PURPOSE: To enable printing free of color misregistration, by applying numerous microcapsules individually enveloping respective coloring matters in respective thermosetting resins and respective thermo-softening resins capable of being softened at temperatures lower than the setting temperatures of the thermosetting resins, uniformly and dispersely to the surface of a ribbon base sheet.

CONSTITUTION: Thermosetting resins 2a, 2b, 2c and thermo-softening resins 3a, 3b, 3c are so selected that the temperature ranges in which microcapsules CM, MM, YM are respectively crushed under heat and pressure do not overlap with each other. The microcapsules CM, MM, YM containing respective coloring matters thus formed are applied uniformly and dispersely to the surface of a ribbon base sheet 4. At the time of printing in a mixture of two coloring matters, for example, a cyan coloring matter and a magenta coloring matter, the temperature of a printing head is first set to TC, thereby crushing the microcapsules CM containing the cyan coloring matter, and then the temperature of the head is raised to TM, whereby the microcapsules MM containing the magenta coloring matter can be crushed, resulting in printing in a blue color obtained by mixing of the cyan coloring matter and the magenta coloring matter.