Freezer and cryo labels
Key facts
For freezer and cryo labels, face material and adhesive are decisive, because the label has to stay attached and legible even at very low temperatures. The OPAL cryo kits therefore use coated polypropylene with an acrylic-based adhesive and, according to the shop, adhere down to -196 °C; their print is smudge- and scratch-resistant. They are printed by thermal transfer, and the kits can be ordered with or without ribbon.
The four kits differ in format, labels per roll, core and outer diameter. Cryo B, Cryo DA and Cryo CA run on 76.2 mm cores with outer diameters up to 150 mm or 203 mm, Cryo D on a 25.4 mm core with a maximum of 125 mm. The shop also offers the Zebra 8000T CryoCool, for which Zebra publishes a full data sheet with temperature and chemical data.
- Sample tubes and vials in cryogenic storage down to -196 °C
- Frozen storage in laboratories, clinics and research
- Small containers with formats from 30 x 15 mm
- Labels with smudge- and scratch-resistant print
- Product and article labels without cold exposure: Thermal transfer labels and ribbons
- Short-lived shipping and warehouse labels: Direct thermal labels
- Asset labelling with tamper evidence: Security and asset labels
Detailed specifications
| Cryo B | Cryo D | Cryo CA | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Face material | white coated polypropylene | same as left | same as left |
| Adhesive | permanent, acrylic-based | same as left | same as left |
| Low-temperature adhesion according to the shop | down to -196 °C | same as left | same as left |
| Minimum application temperature | not specified | same as left | same as left |
| Resistance according to the shop | smudge- and scratch-resistant | same as left | same as left |
| Chemical resistance | not specified | same as left | same as left |
| Format | 30.0 x 15.0 mm | 40.0 x 25.0 mm | 50.8 x 25.4 mm |
| Labels per roll | 4,500 | 2,500 | 5,940 |
| Rolls per kit | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Core diameter | 76.2 mm | 25.4 mm | 76.2 mm |
| Outer diameter | max. 150 mm | max. 125 mm | max. 203 mm |
| Winding | wound outside | same as left | same as left |
| Print method | thermal transfer | same as left | same as left |
| Ribbon | optional, type not specified | same as left | optional, matching resin ribbon |
| Printer type according to the shop | I and O | A | O |
| Article number | OPAL-Cryo-BoF | OPAL-Cryo-DoF | OPAL-Cryo CAoF |
Source: manufacturer data sheets and product pages, as of October 2026. Subject to change; individual variants may differ. Prices and delivery times are available in the shop.
Variants and accessories
| Item | Format | Contents | Core / outer diameter | Ribbon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPAL Cryo B | 30.0 x 15.0 mm | 3 rolls of 4,500 | 76.2 mm / max. 150 mm | with or without |
| OPAL Cryo D | 40.0 x 25.0 mm | 2 rolls of 2,500 | 25.4 mm / max. 125 mm | with or without |
| OPAL Cryo DA | 40.0 x 25.0 mm | 2 rolls of 5,940 | 76.2 mm / max. 203 mm | with or without |
| OPAL Cryo CA | 50.8 x 25.4 mm | 2 rolls of 5,940 | 76.2 mm / max. 203 mm | with or without resin ribbon |
| Zebra 8000T CryoCool | 51 x 25 mm | 5,940 per roll | 25.4 mm / 127 mm | not included |
| Zebra 8000T CryoCool | 30 x 15 mm, 32 x 25 mm, 51 x 25 mm | 4,430 or 2,700 per order unit according to the shop list | not specified | not included |
Goes well with
- Printers with thermal transfer mechanism: Label printers
- Resin ribbon: Zebra recommends the 6200 Standard Resin for the 8000T CryoCool
- Print sample IDs from your system: OPAL Labelmanagement™
- Verify printed codes: Print & Verify
- Test samples on your containers: Labels and consumables
OPAL cryo kit or Zebra 8000T CryoCool?
| OPAL cryo kits | Zebra 8000T CryoCool | |
|---|---|---|
| Face material | white coated polypropylene | white coated gloss polypropylene according to Zebra |
| Adhesive | permanent, acrylic-based | same as left |
| Temperature | adhesion down to -196 °C according to the shop | -196 °C to 88 °C according to Zebra |
| Minimum application temperature | not specified | -29 °C according to Zebra |
| Further resistance | smudge- and scratch-resistant according to the shop | according to the shop dry ice (-80 °C), steam autoclave and gamma radiation; according to Zebra incl. alcohol, IPA and bleach |
| Rolls | 2 or 3 rolls per kit, core 25.4 or 76.2 mm | 5,940 per roll, core 25.4 mm, outer diameter 127 mm (51 x 25 mm) |
| Ribbon | can be ordered with or without | 6200 Standard Resin recommended by Zebra |
Both follow the same principle of coated polypropylene and acrylic adhesive. The Zebra 8000T CryoCool comes with a manufacturer data sheet stating temperature range, minimum application temperature and a chemical list, which helps with validation. The OPAL kits are available as a kit with ribbon and with large rolls on a 76.2 mm core. Without cold exposure, standard labels are sufficient: Go to thermal transfer labels and ribbons
What OPAL adds
Frequently asked questions
Down to which temperature do the cryo labels hold?
For the OPAL cryo kits, the shop states low-temperature adhesion down to -196 °C; no upper limit is given. For the Zebra 8000T CryoCool, Zebra states a service range of -196 °C to 88 °C; the shop also lists dry ice (-80 °C), steam autoclave and gamma radiation.
Can I apply the labels to containers that are already frozen?
The shop does not state a minimum application temperature for the OPAL cryo kits. Zebra states -29 °C for the 8000T CryoCool. Test application in your process with samples before switching.
Which ribbon do I need?
Cryo labels are printed by thermal transfer. Cryo CA can be ordered with a matching resin ribbon, the other kits with or without ribbon. For the Zebra 8000T CryoCool, Zebra recommends the 6200 Standard Resin. According to Zebra, wax ribbons are intended for paper.
Which chemicals can the labels withstand?
For the OPAL kits, the shop only states smudge and scratch resistance. For the 8000T CryoCool, Zebra lists water, salt water, alcohol, IPA, bleach, ammonia, blood and body fluids among others as recommended, and acetone and MEK as not recommended. Zebra advises testing every application beforehand.
Which kit fits my printer?
Check core and outer diameter: Cryo D has a 25.4 mm core and a maximum outer diameter of 125 mm; Cryo B, DA and CA have 76.2 mm cores and rolls up to 150 mm or 203 mm. The shop pages also assign the kits to printer types with code letters. Tell us your printer model and we will check the combination.
Are other formats available?
Yes. Zebra names tubes, vials and slides as applications for the 8000T CryoCool, and the shop offers several formats. The OPAL label printing shop produces custom formats; describe your containers in the label request form or read more under Labels and consumables.
Data sheets and manufacturer information
The manufacturer provides data sheets, user guides and configuration guides on the product page. We are also happy to send you the documents directly.
Suitable alternatives
