Our Datacards are the same shape and size as a credit card. They can be used as Membership Cards, ID Cards, Loyalty Cards – some people even use them as up-market Business Cards. As you will see from the Price Calculator, our Datacards are the same price whether they are printed on one side or both sides.

Size of a Datacard

Our standard size is:

• 54mm x 85mm

Custom sizes and shapes:

Our Titanium Datacards can have a custom shape die-cut and retained within the card (perhaps to create a key-fob or phone charm), which the user of the card can push out.

The three different Datacards – Gold, Platinum and Titanium

Our three kinds of Datacard are made from different materials: this affects the durability (and the price).

Gold – These are our cheapest Datacards. They are made from 400gsm silk board, which is printed in full colour one side or both sides and then sealer varnished. These can also be gloss or matt laminated.
Platinum – These Datacards look like they are made of plastic, but are in fact rigid plastic over a card core.
Titanium – Top of the range Datacards. These are constructed entirely from plastic, which makes them very durable.

Datacard Finishing Options

Lamination – Gold Datacards can be gloss or matt laminated one side or both sides.

Variable Data – We can print variable data such as Numbers, Names, Barcodes etc. onto our Datacards.

Magnetic Strip – These magnetic strips are known "in the trade" as Magstripes. Data can be written to and read from the Magstripe in a similar way (assuming you are old enough to remember it) audio recording tape.

Encoding Data onto the Magnetic Strip – If you would like us to encode your data onto the magnetic strip, please tick the appropriate box which will appear once Magnetic Strip has been selected.

Signature Strip – One or two signature strips can be applied to either side of the card. The available sizes of signature strip are: 8mm x 40mm, 10mm x 75mm and 12mm x 85mm.

Scratch Off Strip – Up to two Scratch Off Strips can be used on each side, possibly to hide variable data. The sizes are the same as the signature strips i.e. 8mm x 40mm, 10mm x 75mm and 12mm x 85mm.

Die Cutting – Our Titanium Datacards can have a custom shape die-cut and retained within the card (perhaps to create a key-fob or phone charm), which the user of the card can push out. Please choose Die Cutting Required, which appears in the list of options under the price table when Titanium Datacards are selected. The maximum size of the die-cut is shown on the Datacard Template, which you can download from the Templates link on the menu bar at the top of our website.

Cutting Forme Required – If this is your first order for this particular custom shape to be cut into a Titanium Datacard, you will also need to select Cutting Forme Required.

Production times for printing Datacards

The following choices of turnaround times are available.

Express turnaround – your Datacard printing order will be despatched in five working days.

Express Plus turnaround – your Datacard printing order will be despatched in three working days.

Economy turnaround – your Datacard printing order will be despatched in ten working days.

Super Economy turnaround – your Datacard printing order will be despatched in twenty working days.

If you require extra finishing, the number of working days will increase by a day or two. The despatch time, including the time required for the extra finishing, will be shown in the Product Description.

For a day to be treated as the first working day, we require your printing order and payment along with print quality artwork before 10am. Alternatively, for an additional charge, you can delay the printing order, payment and print quality artwork cut-off time to 3.30pm.

Artwork and PDF requirements for Datacards

• We operate a PDF workflow, so please supply your artwork as a Press Quality PDF. If you prefer, we can create a PDF for you, in which case we will email a proof to you for approval. There is an additional charge for this PDF creation service of £20 plus VAT.
• If any print reaches the edge of your finished job, please add 3mm bleed to all sides of your artwork
• We need a "quiet area" to ensure nothing important is too near to the edge of the finished item; so please leave a 5mm inner margin for anything other than backgrounds
• Supply files to us in CMYK, not RGB please
• Image resolution should be 300dpi or more
• Please embed fonts or convert all of your text to shapes

If you would like to download a PDF template you can do so from the Templates page which is also accessible via the top menu bar.