A printer ribbon is a consumable component used in impact printers, such as dot matrix printers and some typewriters. It is a long strip of fabric or film that is coated with ink or wax, and when the printer head strikes the ribbon against the paper, the ink or wax transfers onto the paper to create text or images.

The ribbon is wound on two spools and is driven by the printer mechanism to advance the ribbon as needed. Once the ink or wax is depleted, the ribbon needs to be replaced to continue printing.

Different types of printer ribbons are available for different applications, including those that produce single-color or multiple-color prints, and those that are compatible with specific printer models.