PLA Eco-Friendly Smart Card — Biodegradable RFID Card
Plant-based cards for hotel, access, loyalty, event & transit programs
CedaGlo PLA smart cards are made from plant-based polylactic acid derived from renewable corn starch — a sustainable, biodegradable alternative to conventional PVC that keeps standard card functionality, printability and personalization. Available with LF, HF / NFC, UHF or contact IC chips for short- to medium-life card programs.
- Plant-Based
PLA Material - LF / HF /
UHF Options - CR80 /
Custom Size - Eco Alternative
to PVC
What Is a PLA Eco-Friendly Smart Card?
A PLA smart card is a contactless or contact card built on a plant-based polylactic acid body instead of conventional PVC. Derived from renewable corn starch, it gives brands a biodegradable, sustainable card that still delivers standard smart-card functionality, printability and personalization.
CedaGlo supplies PLA cards with LF, HF / NFC, UHF or contact IC chips, so the same eco-friendly format can serve access control, hotel key, membership, loyalty, gift, event and transit projects — an easy way to green a card program without changing how it works.
Why Brands Are Switching to Sustainable Cards
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Growing demand for eco-friendly card materials across hospitality, retail, membership and events.
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Suitable for companies pursuing sustainability targets and ESG-oriented branding.
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A practical alternative to traditional plastic cards for short- to medium-life programs.
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Supports greener customer-facing products without changing standard card formats.
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Ideal for promotional, access, identification and loyalty applications.
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Compatible with standard readers and issuance systems already in use.
Our PLA Smart Card Advantages
Custom Chip Options
LF, HF / NFC, UHF and contact IC chips for a wide range of card projects.
Strong Printability
Crisp logos, variable data, barcode, QR code and serial numbering.
CR80 & Custom Sizing
Standard CR80 format plus custom dimensions and thickness on request.
OEM / ODM Support
Design, encoding and packaging support for a balanced, sustainable card.
Key Technical Highlights
Material, Chip & Printing Options
- Plant-based PLA from renewable corn starch
- Biodegradable, eco-friendly PVC alternative
- Supports ESG and green branding goals
- Standard look and feel of a plastic card
- LF 125 kHz, HF 13.56 MHz, UHF or contact IC
- ISO/IEC 14443A for HF / NFC models
- Read-only or read / write per chip
- CR80 or custom size and thickness
- Offset, silk-screen or digital printing
- Variable data, barcode, QR and serial number
- Encoding, UID and signature panel options
- Glossy, matte or frosted finishes
Technical Specifications
| Card Type | PLA Eco-Friendly Smart Card |
| Material | PLA (Polylactic Acid), plant-based |
| Available Technologies | LF 125 kHz / HF 13.56 MHz / UHF 860–960 MHz / Contact IC optional |
| Common Standards | ISO/IEC 14443A for HF models; other standards depend on selected chip |
| Card Size | CR80, 85.60 × 53.98 mm; custom size available |
| Thickness | 0.76 mm typical; customizable |
| Memory / Chip | Optional, depending on selected chip |
| Read / Write Cycles | >100,000 cycles (chip-dependent) |
| Data Retention | >10 years (chip-dependent) |
| Finish | Glossy / Matte / Frosted |
| Printing Options | Offset / silk-screen / digital printing, variable data, barcode, QR code, serial number |
| Personalization | Encoding, UID / serial number, signature panel optional |
Volume Pricing
| Quantity | Unit Price (USD / pc) |
|---|---|
| 100 – 199 pcs | From US$0.30 |
| 200 – 299 pcs | From US$0.28 |
| 300+ pcs | Contact Sales |
Final unit price depends on the selected chip, card configuration, printing and order quantity. Contact us for an exact quote based on your project.
Available Chip & Frequency Options
PLA card bodies can be built with virtually any of the chip platforms below — LF, HF / NFC, UHF, dual-frequency or secure contact / contactless / dual-interface CPU. Use the filter to find a chip by name, brand or application; both tables are searched at once.
