This is related to the innovative technology of Oekobon. In order to avoid any chemical reactions in the thermal layer, the black colour is already built in the thermal paper. It is covered with a white layer. Since this covering is not complete to ensure printability, a unique blue colour is generated. We are not using any colourants: therefore we do not tint the product green!

Standard thermal paper is creating the print by a chemical reaction of colour developoer and colour former, initiated by the heat of the thermal print head. This reaction may, of course, also be reversed. The black image spot may thus disappear again. In Oekobon, the thermoreactive layer will be perforated by the thermal print head to make the black layer visible in a very find spot. This procedure is not reversible. So – oil or water cannot support the reverse reaction and the image spot stays visible forever!

The innovative thermal paper Oekobon has been certified in an extensive test series by the manufacturer at an independent institute. It has been determined that Oekobon does not release any substance by the direct contact, e.g. to hands, food or water. This is unique since all standard thermal papers, even phenolfree, are only approved for indirect contact. Oekobon may get in touch with food without any health or safety concerns – for the benfit of your team, the valuable food and the environment.

FSC® is the abbreviation for »Forest Stewardship Council®«. This is the most common international certfication for a sustainable forestry. Ten principles, applied globally, guarantee that the paper and wood products under the FSC® seal are exclusively coming from responsible managed forests. For example, it ensures that paper producers are only consuming pulp that is re-growing during the lifecycle of the product.

In standard thermal papers, different chemical substances are used to achieve the black image spot by heat. These materials can be released to the environment, e.g. within the recycling process by releasing the wastewaters into the environment. Also, these compounds may accumulate on the fibres during the recycling process. Oekobon does not use any of those chemicals! By your support and use of Oekobon you are reducing actively the exposure of such chemicals to the environment and act responsible. Oekobon decomposes in the environment under standard composting conditions within four weeks to more than 75% and has been passing the ecotoxicity test of ISEGA with excellent results!

In standard thermal printers the image is created by the use of chemical colour developers and colour formers. This chemical reaction is reversible. Oekobon does not use chemical processes. The image is created by melting the thermal layer and  making it transparent. This process is not reversible! Therefore, sunlight or UV irradiation cannot destroy the image spot anymore.

Colour developers in thermal paper are chemical substances, such as e.g. Bisphenol A, which is part of the thermal layer of standard thermal papers. They ensure that the chemical process on printing with a thermal printer  results in the formation of a black complex by reacting with a colour former. Since years a number of colour developers are under big concern from greenpeace and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the United States of America. An ideal solution has not yet been proposed. The answer is simple: Oekobon thermal paper does not contain any colour formers or colour developers.

The innovative Oekobon thermal paper had to be developed in extensive research programs. Oekobon works without chemicals because the black layer is already integrated in the thermal paper. This black layer is covered with a white thermosensitive layers. Upon printing, the thermal print head is heating the upper layer of the thermal paper. The opaque coating layer becomes transparent on the activity of heat and makes the lower layer visible. This principle is – other than the chemical reaction of colour formers and colour developers – a purely physical process. Please refer to the schematic sketch of the reactivitiy in the section INFO.

Up to now, no thermal paper was generally free from concerns from an environmental or health perspective, although thermal printing offers many advantages. We believe we have the solution. With the innovative Oekobon thermal paper, you are moving a big step forward from an ecological perspective with your new till rolls!

If you do not require the receipt anymore, just dispose it to wastepaper. You may return it without concerns to the nearest collection point. Remember: there is nothing to be released to the environment. Make sure that the valuable paper fibres are recycled and it is no more required to dispose any receipts to the household waste.

This is also due to the innovative technology of Oekobon. Other that heat, further factors may destroy the thermosenstive layer. This can be done manually, e.g. by scratching with a fingernail or a coin. It will also make the black layer visible and this results in seeing visible scratches. The printed image will always remain visible!

The technology itself is not new – however, the thermosensitive layer had to be invented completely new. It has been a big challenge for many large corporations to transfer the idea of the thermally sensitive layer to the paper background and still keep the printability on a good level. Only this allows for the substitution of all chemical colour components. The challenges are not over yet: the paper has to be produced efficiently to achieve a large impact. With your purchase of Oekobon you are contributing to this endavour and help the environment!

