This page sets out the full option set behind custom TCG cards and custom board game card printing: five stock families, four listed card formats, the surface treatment applied to both faces, and the packing that goes around the finished deck. Read it top to bottom and you will hold every variable a quotation needs.
Before comparing stocks, decide which of these two profiles your project sits in. The seven rows below are the only ones that change a specification — everything further down answers one of them.
| Requirement | Trading card deck profile | Board game deck profile |
|---|---|---|
| Shuffle volumeHow often the deck is cycled | One deck is cycled scores of times per session by many different hands, so the edge and the surface take the load. | Cards are dealt, played and returned to a box a handful of times per game, then stored flat. |
| Grip in the handHow the face behaves when fanned | Fast dealing and fanning reward a matte anti-slip surface on both faces. | Cards are passed between players who may not be regular gamers, where a slick face means fumbles and dropped hands. |
| Hidden informationWhat the cut edge reveals | A face must not be readable at the cut edge, so core colour belongs in the artwork sign-off, not after it. | Most information is open on the table; back matching and component thickness matter more than edge colour. |
| Edge wearWhat the rim has to survive | Polished edges protect both the cards and the fingers that shuffle and sort them. | Edges must survive repeated stacking, riffle-free handling and rubbing against a box insert. |
| Weight and handlingHow the deck feels in bulk | Deck thickness is felt in every hand, and paper cores from 270 to 400 gsm change that feel considerably. | Card thickness has to sit inside a fixed box depth and match the other components in the same tray. |
| Packing formatHow it reaches the player | Retail packs or booster-style packs that keep the deck flat and sealed until first play. | Cellophane or bag packing inside a box that already holds boards, tokens or rulebooks. |
| Reprint riskWhat has to stay identical | Colour and broadcast appearance must hold across reorders and additional print runs. | A card set reprinted at a different thickness breaks the box fit for the entire product. |
Reading order for the rest of this hub: the stock table answers rows 1–5, the format strip answers rows 5–6, the finish cards answer rows 2 and 4, and packing answers row 6.
Three paper families and two PVC gauges cover the full list. The right-hand column is the sentence to paste into a request for quotation.
| Stock family | Listed weights | Quote it when |
|---|---|---|
| White core art paperPaper | 300 / 350 / 400 gsm | The deck is a board game component or a heavier printed set, and you want the stiffest paper option on the list. 400 gsm is the top of this family, so it is the one to specify when the deck must feel substantial in the hand. |
| Blue / grey core paperPaper | 270 / 280 / 300 gsm | The deck carries a mid-weight paper budget but the cut edge has to read as a colour. Check the core tone against your back artwork before the print run is signed off. |
| German best black core paperPaper | 300 / 310 / 330 gsm | You want the cut edge to read black rather than white — the usual choice for premium and collector-grade paper decks. 330 gsm is the heaviest paper weight listed anywhere on this page. |
| 100% new white PVCPlastic | 0.3 mm / 0.32 mm | The deck will be used near drinks, outdoors or across long sessions, and it has to stay waterproof and oil-resistant. 0.32 mm is the thicker of the two listed gauges. |
| Black PVCPlastic | 0.3 mm / 0.32 mm | The same plastic performance as above, but the whole pack shows a dark rim from the side — useful when the back design is dark and the edge should not flash white. |
Colour on every family is applied as full-colour printing on Heidelberg presses. No minimum order quantity or unit price is published for this deck, so both are confirmed with the stock, size, finish and packing in the same quotation.
Size is not a cosmetic choice — it fixes the box, the packing film and how much artwork has to be drawn per card.
Anything outside these four formats is quoted against your own requirements rather than picked from a catalogue — send the finished trim size with the inquiry.
These four treatments decide whether a deck feels like a professional product or a printed prototype. Each one is a handling decision, not a decorative one.
The matte coating gives a soft yet secure grip even with slightly sweaty palms, which keeps rapid dealing, shuffling and intense play under control rather than sliding out of the hand.
Decide: will the deck be handled in warm rooms, at bars, or during long tournaments?Polished edges reduce wear on the fingers of whoever handles the deck, and they limit damage to the cards themselves during shuffling and sorting.