Scrolls horizontally on desktop; shows as stacked cards on mobile.
Contactless, NFC & UHF Chips (LF / HF / UHF / Dual-Frequency)
| Chip | Brand | Freq · Standard | Memory | R-W | Security | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LF · 125 / 134.2 kHz — Access & ID | ||||||
| EM4100 / EM4102 | EM Micro | 125 kHz | 64-bit ROM | Read-only | Factory-burned UID, no encryption | Access, attendance, membership, basic ID |
| EM4200 | EM Micro | 125 kHz | 64/96/128-bit ROM | Read-only | EM4100 successor, longer range | Access control, asset ID |
| EM4205 / EM4305 | EM Micro | 125/134.2 kHz · ISO 11784/85 | 512-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | EM-family emulation, animal-ID | Pet/livestock ID, R/W access tags |
| EM4450 / EM4550 | EM Micro | 125 kHz | 1 kbit EEPROM | Read/Write | Password protection, data carrier | Access, data-carrying tags, industrial |
| EM4569 | EM Micro | 125 kHz | 1 kbit EEPROM | Read/Write | Read/write ID device | Industrial ID, logistics |
| HITAG 1 (S256 / S2048) | NXP | 125 kHz, anti-collision | 256 / 2048-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | Good range, multi-tag | Laundry, logistics, industrial tracking |
| HITAG 2 | NXP | 125 kHz | 256-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | Crypto (now weak) | Immobilizer, legacy access, vehicle ID |
| HITAG S | NXP | 125/134.2 kHz · ISO 11784/85 | 256 / 2048-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | Password, unique TID | Animal ID, laundry, industrial |
| HITAG µ (mu) | NXP | 125 kHz · ISO 11784/85 | up to 3 kbit EEPROM | Read/Write | Newest LF platform, higher memory | Animal ID, industrial, access |
| T5577 / ATA5577 | Microchip | 125/134.2 kHz multi-mod | 363-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | Universal emulator (EM/HID/Indala) | Universal LF blank, credential encoding |
| T5557 / e5551 (Q5 legacy) | Microchip | 125 kHz | ~330-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | T5577 predecessor | Legacy access, emulation |
| ProxCard II / Prox | HID | 125 kHz · Wiegand | Fixed credential | Read-only | 26–37-bit Wiegand, no crypto | Corporate / building access control |
| TK4100 / FM4100 | Fudan | 125 kHz | 64-bit ROM | Read-only | Low-cost EM4100 clone | Access, attendance (cost-driven) |
| F5577 | Fudan | 125 kHz | ~363-bit EEPROM | Read/Write | Low-cost T5577 equivalent | Rewritable access, emulation |
| HF / NFC · 13.56 MHz — Smart Card, Ticketing & NFC | ||||||
| MIFARE Classic 1K / 4K | NXP | ISO 14443A | 1 / 4 KB EEPROM | Read/Write | Crypto-1 (legacy, broken) | Transit, access, closed-loop ticketing |
| MIFARE Ultralight / C / EV1 / AES | NXP | ISO 14443A · NFC Type 2 | 48–192 B | Read/Write | 3DES / AES-128 | Limited-use tickets, events, transit |
| MIFARE Plus EV1 / EV2 | NXP | ISO 14443A | 2 / 4 KB | Read/Write | AES-128, SL1–SL3 | Transit, access, ticketing |
| MIFARE DESFire EV1 / EV2 / EV3 / Light | NXP | ISO 14443A · NFC Type 4 | 2 / 4 / 8 KB | Read/Write | AES-128, EAL5+, EMVCo | Transit, access, micro-payment, multi-app ID |
| MIFARE DUOX | NXP | ISO 14443-4 | Secure file system | Read/Write | AES-256 + ECC, public-key | High-security transit, access, ID |
