Plastic cards are used for everything, including membership cards, gift cards, loyalty programs, ID badges, and key cards. They look sleek and last much longer than paper. But first-timers who print plastic cards often run into problems that could easily be avoided. Wrong file settings, messy designs, tiny fonts, and forgetting about things like magnetic stripes cause headaches. Learning the basics before starting gets better results from the very first batch and keeps the project on track without wasting money on reprints.
What Should You Know Before Designing a Plastic Card?
Choosing the right card type and setting up files correctly lays the foundation for a smooth printing process. These early decisions shape how the final product looks, feels, and performs.
Choose the Right Plastic Card Type and Size
Plastic cards come in different materials, thicknesses, and finishes. The standard size (CR80) matches a credit card at 85.6mm x 53.98mm, with thickness ranging from 0.3mm for flexible cards to 0.76mm for rigid, premium ones.
Common material options:
- White PVC for vibrant full-colour designs
- Clear or frosted plastic for modern see-through effects
- Composite materials for extra strength and daily heavy use
Set Up Correct Print Specs From the Start
Printing plastic cards requires specific file settings that differ from regular paper projects. Getting these wrong leads to blurry images, chopped text, or colours that look different from expected.
Essential specs to configure:
- Bleed: Extend backgrounds 2-3mm past the cut line
- Safe zone: Position text and logos 3-5mm inside the edge
- Resolution: Use 300 DPI for sharp images
- Colour mode: Design in CMYK for accurate print results
Most plastic card printing suppliers offer free templates with built-in guides that handle these settings automatically. Using these templates saves time and prevents basic setup errors that cause production problems.
Design Rules to Avoid Common Mistakes
Smart design choices balance visual appeal with practical function. The limited space on a card demands careful planning and intentional decisions about every element included.
Keep Branding Simple and Clean
Every element on a plastic card needs to earn its place. Overcrowding destroys readability and makes the card look unprofessional.
Focus on essentials:
- Logo and business name
- Contact information
- Card number or membership ID
- Consistent brand colours and typography
Make Sure People Can Actually Read It
Readability determines whether a card succeeds or fails. Beautiful designs mean nothing if people struggle to read the text or identify key information at a glance.
Fancy script fonts and decorative typefaces may look attractive on screen, but often become illegible when printed small. Print a sample at actual size to verify everything reads comfortably without squinting or tilting the card toward light.
Quick readability rules:
- Minimum 7pt for fine print, 10pt for primary information
- Simple sans-serif fonts work best at small sizes
- High contrast between text and background colours
- Only sharp, high-resolution images at 300 DPI minimum
Think About Plastic-Specific Features
Plastic cards include functional elements that paper products don’t have. Ignoring these during the design phase causes production delays and unexpected costs.
Plan for:
- Punch holes: position important content away from the hole placement
- Magnetic stripes or chips: reserve designated unprinted zones
- Transparent sections: design artwork that complements see-through areas
- Surface finish: matte dulls colours slightly, while gloss makes them pop
- Double-sided layouts: coordinate front and back for cohesive presentation
How Should You Handle Printing and Proofing?
Physical samples reveal issues that screens never show, including colour shifts, alignment drift, and text errors that only become visible on actual printed cards. Skipping this step risks producing hundreds of unusable cards.
Run Test Prints Before Ordering the Full Batch
Request proof before committing to large quantities and examine the physical sample under good lighting. Compare everything against the original design file carefully.
What to inspect:
- Colour accuracy against the original design file
- Text positioning and legibility at actual card size
- Image sharpness without pixelation or blur
- Trim precision with all elements safely inside edges
- Functional features like stripes or holes are placed correctly
Hold the card at arm’s length to simulate how recipients will view it. Check that primary information remains readable and the overall design looks balanced. Request revisions and another sample if anything needs adjustment before approving the full production run.
Final Checklist Before Approval
One thorough review before approval catches problems that glances miss. Taking five extra minutes at this stage prevents expensive mistakes.
Before signing off:
- Verify spelling, grammar, and data accuracy on all text
- Confirm phone numbers, emails, and URLs work correctly
- Assess colour consistency across multiple sample cards
- Test durability through bending and handling
- Validate that special features function as intended
Conclusion
Successful plastic card printing comes down to correct setup, thoughtful design choices, and careful proofing before full production. When these fundamentals are handled early, costly revisions and delays are easy to avoid. This is the approach DuraCard supports through practical templates, material guidance, and production expertise, helping businesses move from design to finished cards with confidence and consistent results.