To provide a method for producing a printed matter having a high abrasion resistance and a clear laminated color image even if a laminating body has a uneven surface, or even if the material quantity of the laminating body is unsuitable for thermal printing, when the printed matter printed with a thermal printer is laminated on the laminated body by using a film, and also to provide a thermal transfer ribbon and a thermal transfer preprint ribbon which are used in the thermal printer.

A preprint ribbon is put on a cover film, and a transparent ink layer is thermally transferred. Then an image is printed on the transparent ink layer by using a thermal transfer ribbon, and the imaging surface of the cover film is overlapped on a laminating body for lamination to produce a printed matter.