| NTAG 210 / 212 | NXP | ISO 14443A · NFC Type 2 | 48 / 128 B | Read/Write | Basic mass-market NFC | Retail, gaming, publishing |
| NTAG 213 / 215 / 216 | NXP | NFC Type 2 | 144 / 504 / 888 B | Read/Write | Password, UID mirror, TagTamper | NFC marketing, engagement, digital passport |
| NTAG 424 DNA / TagTamper | NXP | ISO 14443-4 · NFC Type 4 | 416 B | Read/Write | AES-128, SUN, CC-certified | Anti-counterfeit, secure authentication |
| NTAG 223 / 224 DNA | NXP | NFC Type 2/4 | user memory | Read/Write | AES-128, SUN, tamper sensing | Trusted IoT, healthcare, tamper detection |
| NTAG 5 / NTAG I2C plus | NXP | ISO 15693 / NFC Type 5 + I2C | up to 8 KB | Read/Write | I2C bridge, energy harvesting | IoT pairing, sensors, consumer electronics |
| NTAG X DNA | NXP | ISO 14443-4 + I2C, VHBR | secure EEPROM | Read/Write | CC EAL6+, PKI / ECC | Device / consumable authentication |
| ICODE SLIX / SLIX2 / SLI-L / DNA | NXP | ISO 15693 · NFC Type 5 | 128 B – 2560-bit | Read/Write | Long range; DNA adds AES-128 | Library, item-level retail, supply chain |
| ST25TA | ST | ISO 14443A · NFC Type 4 | 512 b – 64 kb | Read/Write | Password, ~200-yr retention | Consumer NFC, product information |
| ST25TN / ST25TV | ST | ISO 15693 · NFC Type 5 | 512 b – 64 kb | Read/Write | TruST25 signature, tamper-detect | Brand protection, wine/pharma, ESL |
| ST25DV (dynamic NFC) | ST | ISO 15693 · NFC Type 5 + I2C | 4 – 64 kb | Read/Write | Energy harvesting, mailbox | IoT, ESL, industrial, metering |
| ST25TB / SRIX4K | ST | ISO 14443B | 512 b – 4 kb | Read/Write | Anti-tearing, transport-optimized | Transit ticketing, event access |
| EM4233 / EM4237 | EM Micro | ISO 15693 · NFC Type 5 | up to 2 kbit | Read/Write | Anti-collision, EAS | Library, asset, ticketing |
| my-d move NFC (SLE 66R) | Infineon | ISO 14443 / 15693 · NFC | up to 10 kbit | Read/Write | Configurable, secure options | Ticketing, access, IoT |
| FM11RF08 / RF08S / RF32 | Fudan | ISO 14443A | 1 / 4 KB | Read/Write | MIFARE Classic-compatible | Transit, access, campus (cost-driven) |
| FM1108 / FM11RF005 | Fudan | ISO 14443A · NFC Type 2 | 1 KB / Ultralight-class | Read/Write | MIFARE Classic / Ultralight compat. | Access, disposable tickets |
| LEGIC advant / prime | LEGIC | ISO 14443 / 15693 | up to 64 kB | Read/Write | Proprietary AES / DES, managed keys | High-security access, closed systems |
| Tag-it HF-I (RF-HDT) | Texas Instr. | ISO 15693 · NFC Type 5 | 256 b – 2 kb | Read/Write | Legacy vicinity tag | Library, laundry (legacy) |
| UHF / RAIN · 860–960 MHz — Long-Range Access & Asset | ||||||
| Monza 4 (4D / 4E / 4QT / 4iL) | Impinj | EPC Gen2v2 · ISO 18000-63 | up to 512-bit user | Read/Write | AutoTune, QT public/private | Retail, supply chain, general purpose |
| Monza R6 / R6-P / R6-A | Impinj | EPC Gen2v2 | 32–96-bit user | Read/Write | AutoTune adaptive tuning | Retail apparel, logistics, hospitality |
| Monza X-2K / X-8K DURA | Impinj | EPC Gen2 + I2C | 2 / 8 kbit | Read/Write | Battery-assist, embedded IoT | Equipment mgmt, cold chain, IoT sensors |
| M700 (M730 / M750 / M770 / M775) | Impinj | EPC Gen2v2 | 32-bit user, 128-bit EPC | Read/Write | −22 to −24 dBm, high throughput | Retail, logistics, high-density inventory |
