Most Sustainable Card Product in the Industry


The Jegrelius Institute recently conducted a comprehensive, three-part assessment of the environmental performance of Sustainable Cards’ wooden multi-functional cards compared to traditional petroleum-based plastic cards. The research included a product life cycle assessment, sustainability analysis and chemical assessment.


According to Tomas Ostberg, research scientist of the Jegrelius Institute, there are several key factors that make the wooden cards a better choice for the environment. First, the raw materials come from a renewable resource rather than fossil sources and the wood is harvested from certified sustainably managed forests in Scandinavia. Second, the wood cards are produced with 30 percent less energy than plastic cards and approximately 30 percent of energy used comes from renewable resources and thereby resulting in 50 percent less carbon dioxide emissions. Third, the cards are manufactured with no hazardous chemicals or additives.


The patent-pending core of a Sustainable Card is made from Finnish birch veneer with a layer of transparent paper backer glued on both sides of the veneer. The card core can be printed on or applied with a magnetic strip, barcode, signature or scratch panel and/or sealed with a layer of lacquer or a plant-based or petroleum-based plastic overlay.


“The overall research showed that the wooden cards manufactured by Sustainable Cards have a lower total environmental impact and are closer to a sustainable society than plastic cards.”


~Tomas Ostberg of The Jegrelius Institute