Number of Sustainable Payment Cards in Circulation by Type

The banking industry, like many other industries, faces pressure to offer sustainable solutions. An effective way to demonstrate sustainable practices is by using alternative sustainable materials to construct the card. Recycled Polyvinyl Chloride  (rPVC) emerges as the top sustainable material, with 944 million payment cards made of it as of 2025. Polylactic Acid (PLA) will rise as the second-largest installed base and will grow at the fastest growth rate through 2029 (28.2% CAGR). Reclaimed.Ocean Bound Plastic, while the second-largest  alternative card material now, will be overtaken by PLA in 2029, growing at a more modest 10.4% CAGR.