| M700 expanded (M780 / M781) | Impinj | EPC Gen2v2 | larger user memory | Read/Write | Extended item-attribute storage | Pharma, food, automotive (batch/date) |
| M800 (M810 / M830 / M850) | Impinj | EPC Gen2v2 / Gen2X | up to 32-bit user | Read/Write | −25.5 dBm, AutoTune V3 | High-speed inventory, difficult environments |
| UCODE 7 / 7m / 7xm | NXP | EPC Gen2v2 · ISO 18000-63 | up to 2 kbit user | Read/Write | High sensitivity, pre-serialized EPC | Retail, brand protection |
| UCODE 8 / 8m | NXP | EPC Gen2v2 | 128-bit EPC / user option | Read/Write | Self-adjust tuning | Retail apparel, logistics |
| UCODE 9 / 9xe / 9xm | NXP | EPC Gen2v2 | 96–496-bit EPC, up to 128 user | Read/Write | −24 dBm, self-adjust, mini die | Retail, food, logistics |
| UCODE DNA / DNA City / DNA Track | NXP | EPC Gen2v2 | user memory | Read/Write | AES-128 authentication | Secure supply chain, tolling, brand protection |
| UCODE G2iM / G2iM+ (legacy) | NXP | EPC Gen2 | up to 512-bit user | Read/Write | Configurable memory | Industrial, asset (legacy) |
| Higgs-3 (H3) | Alien | EPC Gen2v2 · ISO 18000-63 | 800-bit (512 user) | Read/Write | Large user memory, versatile | Baggage, laundry, manufacturing genealogy |
| Higgs-4 (H4) | Alien | EPC Gen2v2 | 448-bit (128 user) | Read/Write | Small die, high-volume | Apparel hang tags, retail |
| Higgs-EC | Alien | EPC Gen2v2 | 480-bit (32 user) | Read/Write | High R/W sensitivity, IoT | General high-volume, IoT |
| Higgs-9 (H9) | Alien | EPC Gen2v2 | 1024-bit (688 user) | Read/Write | High memory + performance | High-memory asset, offline data |
| EM4124 / EM4126 | EM Micro | EPC Gen2 · ISO 18000-63 | 96–496 EPC / 512-bit user | Read/Write | Passive Gen2 | Logistics, asset tracking |
| EM4325 | EM Micro | EPC Gen2v2 + ISO 18000-64, SPI | 4 kbit | Read/Write | Battery-assist, temp sensor | Cold chain, sensing, aerospace logistics |
| QR2233 / eStar series | Quanray | EPC Gen2v2 | up to 512-bit user | Read/Write | Low-cost domestic Gen2 | Retail, apparel (cost-driven) |
| FM13UF / UHF series | Fudan | EPC Gen2v2 | varies by part | Read/Write | Domestic Gen2 | Logistics, asset |
| Magnus S3 sensor IC | Axzon | EPC Gen2 + sensor | sensor + user memory | Read/Write | On-chip moisture / temp sensing | Sensing, moisture, medical / industrial |
| Dual-Frequency — HF + UHF in One Card | ||||||
| EM4423 | EM Micro | ISO 15693/NFC Type 5 + EPC Gen2v2 | shared user memory | Read/Write | HF+UHF single die, shared UID | Smart packaging, brand protection + logistics |
| EM4425 (em|echo-V) | EM Micro | NFC Type 5 + EPC Gen2v2 | 2048-bit shared | Read/Write | AES-128, digital signature | Retail, authentication, consumer engagement |
| LF + HF combo card | Multi-vendor | 125 kHz + ISO 14443A | per embedded chip | Mixed | Two independent chips | LF→HF migration bridge card |
CPU / Secure Microprocessor Chips (Contact IC · Contactless · Dual-Interface)
Contact IC / CPU option for PLA smart cards. Certification is chip-level; product-level payment / ID approvals (EMVCo, Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, PBOC) are obtained per project. Chinese brands add SM1–SM4 alongside DES / 3DES / RSA / ECC / AES.