The main components of Oekobon are pulp, minerals, paper binder, wax and a black pigment – and the thermosensitive, opaque white layer. The substances have been investigated by a neutral institute. According to the conditions of this institute, no toxic, cancerogenic or dangerous chemicals are allowed to be used to be certified. Oekobon has passed this test and we may provide the certificate upon request.

Nothing is really safe. But: on standard receipts the print may be removed. Be it with sunlight, solvents of with sunflower oil. This is not possible with Oekobon. If a spot has been printed, it stays. It can be removed by scratching, but isn't this the best proof for tempering? It is unique and it is safe: black print on a light blue paper. The original quality is proven with the scratch of a fingernail. If it is black, it is Oekobon.

This is the real magic in Oekobon thermal paper. It is made by special hollow pigments that are introduced in the thermal layer. They are very small and are not adding weight. It is really unique for Oekobon – using primarily natural materials such as calcium carbonate, wax and paper fibres.

This is a special property of the thermal layer. In contact with water, the hollow pigments are filling with water and the opaque layer becomes transparent. This makes the black layer visible. Fortunately, this effect is reversible. Just put it aside for drying for a few minutes. Then all water will evaporate and the receipt is perfectly readable. Don't rub on it when wet...

The surface of Oekobon is sensitive, of course. Finally the print has to work in standard thermal printers. But it is not possible to make all the print invisible. Only, if a lot of effort is spent to scratch heavily on the surface. But why should this be done? Under normal conditions, the thermal print is always well recognizable.

Oekobon thermal paper may be ordered in our SHOP section,
or e-mail to: info@oekobon.de.
Phone +49-8237–3052724 | Fax +49-8237–3052723

Oekobon is available immediately. Even a sample box is also on stock!

We are happy to send you a sample roll of Oekobon thermal paper. Additionally, samples may also be ordered in the SHOP section. Or contact us per e-mail: info@ökobon.de

The technology has been developed in a long-term R&D work of a major paper manufacturer in cooperation with a US-based chemical company. Within this cooperation, a famous and world-leading family-owned company has invested largely into this product. We, the small team of Oekobon, are very proud that we are an important partner for the market introduction of this innovative product.

No, don't worry. You may use Oekobon thermal paper on every available printer on the market. Please note to use the right width and diameter of the rolls – then a quick conversion from your standard thermal paper to the substainable solution is trouble-free. These sizes are available:

Standard for most printers:
width 80 mm – diameter 80 mm

For food balances and payment terminals:
width 57 mm or 62 mm – diameter 64 mm
width 57 mm – diameter 30 mm
width 57 mm – diameter 40 mm

With your printer model it will be necessary to change the print intensity. This will increase the contrast of the printed image and the print-out will be darker. No concern – the change has no influence at all on your printer lifetime.

Please check carefully, if Oekobon thermal paper has been inserted correctly into the thermal printer. If still no receipt is printed, this may be caused by a special sensor for blackmarks or the end of the roll. The sensor stops the transportation of paper if the colour is not clearly white. The best way of overcoming this issue is to fix a small piece of white paper with an adhesive tape and overrun the blackmark sensor. Again, this has no influence on the lifetime and funtion of the printer. More modern printers do not even have a blackmark sensor anymore...

This is how to do it:

1. Switch off the printer. Caution, the thermal print head inside may be hot!

2. Open the tray for the roll.

3. Take our the standard till roll

4. Cover the sensor below the print head with a paper stripe and fix it with
    a small piece of adhesive tape.

5. Insert the roll of Oekobon thermal paper

6. Close the tray for the roll and switch on the printer again.

Done! Welcome to the new thermal paper and thanks for helping our environment.

The following devices can not currently print the Oekobon themal paper

- Quorion cash registers

- some BC scales from Mettler-Toledo

- some receipt printers from SNBC

Good news – our research shows that Oekobon thermal paper also works with ink-jet and matrix printers. In the latter ones we don't even need to re-ink the printing tape or may discard it completely. Just switch to Oekobon and offer a real innovation with an additional value for your customers. And should you ever consider to change  to the economic function of a thermal printer, just keep using Oekobon. Thermal printers are fast, clean, quiet and efficient. This keeps the service efforts on your check-out points low.