wristbands are more suitable for all-inclusive applications than silicone wristbands.

 

All-inclusive wristbands are convenient for both guests and hotel staff. They enable quick and easy identification, adding an extra level of security on resort property. With just a quick glance at a resort guest's wrist, staff can determine if there are unauthorized individuals in your hotel.

 

Patient care

Patient identification wristbands are now the standard in many medical facilities to make patient identification as convenient as possible and to improve safety by reducing human error. They are used so often because medical staff must always be able to verify a patient's identity before performing tests and administering medications and vaccines. Wristbands help speed treatment and patient care, especially in cases where an individual is unable to communicate their personal information.

 

This method of identification is also an appropriate solution for marking special details, such as allergies, specific treatments or a particular diet. Due to the extreme importance of correct patient information and the strict healthcare regulations, the use of high-quality wristbands is imperative to ensure a safe environment.

 

 

Children safety at organised events

Personalised wristbands can also be very useful at organised events such as children's camps and school sports activities. Printing them in different colours helps to separate children into different groups according to teams or teachers responsible for them. This way, if a child gets separated from their group, this will be much more easily identified.

 

Coloured printed wristbands can also be used to signal allergies or children's inability to perform certain actions, such as swimming or cycling. They can also contain information regarding contacting their parents in an emergency.

 

DIFFERENT TYPES

 

Tyvek wristbands

Tyvek is a synthetic material made from high-density polyethylene fibers compressed with heat and pressure to form a material similar in structure and appearance to paper. Due to its excellent properties, Tyvek is one of the most commonly used materials for the production of wristbands.

 

Printed tyvek wristbands are durable, waterproof and lightweight. They are recyclable (making them more eco-friendly) and can be fully customized in color and wristband design. As mentioned above, they are also an ideal secure guest control solution for small and large events. Once they are put on, they cannot be removed and put on another guest because they self-destruct when attempting to remove them from the hand.

 

Paper wristbands are similar to Tyvek ones in look and feel. They are also lightweight, thin and can be customized. They are available in a variety of colors and can be printed with text, full colour images and barcodes. The main advantage of custom printed paper wristbands for events is that they are more cost-efficient than those made from Tyvek.

 

Their disadvantages are that they tear more easily and are not water resistant. Black print or colour paper wristbands are suitable for promotional purposes and guest control where there is no risk of external weather events or getting wet with water or other liquids.

 

RFID wristbands

RFID technology allows digital information to be encoded and read repeatedly in wristbands printed with a special barcode printer with a built-in RFID module. This technology is very rapidly entering the field of wristband printing due to its advantages and convenience. Event organizers, especially those with large numbers of visitors, are increasingly using RFID. It allows for quick and easy purchase of products during the event without guests having to carry a wallet or other payment method.

 

The RFID wristband is linked to a debit/credit card or pre-loaded by visitors. With this technology, customers can make contactless payments by scanning their wristband by bringing their hand close to the RFID reader. Thus the guests’ experience is more enjoyable as it limits the risk of theft and enables a convenient and quick way to pay.

 

Another application of RFID is for quick and highly accurate access control to a given event. They can be coded with personal information, ticket type (e.g. one-day or two-day) and access level to different areas of the event. This capability helps to significantly reduce queues and waiting times, as well as effectively control access to the event.

 

RFID can also be used for creative marketing purposes. The technology allows the wristbands to be linked to visitors' social media profiles. For example, if a festival has a digital photo booth equipped with an RFID reader, customers can share photos taken there on their profiles without even having to use their smart phone. This presents a unique opportunity for organizers to promote their event online through authentic user-generated content in real time.

 

METHODS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST COUNTERFEITING

 

Wristbands with UV imprint

Special UV inks are used to make them, which produce an imprint that is only visible under UV light. To confirm the authenticity of the wristbands, they must be illuminated with a UV lamp to see the presence of the unique imprint.

 

Wristbands with hologram imprint

Another good way to increase security and prevent counterfeiting is to print a security hologram film or custom hologram on the wristbands. These can also be printed on paper, synthetic paper and Tyvek.

 

UV print, hologram imprinting or RFID are useful tools for added security, maximum convenience and improved event management.

 

PRINTING METHODS

High-quality wristbands are printed with barcode label printers. If you need RFID ones, they require a special thermal transfer printer with a built-in RFID module. Dilcom also offers a selection of printers specialized for applications in the healthcare industry - medical facilities, laboratories, pharmacies, etc. These are used in healthcare to improve the quality of patient care and reduce errors. 

 

It is also important to note that it is better to print the information, images and barcodes directly on the wristbands rather than on labels that can then be applied to them. Printing a separate label creates several potential problems and increases production time and labor.

 

In conclusion, custom-designed wristbands of the highest quality help effectively control access to events and promote your brand. They also offer easy contactless payments, improve patient care and security while reducing wait times and increasing sales and customer satisfaction. The only downside is that they are more expensive than traditional paper admission tickets. However, if properly tailored to your application, this investment will bring you many benefits in the future because it improves visitor experience.

 

Dilcom offers personalised full colour and plain wristbands and barcode printers for wristband printing, tailored to individual customer needs and requirements. For more information or further advice, please contact our specialists at sales@dilcom.com.