| Brand | Part Number | Memory | Certification | Cross-Reference (Intl. ↔ China) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contactless CPU Cards | |||||
| NXP | MIFARE DESFire EV3 — MF3D2301 / MF3D4301 / MF3D8301 (H = MF3DH…) | 2 / 4 / 8 KB NVM | CC EAL5+ | ↔ Fudan FM1208 / FM1280 (RF) | Transit, access, ticketing, micro-payment, smart city |
| NXP | MIFARE DESFire EV2 — MF3Dx2 (2K / 4K / 8K) — legacy | 2 / 4 / 8 KB NVM | CC EAL5+ | ↔ Fudan FM1208 | Transit, ticketing (existing systems) |
| NXP | MIFARE Plus EV2 — MF1P2200 / MF1P4200 (MF1PH…) | 2 / 4 KB | CC EAL5+ | ↔ Fudan FM11RF08 family | Transit, access, closed-loop ticketing |
| NXP | SmartMX3 P71D321 (contactless config) | up to ~150 KB Flash | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 · Huada CIU9872B | ePassport, eID, contactless bank card |
| Infineon | SLE78CLFX2400P / CLFX4000P / CLFX5000PH (contactless) | 240 / 404 / 528 KB NVM | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 | eID, ePassport, contactless payment |
| ST | ST31G256 / G320 / G384 / G480 (contactless, MIFARE/Calypso) | 256 / 320 / 384 / 480 KB Flash | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Fudan FM1280 · Huada CIU9872B | Transit (Calypso), eID, payment |
| Fudan / FMSH | FM1204 / FM1204M01 (4K CPU, +1K MIFARE) | 4 KB EEPROM (5 KB array) | PBOC 2.0 | ↔ NXP MIFARE Plus | Transit, campus, small-value |
| Fudan / FMSH | FM1208 — FM1208-09 (8K) / FM1208M01 (7K+1K M1) / FM1208-23 (4K+4K S70) | 8 KB EEPROM, 32 KB ROM | PBOC 2.0 (e-wallet) | ↔ NXP DESFire / MIFARE Plus | Transit, campus, highway, micro-payment |
| Fudan / FMSH | FM1280 (contactless config, Java / native COS, VHBR) | up to 64 KB EEPROM | Bank-grade · payment cert. at product level | ↔ NXP SmartMX / Infineon / ST | Social-security, health, transit, citizen card |
| Huada / HED | CIU9872B / CIU9872B_01 (contactless, 32-bit) | 80 KB user memory | CC EAL6+, EMVCo (ICCN0219) | ↔ NXP SmartMX / Infineon | Digital-RMB hard wallet, transit, eID |
| Unigroup Tongxin | THD89 (contactless config) | large-capacity (per code) | CC EAL6+ (SOGIS), EMVCo, SM L2 | ↔ NXP SmartMX / Infineon | ePassport, eID, contactless payment |
| Contact CPU Cards | |||||
| NXP | SmartMX2 — P60C080 / P60C144 (contact) | 80 / 144 KB EEPROM · 384 KB ROM | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD88 · Huada CIU98 | Banking, eID, TPM |
| NXP | SmartMX3 — P71D320 / P71D321 (contact config) | up to ~150 KB Flash | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 · Huada CIU98 | Banking, SIM/UICC, eID |
| Infineon | SLE78CFX2400P / CFX4000P / CFX5000PH | 240 / 404 / 500 KB NVM | CC EAL6+ | ↔ Fudan FM1280 · Huada CIU98 | Banking, ePassport, eID, TPM |
| Infineon | SLE78CAX512SPHM (serial / contact) | 500 KB NVM | CC EAL6+ | ↔ Unigroup THD89 | Secure element, identity, authentication |
| ST | ST33 series (e.g. ST33J2M0 contact) · ST23 legacy | up to 2 MB Flash | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Fudan FM1280 · Huada CIU98 | Banking, eSIM, TPM (FIPS-140-3) |
