Swedish papermaker Iggesund is launching a contactless card made of cardboard, which contains no plastic or aluminium. The card, which would be the first solution of its kind to be marketed, would reduce CO2 emissions by 95% compared to a conventional plastic card.
Mainly made of PVC, contactless cards, equipped with RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, are generally used as hotel keys, access badges, transport tickets or gift cards. They are often used for short periods, ending up in the wild or incinerated," says Iggesund.
"The contactless cards that are on the market today most often have plastic elements and an aluminium antenna - even if the main carrier is sometimes made of cardboard, explains Thomas Janson, Head of Business Development at Iggesund Paperboard.
The novelty with this solution is that it is plastic-free and aluminium-free. The antenna is printed on a fiber material and connected to the chip of your choice."
The antenna is printed between two sheets of Iggesund's Invercote Duo cardboard, and instead of aluminium, Iggesund uses conductive ink, allowing the card to be recycled after use to make paper pulp again.
These cards, which can be recycled in the traditional paper stream, generate 0.55 grams of CO2 compared to 11.4 grams for a PVC card, representing a 95% reduction in carbon emissions.
And Iggesund tested the recyclability of these cards printed on Invercote and found that 94.3% of the fibres were recoverable compared to 87.6% for a cardboard card with an aluminium antenna.
This cardboard solution has a similar feel to plastic and is very resistant, according to the manufacturer. "The challenge was to use the right technology, the right material and the right processing. The quality feels good to the touch and the strength of the card suits the time of use." says Thomas Janson.
