Ecological alternatives to PVC cards " Contisystems

We've already mentioned here that the trend towards metallic cards, at least for some segments, has been something we've seen grow. Whether it's pure metal cards, which are very expensive, or hybrid cards, which mix PVC with metal, differentiation has been sought in terms of the card's base material.

But in fact, alternatives to traditional PVC aren't just made of metal. Following the trend towards ecology, institutions are increasingly looking for materials that allow them to communicate the environmental concern of their business. In this sense, alternatives have begun to appear on the market that had already been available from suppliers for some time, but had not yet attracted the interest of customers. Here's a small example of communication based on these choices. See CaixaBank's communication.

In this context, and in addition to the metal options we shared in a previous article, here are some other alternatives to PVC that can be considered:

Recycled PVC

100% recycled plastic is an alternative to PVC, guaranteeing equivalent print quality and durability, but greatly reducing environmental impact. rPVC minimizes the production of new PVC, which contributes to reducing the problem of plastic landfills.

This material is compatible with the usual customization options.

PLA - Polylactide resin

PLA (Poly Lactide Acid) cards are made from corn, generating a composite material that is EN13432 certified and guarantees 100% reliability. They have lower CO2 emissions compared to PVC products and do not use petroleum.

As a compostable material under very specific conditions, it does not biodegrade in an uncontrolled environment. It is compatible with different physical and logical customization options.

Ocean plastic

These cards are made with plastic recovered from the oceans (e.g. nylons from trawling), helping the oceans and wildlife to deal with plastic pollution. This product is the result of a partnership between Giesecke+Devrient (one of the world's largest card manufacturers) and Parley for the Oceans.

These are just some of the alternatives to consider when thinking about making your card greener. You can count on Contisystems to help you along this path to sustainability, whether in choosing your card, producing cardmails with FSC-certified material, or even with collection and recycling services for old cards.