No, thermal labels do not require ink. Thermal labels are designed to work with thermal printers, which use heat to create an image on the label. These printers apply heat to a specially coated thermal paper or label, causing the coating to react and produce the desired image or text. The heat-sensitive coating on the label is what creates the image, eliminating the need for ink or toner cartridges commonly used in other types of printers. This makes thermal labels a popular choice for applications that require fast and efficient printing, such as barcode labels, shipping labels, and receipts.