Plastic card

Early and simpler cards feature only hard-to-imitate integrated photographs, security holograms, guillochés, or a magnetic strip on which few bytes of personal data could be stored.

Today, smart cards, i.e. those equipped with an electronic chip (storage, or RFID), serve as high-security active electronic documents that allow their holder to qualify for driving cars (drivers license card), receive medical treatment (health insurance cards), do banking and more.

[1] Forecasts predicted market growth at a rate of 8.2% from 2021 to 2028, which was counteracted by losses through the Covid pandemic.

[3] The laminated mixture of various dyes, paper and plastics (so far mainly PVC and PVCA) and the integration with electronics makes them hard to recycle.

[7][8] Plastic cards may be printed with the following security-relevant features, some of them also containing personal information, others only serving as anti-forgery devices:[9][10]