| Samsung | S3FS / S3 secure-MCU series (contact config) | varies by part | CC EAL5+/6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 | Banking, SIM, identity |
| Fudan / FMSH | FM1216 (16 KB) · FM1232 (32 KB) · FM1280 (≤64 KB) — contact | 16 / 32 / up to 64 KB EEPROM · 64 KB ROM | Bank-grade · SM cert. · EAL4+ (FM1216/1232) | ↔ Infineon / NXP / ST | Social-security, banking, ESAM/PSAM, citizen card |
| Huada / HED | CIU5132A (contact SS) · SHC1302 (banking 32-bit) · CIU98M25 / CIU98M50 (SIM) | SHC1302: 256 KB ROM / 10 KB RAM · CIU98M50: 2.5 MB · CIU98M25: 1.25 MB | CC EAL · payment cert. at product level | ↔ Infineon / NXP | Social-security, banking, super-SIM |
| Unigroup Tongxin | THD88-E48 / E80 / E120 / E160 · THC20 / THC80 (SIM) | ≈48 / 80 / 120 / 160 KB EEPROM | CC EAL5+/6+ · payment cert. at product level | ↔ Infineon / NXP | Banking, SIM/USIM, social-security, eID |
| Datang | DMT-CFN2HG6 | per ordering code | Bank-grade · payment cert. at product level | ↔ Infineon / NXP / ST | Banking, social-security, eHealth |
| Dual-Interface CPU Cards | |||||
| NXP | SmartMX2 — P60D024 / P60D080 / P60D144 / P60D145 | 24 / 80 / 144 KB EEPROM · 384 KB ROM | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 · Huada CIU9872B | Banking, ePassport, eID, transit |
| NXP | SmartMX3 — P71D320 / P71D321 | up to ~150 KB Flash · RSA 4096 / ECC 640 | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 · Huada CIU9872B | Banking, ePassport, eID |
| Infineon | SLE78CLFX2400P / CLFX4000P (400VP) / CLFX5000PH / CLFX6280PH | 240 / 404 / 528 / 628 KB NVM | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 · Huada CIU9872B | Banking, eID, ePassport, transit |
| ST | ST31G256 / G320 / G384 / G480 · ST31P320 / P450 | 256 / 320 / 384 / 480 KB · 320 / 450 KB Flash | CC EAL6+, EMVCo | ↔ Fudan FM1280 · Huada CIU9872B | Banking, transit, eID, biometric card |
| Samsung | S3 dual-interface secure-MCU series | varies by part | CC EAL5+/6+, EMVCo | ↔ Unigroup THD89 | Banking, identity, fingerprint card |
| Fudan / FMSH | FM1232 (32 KB) · FM12CD32 · FM1280 (≤64 KB) — Java / native COS | 32 / up to 64 KB EEPROM | Bank-grade · EAL4+ (FM1232) · payment cert. at product level | ↔ Infineon / NXP / ST | Banking, social-security, transit, health, citizen card |
| Huada / HED | CIU9872B / CIU9872B_01 (32-bit CPU) | 80 KB user memory | CC EAL6+, EMVCo (ICCN0219) | ↔ NXP SmartMX / Infineon / ST | Banking, digital-RMB wallet, ePassport |
| Unigroup Tongxin | THD89 (1.0.1 series, EMV one-chip dual-app) | large-capacity (per code) | CC EAL6+ (SOGIS), EMVCo, SM L2, AEC-Q100 | ↔ NXP SmartMX / Infineon / ST | Banking (domestic+intl), eID, eUICC, social-security |
| Datang | DMT-CBS-CE3D | up to 128 KB EEPROM | Bank-grade · payment cert. at product level | ↔ Infineon / NXP / ST | Banking, eHealth, social-security |
| Nationz | Z32 secure-MCU series | per ordering code | CC EAL · SM L2 · payment cert. at product level | ↔ NXP / Infineon | Banking, identity, IoT secure element |
No chips match your filter. Try a brand (NXP, Fudan, Unigroup), a part (FM1280, NTAG 424, THD89) or an application (access, transit, banking).
