Why Zebra Certified Supplies Are the Smarter Choice for High-Performance Printing
One of the most overlooked costs in barcode label printing isn’t the printer itself. It’s the supplies. Over time, companies spend several times more on labels and ribbons than on printers. And when printing at scale, even minor supply issues can lead to big operational and financial setbacks.
The instinct to cut costs by purchasing off-brand or budget supplies might seem logical, but it typically results in more harm than savings. Low-quality materials can cause printhead damage, frequent jams, poor print quality, and adhesive failures—all of which lead to downtime, reprints, and unexpected repair costs.
That’s why choosing certified supplies, such as those from Zebra, makes a significant difference. They are engineered for consistent performance, reduced wear, and reliable results in even the most demanding labeling environments. This blog will explain why investing in Zebra Certified Supplies pays off in performance and long-term cost savings.
What Are Zebra Certified Supplies?
Printing supplies do more than carry your data. They directly affect the lifespan of your printheads, the consistency of your labels, and the overall efficiency of your operations. Zebra produces its line of thermal printing supplies specifically designed for their printers to ensure optimized performance with every print.
With Zebra Certified Supplies, you can expect:
- Consistently high print quality
Every material used in Zebra supplies is rigorously sourced from thousands of raw materials. The conversion processes, coatings, inks, varnishes, tools, and equipment are designed and optimized for thermal printing. This attention to detail ensures that each product delivers outstanding print quality and durability.
- Reliable, responsive support
As one of the world’s largest and most experienced thermal label converters, Zebra has the size, scale, and infrastructure to meet your printing supply needs quickly and effectively. This means you can count on fast, dependable service whenever needed.
- Industry-leading thermal printing expertise
With over five decades of experience, Zebra is globally recognized for its commitment to exceptional quality, durability, and innovation in thermal printing technology. This deep expertise guarantees that all Zebra Certified Supplies meet the highest standards for performance and reliability.
When performance matters, Zebra Certified Supplies are the dependable choice for long-term value and consistent results.
Why Quality Supplies Matter More Than You Think?
Zebra Certified Supplies offers a broad range of more than 1,000 types of labels, tags, receipt papers, wristbands, and ribbons, along with over 1,000 ready-to-ship products, covering the needs of most applications.
Zebra supports your operations with the following:
- Multiple U.S. locations to ensure fast and reliable delivery
- Inventory management programs that help reduce costs and improve turnaround times
- A Printhead Protection Program that offers free printheads to customers using Zebra Certified Supplies with eligible Desktop and Industrial Printers.
- Extensive manufacturing capabilities, including RFID inlay insertion, print-and-encode services, laminating, perforations, custom sizing, and color pre-printing
- A skilled R&D team that tests all materials on Zebra printers to guarantee performance and durability
- ISO 9001:2015 certification, ensuring consistent quality across all products
Applications such as shipping, electronics manufacturing, prescription labeling, and electronic citations are all supported with in-stock or custom-made media solutions from Zebra and its certified partners.
Extensive Capabilities and R&D Backing Zebra Supplies
With decades of experience and a strong focus on innovation, Zebra develops printing supplies designed for reliability and precision. Their deep expertise and rigorous testing ensure that products meet the most challenging demands and perform seamlessly with Zebra printers.
Advanced Research and Development
- Over 30 years of expertise in thermal printing and sensor technology
- More than 200 patents supporting innovative solutions
- Specialized laboratories focused on materials science, RFID, and chemistry
- Comprehensive testing for durability, adhesion, temperature extremes, and chemical resistance
- Use of advanced microscopy and chemical analysis tools
- Support services, including application consulting, custom material development, and certified samples
- Industry certifications such as UL/cUL and IMDS approvals
Manufacturing Excellence
- Leading producer of thermal labels, tags, receipt papers, and wristbands
- Complete control over printing processes with multi-color and UV coating capabilities
- RFID inlay insertion and print-and-encode services
- Flexible converting options, including laminating, die-cutting, perforating, and slitting
- Quality assurance through automated vision inspection systems
- Multiple production sites enabling fast, global shipping
- Custom finishing services such as shrink-wrapping, core size options, and kit assembly
This combination of expert research and precise manufacturing makes Zebra Certified Supplies a dependable choice for high-quality printing materials built to last.
Industry-Specific Applications of Zebra Certified Supplies
Zebra Certified Supplies meet the unique demands of different industries. With consistent quality and proven performance, they help businesses maintain accuracy, efficiency, and compliance in critical operations.
Retail
Zebra supplies are used for shelf labels, price changes, and tagging items to help keep inventory accurate and simplify store operations.
Healthcare
Hospitals and healthcare providers use Zebra supplies for patient ID wristbands, lab sample labeling, medication tracking, and asset tagging—improving safety, reducing errors, and ensuring compliance from admission to discharge.
Manufacturing
Manufacturers use Zebra labels to identify products, track parts, and meet compliance rules, keeping things visible throughout production.
Transportation and Logistics
Zebra helps supply chains move quickly with reliable shipping labels, pallet tracking, and inventory tags for smooth warehouse work.
Public Sector
Government and public agencies use Zebra supplies for ticketing, keeping track of inventory, managing evidence, and ensuring proper records and chain of custody.