Decide: is the deck shuffled by dealers, by players, or by both?PVC cards are waterproof and stain-resistant, which reduces cleaning and maintenance compared with paper cards and keeps the deck free from creases, stains or tears.
Decide: does the deck have to survive spills, outdoor tables or cruise-ship use?Colour is laid down on Heidelberg presses, which is where vivid, consistent reproduction across a full run of cards comes from.
Decide: will this artwork be reprinted, and does the next run have to match this one?Match your project to the closest brief below, then carry the listed stock and treatment into the quotation request.
Specify 100% new white PVC or black PVC at 0.3 mm / 0.32 mm, with the matte anti-slip coating on both sides and polished edges. The deck meets industry-standard dimensions and durability requirements and is stated to be compatible with automated shuffling machines and dealing shoes.
Decision: confirm the gauge and machine compatibility before the run, not after delivery.Waterproof and oil-resistant PVC is the fit here, with the anti-slip face handling damp or sweaty hands. The surface is wiped rather than replaced, which is the maintenance argument against a paper deck.
Decision: budget for one wipe-clean deck instead of a stack of replacement paper ones.Choose between German best black core at 300 / 310 / 330 gsm for a collector-grade paper deck and the art paper family at 300 / 350 / 400 gsm where a heavier printed feel is wanted. Finish and packing are then fixed before the campaign page quotes a unit cost.
Decision: lock the stock before the print budget is published publicly.White core art paper from 300 to 400 gsm, with the weight chosen to match the box insert and the thickness of the other components sharing the tray. Cards are packed in cellophane or a bag inside the box.
Decision: quote card thickness together with the box, never separately.Packing is the last variable in the quotation and the first thing that fails if it is left open. Three options are listed, and all three can be combined with your own requirement.
| Packing option | Choose it when |
|---|---|
| Shrink-wrap | The deck is a retail or retail-ready unit that has to arrive sealed and tamper-evident. |
| Cellophane wrap | The deck ships inside a board game box and needs a lighter, cleaner wrap around the cards alone. |
| Bubble bag | Bulk or mixed-component shipments where impact protection through transit matters more than shelf presentation. |
Packing is quoted as "depends on your own requirements", so state count per pack, pack material and whether the deck travels inside a box or on its own.
These are the statements a distributor will ask you to back up, and the ones that justify a plastic deck over a paper one.
The deck is specified to hold its shape and surface quality despite thousands of shuffle cycles — the durability figure that matters across a season of play.
The deck is positioned as casino quality, meeting the tactile and visual standards required by professional dealers and players.
Industry-standard dimensions and durability support automated shuffling machines and dealing shoes, and the visual quality meets what tournament broadcasting requires.
Cards free from creases, stains or tears keep visual cues consistent, which is the difference between a fair table and a marked one.
Modular compatibility with standardised accessories means a deck fits the trays, shufflers and cases a venue already owns.
OEM/ODM services cover casinos, brand owners and personal collections, so a single branded run and an ongoing supply programme follow the same quotation path.
One message with these details is enough to turn a stock list into a priced deck.
Keep adjacent product options together for a faster catalog comparison.
Custom TCG booster packs with 350gsm common cards using holographic film, 375gsm silver rare cards and a confirmed 5+1 pack configuration.
View product
Custom 72 × 108 mm Night-Glow Enchanted Forest game cards with holographic silver stock, glow effects, rigid-box packaging, and MOQ 500 sets.
View product
Order custom silver-gilded playing cards in 89 × 62 mm format with 310gsm German black-core stock, linen finish and a fully printed tuck box. MOQ 500.
View productThree notes to help clarify product requirements before contacting the supplier.
Choose waterproof custom poker cards for beach events, cruises, and outdoor games. Compare PVC thickness, matte coating, bulk quantities, and packaging.
Read articleCompare 100% PVC playing cards with paper cards in long poker sessions, including moisture resistance, elastic recovery, surface wear, and shuffle feel.
Read articleReview the product details, images, and specifications presented on the official product page.
Use the application and use-case information published on the official product page.
Confirm the specifications and options listed for the exact product variant before placing an order.
Check the official product page or ask the supplier about options shown for the selected product.
Use the official contact or inquiry path provided on the site.
Include the product page, intended use, required quantity, and any specifications you need the supplier to review.