Part numbers are product-family / ordering codes; exact memory, package and delivery format are confirmed per project. Crypto-1 (MIFARE Classic-class) is legacy — for new secure deployments we recommend MIFARE Plus / DESFire, NTAG 424 DNA or ICODE DNA. CPU cards are not pin-for-pin drop-ins; migration is at the COS / personalization layer. Chip availability and specifications may change; confirm current status before design-in.
Where PLA Smart Cards Are Used
Hotel Key Cards
Biodegradable room keys for eco-conscious hotels and resorts.
- Replaces PVC room keys with PLA
- Works with standard HF / NFC locks
- Custom-printed for hotel branding
Access Control Cards
Secure staff and facility entry for offices and buildings.
- LF or HF chips for door entry
- Read-only or read / write options
- Encoded with UID for staff access
Transit Cards
Tap-and-go fare cards for greener public transport.
- HF chips for fare-gate tap
- Supports closed-loop ticketing
- Eco option for single-use tickets
Membership / Loyalty Cards
Sustainable rewards cards for green-minded brands.
- NFC tap for app and rewards
- Variable data and serial numbering
- On-brand printing for retailers
Gift & Retail Cards
Attractive, brandable gift cards for retail promotions.
- Printable barcode or QR for POS
- Matte, glossy or frosted finishes
- Short-life eco cards for campaigns
Event & Visitor Badges
Professional, compostable badges for green events.
- CR80 or custom badge sizes
- Print names, roles and QR codes
- Eco badges for conferences
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a PLA smart card made of, and is it really biodegradable?
A PLA smart card body is made from polylactic acid, a plant-based material derived from renewable corn starch. It is designed as a biodegradable, more sustainable alternative to conventional PVC while keeping the standard functionality, printability and personalization of a normal smart card. Biodegradation behavior depends on the disposal environment, so we recommend confirming end-of-life handling for your market.
Which chip frequencies and standards do PLA cards support?
PLA cards can be built with LF 125 kHz, HF 13.56 MHz (ISO/IEC 14443A), UHF 860–960 MHz (EPC Gen2v2 / RAIN RFID) or contact IC, and dual-frequency HF+UHF is also possible. This makes them compatible with most access control, hotel, transit, loyalty and NFC systems. The exact chip is selected to match your existing readers and security requirements.
What are PLA smart cards typically used for?
They are widely used for hotel key cards, access control, membership and loyalty programs, gift and retail cards, event and visitor badges, and transit fare cards. Because PLA is a short- to medium-life friendly material, it is especially well suited to promotional, event and everyday customer-facing card programs where sustainability matters.
What are the MOQ, card lifespan and lead time for custom PLA cards?
Cards are available in CR80 or custom sizes at 0.76 mm typical thickness, with more than 100,000 read/write cycles and over 10 years data retention (both chip-dependent). We support OEM / ODM projects including custom printing, chip encoding, UID and packaging. Contact our team with your quantity, chip and artwork requirements for exact MOQ, lead time and a project-based quote.
Related Products
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View DetailsUHF Card (860–960 MHz)
Long-range RAIN RFID cards for asset and access use.
View DetailsLF Card (125 kHz)
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View DetailsGo Greener With Custom PLA Smart Cards
Why PLA? You get the same look, feel and chip performance as a PVC card, but on a plant-based, biodegradable body that supports your sustainability and ESG goals — with no change to your existing readers or issuance systems. It's an easy, on-brand way to show customers your commitment to the environment. Tell us your chip, quantity and artwork, and we'll help you switch from PVC to PLA for hotel, access, loyalty, event and transit programs.