BioPaper is the latest eco-friendly material for replacing plastic cards. It’s becoming popular in many industries like hospitality, supermarkets, transportation, etc. BioPaper card is made from naturally occurring resources that create no waste or harmful gasses to the environment. Then what crafts are available for BioPaper cards? Can I make any crafts that are available for PVC cards for this new type of card?
10 Crafts You Can Make for BioPaper Cards
Crafting could be well presented on a plastic card, if the crafts fit well with the design, people will be definitely impressed with the card at their first sight, and then to enhance their impression of the brand. It’s been very mature for adding various crafts on PVC cards, then how about BioPaper card? If I’m replacing PVC hotel key cards with BioPaper key cards, can I retain the crafts I used to make for my key cards?
1. Offset Printing
According to Wikipedia, Offset printing is a common printing technique in which the inked image is transferred (or “offset”) from a plate to a rubber blanket and then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat image carrier. Ink rollers transfer ink to the image areas of the image carrier, while a water roller applies a water-based film to the non-image areas.
Offset printing is also called CMYK printing, it’s been widely used for printing plastic cards and paper cards due to its rich and saturated colors, as a result, it’s also the most popular printing method.
Characteristics
- Clean and crisp lines.
- Fast and affordable.
- Consistent high-resolution images.
- Easy production of printing plates.
- Easy to adjust the amount of ink.
2. UV Printing
This uses Ultraviolet curing technology that quickly dries special ink. UV printing is most suited for commercial printing purposes. Using this abrasion and chemical resistant technology does not require absorption to cure. The ink absorption is instant and efficient for smooth and clean printing.
Characteristics
- The ink dries off immediately.
- Compatible with a variety of materials.
- Do not scratch, scuff, or fade. Less prone to ink transfer.
- Sharper and more vibrant.
- Non-solvent-based and eco-friendly.
3. Laser Printing
This is an electrostatic printing business that uses electrical charge. It works by attracting toner particles to a roller for high-quality text and graphics. Laser printing has a lot of uses that include printing stationery, labeling, among other purposes.
Characteristics
- High-quality texts and graphics.
- Varying print speed.
- Upgradable memory modules.
- High-resolution enhancement technology.
- Duplexity by printing from both sides.
- All in one printer with media support.
4. Digital Printing
This is best-suited prints that require high amounts of details for images. It is also best for smaller quantity orders because of its printing to a variety of media substrates. The setup for this printing business is cost-effective and it is advisable to print the small amount that you only need.
Characteristics
- Faster personalized printing.
- Lower setup costs.
- Requires fewer productions at a time.
- Files send directly to a digital printing press.
5. Serial Numbering
This kind of printing includes a wide number of options you can choose from to suit your printing needs. It enables you to incorporate serial numbers and sequential numbering of products and to match them with the UID or data encoded inside the RFID chip of BioPaper card.
Characteristics
- Allows printing on size media of your Windows.
- Allows creating multiple numbers.
- Personalize font styles to suit your taste.
- Match the data inside RFID chip for higher security.
6. DOD Printing
This printing works by ejecting drops from the printhead of the machine when required. This technology works by heating a resistive element on ink. The process sounds all sophisticated, but it does not compromise the quality of prints it produces.
Characteristics
- Used to apply coatings.
- Used to print DOD numbering for higher security.
7. Hot Stamp
Also known as foil stamping, this printing process work by using high temperatures. In a layman’s language, this method uses relief printing with engraved mold or dye. This method can be used on a variety of substrates such as silver, gold, red, blue, green foils.
Characteristics
- Uses heated image molds.
- Versatile and efficient printing method.
- Do not damage the coating of an object.
- Easy to be scratched off.
8. Metallic Gold/Silver
The ink used for this printing is created through leafing process of metallic flakes. This helps to achieve that brilliant luster that we all desire every ink to have. Aluminum flakes are used for silver printing ink. Brass flakes, on the other hand, are used for gold printing ink. The inks have a lightweight emulsion to easily run out of the container.
Characteristics
- The ink does not tarnish the can.
- It has a long shelf life of up to over a year.
- Softer than the regular ink.
- Excellent lustrous results on the paper.
- The inks are too opaque.
9. Barcode
This process normally uses a UV printer to apply the barcode. Thermal transfer printing is also available but the cost is higher, and the efficiency is lower than a UV printer. Code 39 or Code 128 is the most frequently used format for barcodes, other formats are also available. Visible barcode (with data printed down the barcode) or Invisible barcode (without data printed down the barcode) are both available.
Characteristics
- Highly effective with quality production.
- More costly in terms of production.
- Can be used for small to industrial printing.
10. QR Code
This process employs four standardized encoding modes all of which are efficient and sustainable. These encodings are used to safeguard the data that includes dates, batch numbers among other important information. These codes are the bones you would normally see on product packaging among other places.
Characteristics
- Uses certain technology to generate the code.
- More secure than serial numbers because the data could be detected with certain devices only.
- Can store more information than a barcode.
- Should not be printed in smaller sizes to be readable.
- Ultra-fast speed with high resolution.
Final Word
There are many possibilities you can realize with your BioPaper cards. They are best used as an eco-friendly card that ink can be printed on. However, due to its geometry, it relies on target tissue to be used with. With all these in mind, it is hard not to have ideas on how to make your BioPaper cards unique and special. If you do, feel free to contact us to get more sparkles!