Seven families, all made end to end in-house: chip matched to your system, artwork printed, encoded and every chip tested before shipping. The chip is shared across nearly all of them, so the choice is about the body, how long it lasts and where it lives.
Compare the families→The technology page rather than a material page. Frequencies, chip families, what encoding at the plant covers and how a card is matched to the reader or lock you already have. Start here if you know the system and not the card.
RFID and NFC cards→The card most systems were built around, in virgin or recycled PVC, from 0.40 to 1.0 mm, for hotel key, membership, loyalty and gift cards. The only body we make that carries a magnetic stripe, a signature panel or a contact chip.
PVC cards→Basswood, black walnut, cherry and bamboo at 1.20 to 1.30 mm, laser engraved or printed. Thicker than PVC, contactless only and no stripe, and all three of those are on the page rather than in a footnote.
Wooden cards→Anything that is not CR80, cut to your outline in PVC, recycled PVC or wood, up to 200 mm. Same chips and same printing. Send a vector outline and we quote against it rather than against a catalogue.
Special shape cards→Moulded ABS from 31 to 56 mm across twelve shapes, in 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz. Not available in UHF, which is the first thing worth knowing rather than the last. The credential for people who already carry keys.
Key fobs→Silicone, fabric, nylon, elastic, vinyl and Tyvek, across all three frequency bands. The material is decided by how long the band stays on a wrist, which is a harder question than which chip goes in it.
Wristbands→Card sleeves, holders, lanyards, envelopes and carriers, door hangers, signage and custom wooden pieces. Add-ons rather than a separate line, which is why they are not in the table below. Every one of them is made to fit a credential, so they are quoted on the same sheet as the cards and made in the same plant. Minimum order is 500 units, as everywhere else.
Accessories→Accessories are left out of this table because they are not a credential. Everything else is here, including the things each one cannot do, which is usually the faster way to narrow the choice.
| Where it lives | Frequencies | Magnetic stripe | Laser engraving | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RFID and NFC cards | Wallet or holder | 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz, UHF | On PVC | On wood |
| PVC cards | Wallet or holder | 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz, UHF | Yes | No |
| Wooden cards | Wallet or holder | 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz, contactless only | No | Yes |
| Special shape cards | Wallet, keyring or pocket | 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz, UHF | On PVC, if the shape allows | On wood |
| Key fobs | Keyring | 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz only | No | Yes |
| Wristbands | Wrist | 125 kHz, 13.56 MHz, UHF | No | On silicone |
The reader or the lock decides the frequency, and the frequency decides which of the six above are still on the table. It is the quickest question to answer and it removes the most options.
Whatever you choose, these do not change, which is the part that makes a mixed order straightforward.
15+
Years making cards
53+
Countries delivered to
8M
Cards a month the line is built for
100%
Chips read-tested before shipping
How PVC, recycled PVC, wood and PET differ once the card is in a pocket.
Read the guide →
The lock brand never specifies the card. Four variables decide whether the door opens.
Read the guide →
Classic, Ultralight and DESFire answer the same reader and are not interchangeable.
Read the guide →Ask for a free sample in your material and chip.