Plastic Playing Cards

Paper and plastic playing cards each have different sets of qualities. In short, plastic cards cost more, last longer, and feel completely different. For a full comparison, see our paper vs plastic playing cards article.

People who buy plastic cards often purchase them for their durability. They bend and flex well, so bent corners and decks that begin to bow after repeated shuffling are not problems when the cards are made of plastic. It's harder to mark a deck of plastic cards, since leaving creases in them is not something that happens.

You can wash plastic cards, which means they hold up to water. A spilled drink will not kill a deck of plastic cards. If potato chip grease, or any other form or dirt or residue makes its way on to a card, you can wash it off.

For the most part, a set of plastic cards really is an investment in that they will be with you for quite some time. The prices, when compared to paper cards, make plastic cards an affordable option. A deck of plastic cards may cost two or three times as much as paper cards, but they will last considerably more than two or three times as long.

The fact that you will carry these cards for some time makes shopping and getting the right cards for you more important.

Also, one note of the death of plastic cards. Besides catastrophies like loosing a deck to an overzealous chew-happy puppy, the cards tend to snap and break suddenly when they finally go. I've had corners snap off my KEMs. Paper cards wear out, instead of suddenly break, so the first time it happens can be a bit of a surprise.

Do take note that some retailers and manufacturers have replacement card procedures in place. There may be the option to replace a single card, instead of the whole deck, depending on the brand of card you buy, and where you buy it from.

Variety
There is no standard set of plastic playing cards. They come in the same varieties that traditional paper cards do. You can choose the size of the print on the faces of the cards (standard index, jumbo index, or even magnum index in some cases). There are even four-color decks manufactured by COPAG.

They come in different sizes as well. There are bridge-sized decks which are narrower, and the wider poker-sized decks. Pinochle decks have been made in plastic. Specialy plastic decks include Braille Decks "left-handed" cards where there are four pips (the small numbers in the corners of the cards) instead of two, allowing lefties to use the cards as easily as right-handed players.

Manufacturers

• KEM - arguably the King of plastic playing cards. The KEM company is now part of the U.S. Playing Card Company. They manufacture cards using cellulose acetate, and have earned a stellar reputation.

• COPAG - a Brazilian company founded in 1908. They began producing their own cards (not plastic) in 1918, and now manufacture cards for use worldwide.

• Dal Negro - an Austrian company that was purchsed in 1928 by the Dal Negro family. The manufacture cards and game sets (chess, backgammon, etc.). They are also a licensee of Walt Disney.

Other companies that make plastic popular brands of plastic playing cards include Gemaco, Royal, Fournier, and Modiano.