In the smart card manufacturing industry, PVC Card Base Materials (PVC card substrate materials) represent the most widely adopted substrate solution. From bank cards and transit cards to access control cards and membership cards, PVC dominates the smart card substrate market thanks to its mature processing technology, excellent printability and stable physical properties.

However, PVC Card Base Materials are not a single type of material. Instead, it is a material system encompassing core sheets, overlay films, colored sheets, recycled materials and more. Variants differ greatly in lamination compatibility, print process performance, durability and environmental compliance. Selecting the right material is the first step to a successful card production project.

Founded in 2000, Dongguan Ketian Smart Card Technology Co., Ltd. specializes in PVC smart card substrates. We have built a product portfolio covering five major series: PVC, PETG, ABS, PC and RPVC. With 14 core patents and an annual production capacity of 15,000 tons, our 13 quality inspection procedures underpin our 99.98% on-spec delivery commitment.

Core Properties of PVC Card Base Materials

PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride) stands out as the preferred substrate for smart cards due to its comprehensive performance advantages.

Strong processing adaptability. PVC can be processed into sheets of varying thickness via compounding, calendering and other procedures. It supports offset printing, screen printing, UV printing, digital printing and other printing methods. As a thermoplastic material, it enables lamination within the temperature range of 120℃–170℃, and is highly compatible with chip embedding processes.

Stable physical properties. PVC features light weight, heat insulation, moisture resistance and flame retardancy. Its tensile strength exceeds 40 MPa, enabling it to withstand abrasion and impact during daily card use.

Excellent printing performance. After corona treatment, the surface tension of PVC can reach 34–39 Dynes/cm or higher. It delivers strong ink adhesion to clearly display card data, anti-counterfeit marks and intricate graphics.

Compliance & safety. Ketian’s PVC substrate products comply with international environmental standards including RoHS and REACH, and can be safely used in high-security applications such as financial payment and identity verification documents.

Detailed Introduction to Five Types of PVC Card Base Materials

1. COE Material — High-efficiency Substrate for Colored Smart Cards

COE material is an innovative two-layer composite substrate developed by Ketian specifically for colored smart cards. It is formed in one step with a white PVC layer and a colored PVC layer, which can directly replace the screen-printed white ink layer in traditional processes and eliminate the secondary screen printing procedure.

Its core technical advantage lies in color stability: the color difference ΔE of the white side ≤1.28, and the color difference ΔE of the colored side ≤1.5. It delivers outstanding color consistency across different batches. For products with strict color accuracy requirements such as colored credit cards and custom debit cards, COE material can greatly reduce the overall card manufacturing cost while improving production efficiency. The core thickness ranges from 190μm to 500μm, and core colors including red, green, blue, yellow, black can be customized.

2. Offset PVC Sheets — General-purpose Core Sheet Solution

Offset PVC sheets are the most fundamental and widely used material category in smart card manufacturing. Ketian’s offset PVC sheets are available in thicknesses ranging from 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm with a tight tolerance of 0.01 mm. Compatible with CMYK + spot color printing, they support sophisticated designs such as color gradients, microtext and anti-counterfeit patterns.

This material is extensively adopted for credit cards, bank cards, ID cards, IC cards, dual-interface cards and gift cards. It suits the lamination process for both contact and contactless smart cards.

3. RPVC Recycled Materials — A Compliant Choice for Eco-friendly Card Manufacturing

As global environmental regulations grow stricter, recycled PVC materials have become an important development trend in the smart card industry. Mastercard has announced that it will phase out virgin PVC plastic across all payment cards by 2028, shifting to eco-friendly materials such as recycled PVC (rPVC).

Ketian’s RPVC product line includes RPVC core sheets and RPVC coated overlay. Made from post-consumer recycled PVC feedstock, these materials are refined through sorting, washing, drying and shredding processes. Our RPVC sheets are certified by UL and GRS, with approximately 44% lower carbon emissions compared to conventional PVC. Available in thicknesses from 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm and featuring tensile strength ≥40 MPa, they fully meet mass production requirements.

4. PVC Coated Overlay — Protective Barrier for Card Surfaces

PVC coated overlay serves as a critical functional layer in smart card structures, providing surface protection and interlayer bonding. Ketian’s PVC coated overlay is available in thicknesses ranging from 0.04 mm to 0.15 mm, with peel strength ≥6 N/cm. After thermocompression lamination, they endow cards with scratch-resistant and anti-smudge properties.

This product uses water-based eco-friendly adhesive. No solvent volatilization or waste gas emission occurs during card manufacturing. It complies with international environmental standards including RoHS and REACH, and fits lamination processes at 120℃–150℃.

5. Digital Print PVC — Efficient Solution for Custom Card Production

Ketian’s high-performance digital print PVC is engineered for digital card printing applications, compatible with mainstream digital printer brands including Xerox, Ricoh and Konica Minolta. Featuring a special coating technology, this material delivers precise color reproduction and outstanding lamination adhesion. It is available in thicknesses from 0.17 mm to 0.34 mm, with surface tension ≥39 Dynes/cm. It supports variable data printing and mass production.

Why Choose Ketian as Your Supplier of PVC Card Base Materials?

With 26 years of R&D experience in PVC smart card substrates, Ketian is the only enterprise in South China’s PVC industry with a modern self-owned factory. We implement full-process quality control from raw materials to finished products. The company holds authoritative certifications including UL, GRS, ISO9001, REACH and RoHS. Our products serve multiple sectors such as finance, transportation, telecommunications, social security and packaging.

We supply not only materials, but also comprehensive technical support. From printing parameter recommendations and lamination process optimization to die-cutting solution design, Ketian’s one-stop services help global customers streamline their supply chains and shorten time-to-market.

Contact us now at info@ketian.net.cn to request free samples and get a detailed quotation for your project.