Teslin vs. PVC – Which one should you choose?

PVC stands for poly-vinyl chloride and is what nearly all typical charge cards (Mastercard, Visa) are made of. They can be produced inexpensively, especially in larger volumes. PVC cards are durable as long as they are not flexed a lot. They can, however, be produced with a polyester core (known as composite cards), making the card more durable and resistant to cracking prematurely, but the cost increases. If you personalize your cards using a card printer (Eltron, Fargo, Magicard, Datacard, etc), you must use PVC cards.

Teslin is a synthetic material used as the core of a card that is laminated with polyester on both sides, and is extremely durable. If you are not personalizing your cards on site, Teslin is probably the better choice as it is extremely durable, and variable information (i.e. barcodes, numbers) is completely encapsulated inside the card, so it can never wear off.

Want more information about PVC and Teslin? Please call 585-624-5230 or fill out our form to the right.