Inventory Management Made Simple and Cost-Efficient
Zebra offers a range of inventory management programs that help reduce costs, simplify supply planning, and support uninterrupted operations. Each program meets different business needs, from simple ordering to more advanced, long-term supply solutions.
Sample Programs for Testing and Evaluation
Strip Material Samples
These sample strips allow businesses to evaluate the adhesive properties, material thickness, and durability before making a full purchase decision.
ZipShip Sample Rolls
Available in various sizes and popular materials, these sample rolls enable thorough testing in real-world applications to confirm performance and suitability.
Pilot Runs
Pilot runs provide materials in the exact size and configuration required for testing and demonstration purposes. They are ideal for validating new label formats or supply setups.
Inventory Management Solutions
Blanket Order (3–6 Months)
This program offers price protection and allows businesses to schedule shipments over a three- to six-month period. It also requires low minimum order quantities, making it suitable for flexible procurement needs.
Make and Hold
The Make and Hold program protects prices with flexible shipping dates and quantities. It eliminates the need for inventory carrying costs and lead times after the initial production run. The program is renewable and can be adjusted as needed.
Supply Management Program
This program ensures price protection and provides fast shipping, offering same-day or next-day delivery. After completing the initial setup, it eliminates inventory holding costs and lead times. Like the other programs, it can be renewed to maintain long-term supply stability.
These programs help businesses control supply availability, manage costs effectively, and improve operational efficiency. Zebra Certified Supplies provides a reliable solution that supports streamlined inventory planning.
Sustainability and Zebra’s Commitment to the Planet
Zebra is committed to reducing its environmental impact and helping customers do the same. Their approach focuses on lowering emissions during manufacturing, making products last longer, encouraging reuse through smart designs, reducing packaging, and creating easier-to-recycle products. A great example is their ZeroLiner linerless labels, which show how these efforts come together.
Why Choose Linerless Printing?
Better for the Planet
Most label liners are discarded in landfills, adding unnecessary waste. Linerless labels remove this waste entirely. Furthermore, the shorter manufacturing and shipping process for ZeroLiner labels lowers overall carbon emissions.
Saves Money
Linerless rolls can hold up to 50 percent more labels than traditional ones, meaning you need to purchase supplies less often, which lowers costs.
Works Faster
Printing speeds up without liners to peel off, especially when printing large volumes of labels. Additionally, changing roles less often helps maintain smooth operations.
Safer Workspaces
Discarded liner scraps can create slip or trip hazards. Linerless labels produce no liner waste, helping maintain a safer work environment.
Zebra’s sustainable printing options help businesses reduce waste and emissions while keeping operations efficient and costs low.
How Lowry Solutions Adds Value as Your Zebra Certified Partner?
Zebra leads the world in RFID technology, offering the widest range of in-stock, ready-to-ship RFID printing supplies. Their latest RFID chips deliver faster inventory tracking and longer read ranges, helping businesses gain real-time visibility. This improves operations, reduces errors in asset data, and boosts asset tracking and utilization across many industries.
Lowry Solutions works directly with Zebra to help you choose the right RFID supplies for your needs. We provide support at every step, from setup to training, to ensure your RFID system runs smoothly. As a Zebra Certified Partner, we also offer access to the Zebra Printhead Protection Program for added reliability. We handle everything—from picking the right materials to managing your inventory—so your RFID system stays efficient and delivers the results you expect. Lowry Solutions gives you reliable expertise to strengthen and improve your RFID operations.
Let Lowry Solutions power your RFID performance to new heights—smarter, faster, and more unstoppable than ever before.
Get in touch with us:
Phone: 888-881-2477
Visit: 9420 Maltby Road, Brighton, MI 48116
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Let’s create a connected and optimized world for your business.
FAQs
Integration starts with assessing system compatibility, infrastructure readiness, and overall goals. Clearly define the assets you will track, determine how to use the data and assign who will manage it. Consider costs, provide training, and prepare for potential disruptions. Plan for scalability to ensure your RFID system grows alongside your business.
RFID assigns each item a unique ID, making verifying authenticity and tracing movement across the supply chain easier. This prevents counterfeiting in retail and improves compliance in manufacturing by tracking parts, equipment, and usage history, helping ensure everything is safe, genuine, and up to standard.
RFID technology reduces the need for manual labor and minimizes errors by providing accurate visibility into asset utilization. This improved insight enables more effective planning, decreases downtime, and lowers replacement expenses. Additionally, RFID supports timely maintenance scheduling, extending asset lifespan, and ensuring efficient resource use. Please contact us to learn how Lowry Solutions can help your organization realize these cost savings through RFID implementation.
Absolutely. In retail, RFID boosts inventory accuracy and speeds up restocking, so customers find what they need, when they need it. In logistics, it allows real-time shipment tracking, giving customers timely updates and increasing trust through more reliable deliveries.
Lowry Solutions begins with a thorough assessment of your operations. Following this, we develop and implement RFID solutions aligning with your objectives and existing infrastructure. We oversee all aspects, including hardware installation, user training, and ongoing support, to ensure seamless integration and optimal value across any business setting.
The Printhead Protection Program offers free replacement printheads when you use Zebra Certified Supplies with eligible Desktop and Industrial Printers. Please note that this program is not available with Z-Essentials products.
