Plastic cards, RFID, and contact chip cards are predominantly made from multilayer laminated plastics. Due to the special material properties, PVC is commonly used. In addition, there are many other materials suitable for different applications.
Environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional card materials are becoming increasingly important. These sustainable alternatives are characterized by properties such as biodegradability, compostability, and recyclability.
The presented cards can mostly be used just like a classic PVC card. We are happy to advise you in detail.
Polycarbonate (PC) Plastic Cards
By far the most durable material is polycarbonate (PC), which is typically used for national IDs and driver’s licenses due to its excellent properties.
Polycarbonate cards, like standard PVC cards, are produced using a multi-layer process. These cards have high heat resistance and can withstand temperatures up to 100°C. External mechanical impacts barely affect the material.
Polycarbonate plastic cards can be used like standard PVC cards and are especially suitable for laser personalization. Printing is only possible with retransfer card printers.
Plastic Cards Made from 100% Recycled PVC
100% recycled PVC as card material helps conserve resources. The “green” advantage of these cards: each kilogram of recycled PVC replaces exactly the same amount of PVC already on the market. Thus, no new resources are consumed for the base material. PVC can be recycled up to 8 times without any loss in material quality.
Plastic cards made from recycled material have almost identical properties to conventionally manufactured plastic cards. They can be printed, personalized, and encoded. Finishing options such as screen printing, special colors, or holograms are also possible.
If the card is no longer needed, it can be fully recycled again.
Plastic Cards Made from PET-G
PET-G cards are generally more durable than conventional PVC cards and can offer better print quality and clarity.
Compared to standard PVC, PET-G can be recycled and reused. The material contains fewer harmful chemicals, with no toxic phthalates or chlorine used.
PET-G plastic cards can be personalized using DOD and thermal transfer printing methods and can be produced with all common printing techniques and finishes such as writable panels, hot foil stamping, or screen printing.
Plastic Cards Made from Bio-PVC
Card manufacturers are increasingly offering so-called “Bio-PVC.” However, this is not biodegradable PVC as the name might suggest. This “Bio-PVC” is still made from biologically non-degradable PVC, to which additional chemicals have been added.
To support claims of biodegradability, the material underwent a test commissioned by the manufacturer. In a composting facility environment, the “Bio-PVC” was exposed to microorganisms and a constant temperature above 50 degrees Celsius. After two months, a material loss of about 9.5% was observed. Based on this, the further biodegradation was extrapolated and the material was rated as biodegradable.
From our point of view, there is no convincing evidence of significant biodegradation of this plastic. Cards made from so-called “Bio-PVC” are available from YouCard due to market demand, but we deliberately do not recommend them.
Cards Made from Grass Paper
This alternative to plastic cards is made from a special paper that partly consists of grass fibers. The grass is used as a fibrous raw material for paper production and can be regarded as a sustainable resource. Grass paper has a rough and natural texture, giving the card a unique and rustic appearance.
Cards made from grass paper are biodegradable and recyclable, further reducing their environmental impact.
Due to their composition, grass cards are not waterproof like plastic cards. They can be printed individually in black and are suitable for DOD personalization.
Paper Cards Made from FSC-Certified Cardboard
Since many cards are only used for special events or infrequently, there is often no need for durable plastic material. Instead, high-quality FSC-certified cardboard can be used, which is specially designed for ID card production.
FSC-certified paper cards are made from wood sourced from forests managed according to FSC standards. These standards include environmental and social criteria that ensure the long-term preservation of forests and respect the rights of people and animals dependent on them.
This material is visually and tactilely almost identical to PVC but is environmentally superior to PVC and other plastics. FSC cardboard cards are completely plastic-free. Due to their composition, cardboard cards are not waterproof like plastic cards. The cards can be printed with a black ribbon.
PLA/Wood Cards
These cards are made from polylactic acid and wood fibers. PLA/wood cards are more environmentally friendly than standard PVC cards, but they are not plastic-free. The environmental impact of these cards is still 42% lower than that of a PVC card. They consist of bio-based, partially recycled materials.
Polylactic acid or polylactides (PLA) is a sustainable alternative to plastic, made from renewable, bio-based resources such as corn or sugarcane. PLA is not derived from petroleum and contains no toxins.
The wood fibers are by-products of the industrial processing of PEFC-certified wood from sustainably managed forests.
PLA/wood cards can be printed using a black wax ribbon.
Alternative card materials compared
| Card made of polycarbonate | Card made from 100% recycled PVC | Card made of PET-G | Card made of bio-based PVC | Card made of grass paper | Card made of FSC-certified cardboard | Card made of PLA/wood | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PVC-free | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Made from renewable resources | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Biodegradable | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Recyclable | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Personalization | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| RFID-Transponder | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Contact Chip | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | |
| Magnetic Stripe | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Printable with Card Printer | ✔️ (with retransfer) | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ (with black) | ✔️ (with black) | ✔️ (with black) |
How to personalize your cards
Personalization
In addition to the base layout, which is the same for all cards, each individual card can be customized. Personalization can include, for example, a photo, name, barcode, or other attributes.
Security Features
To protect your ID cards against tampering, you can enhance them with secure features such as embossing, signature fields, scratch-off fields, or custom holograms.
Chip Encoding
You can also receive your cards with contact and contactless chips from us. As a partner of leading manufacturers, we offer you all common transponders with your desired encoding.
