Choosing the correct card substrate material is one of the most important decisions in smart card production.

Different applications require different material characteristics.

A payment card manufacturer, government ID card producer, and transportation card supplier may have completely different material requirements.

The three most commonly selected materials include:

PVC

PETG

Polycarbonate (PC)

PVC Card Material: The Most Popular Smart Card Solution

PVC is currently one of the most widely adopted smart card materials.

Advantages:

✔ Excellent printing quality

✔ Stable processing performance

✔ Cost-effective production

✔ Mature manufacturing technology

Common applications:

Bank cards

Loyalty cards

Access control cards

Gift cards

Ketian provides various PVC card materials including:

PVC core sheets

PVC overlay

Transparent PVC sheets

Colored PVC sheets

PETG Card Material: Environmentally Friendly Choice

PETG has become increasingly popular among manufacturers seeking sustainable card solutions.

Advantages:

Eco-friendly characteristics

Chemical resistance

Good durability

Excellent appearance

 

Applications:

Eco-friendly cards

Healthcare cards

Identification cards

PC Card Material: High Security Applications

Polycarbonate provides superior strength, exceptional impact resistance, and high heat tolerance for laser engraving.

It is commonly used for:

Government documents

Identification cards

High-security smart cards

Material Selection Guide

Application	Recommended Material
Banking Card	PVC
Membership Card	PVC
Eco Card	PETG
Government ID	PC
Security Card	PC
Sustainable Card	Recycled PVC(RPVC)

Why Work With Ketian?

 

Ketian develops customized substrate solutions based on:

Card design requirements

Printing technology

Lamination process

Application environment

The company provides a complete material portfolio covering PVC, PETG, ABS, PC and RPVC.