Premium Material Cards
Distinctive materials. Considered craftsmanship.
Hengbao combines specialist card materials with advanced finishing techniques to help banks and programme operators create a distinctive physical expression of their brand.
Explore sustainable material options, premium card constructions and customised surface effects, supported by card-design and manufacturing expertise. From debit and credit cards to loyalty, gift and commemorative programmes, each design can reflect the audience and experience it serves.
ESG Sustainable Eco-Friendly Cards
Material choices give card programmes another way to express their priorities. Hengbao offers recycled, biodegradable and alternative card-body options that can be considered alongside the programme's visual identity, functionality and durability requirements.
Recycled Card Materials
Recycled PVC and recovered-ocean-plastic material options provide alternatives for selected card programmes. Printing and specialist finishing can bring brand artwork, colour and tactile details into the design.
Biodegradable and Alternative Materials
Explore bio-based and biodegradable material options and alternative constructions, including wood-based card bodies. The material approach can be shaped around the intended application and the experience the programme aims to create.
Material Selection for the Programme
Material and finish selection considers the card application, chip and antenna configuration, personalisation process and relevant durability or certification requirements. Environmental characteristics relate to the selected material and finished construction. Material supply-chain traceability information and supplier documentation support material-specific environmental statements for the selected programme.
Premium Material Craft Cards & Special Finishing Cards
A distinctive card brings material, surface treatment and artwork together. Hengbao combines specialist constructions with printing and finishing techniques to create visual depth, tactile detail and a recognisable brand experience.
Premium Materials and Card Constructions
Metal and composite-metal constructions offer distinctive weight and surface characteristics. Ceramic and ceramic-composite constructions introduce another material expression, while wood-based bodies and decorative effects create further design possibilities.
- Metal and composite-metal constructions
- Ceramic and ceramic-composite constructions
- Wood-based card bodies
- Standard and coloured PVC foundations
- Shell-texture and decorative-material effects
- Custom card-edge colours and selected shaped designs
Foil and Reflective Effects
Specialist foils create brushed, holographic, mirrored, iridescent and star-field effects. Light-responsive surfaces can highlight a brand element or introduce a different appearance as the card moves.
Etching, Matte Treatments and Special Coatings
Etching, matte treatments and special coatings create further possibilities for premium card surfaces. Personalised names, numbers and co-branded layouts can be incorporated into the selected material and finishing approach.
Raised Metallic Details
Raised metallic effects add depth and reflectivity to logos, symbols and selected design elements, creating a premium metal-like finish.
Magnetic and Dimensional Inks
Magnetic inks and specialist printing techniques create changing patterns, movement effects and apparent three-dimensional depth within the card artwork.
Embossing, Engraving and Sculpted Details
Embossing and engraving add tactile definition to typography, imagery and brand elements. Selected designs can incorporate layered relief, shaped edges and cut-out details.
Resin and Dimensional Finishes
Clear resin highlights selected areas with a smooth, raised finish, creating the appearance of glass, jade or polished stone.
Lenticular and Movement Effects
Lenticular techniques allow images to change or appear to move when viewed from different angles, bringing an additional visual dimension to the card.
Decorative Inlays and Tactile Surfaces
Selected designs can incorporate crystals, mirror elements and shell textures. Flocking and textured materials introduce soft-touch or raised surfaces that make particular design elements physically noticeable.
Craftsmanship with Interactive Elements
Selected card programmes can combine specialist finishing with LED lighting, NFC functionality, personalised visual modules or e-ink and OLED display components. These elements create additional possibilities for payment, loyalty, promotional and commemorative designs.
The interactive elements form part of the programme's technical configuration. For display-enabled hardware-wallet functionality, explore the dedicated Hardware Wallet Portfolio. Explore Hardware Wallets
Card Design Supported by Manufacturing Expertise
A distinctive card must also work as a manufacturable product. Hengbao brings design and process engineering together to translate brand concepts, cultural themes and customer insights into card designs that can be produced consistently and securely.
- Creative concept and card artwork development
- Material and finish selection
- Process engineering and production planning
- Plate-making, printing and secure card manufacturing
- Functional and visual prototyping
- Personalisation, programme fulfilment and programme-specific packaging
Hengbao's design and process network spans Danyang, Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing, connecting customers with experienced card-design and production specialists.
Cards for Different Programmes and Audiences
Premium Debit and Credit Cards
Specialist materials, tactile details and customised visual effects support differentiated cards for premium banking, private banking and high-value customer programmes.
Co-brand and Affinity Cards
Partnerships, entertainment properties, cultural themes and customer interests can become distinctive physical card designs.
Loyalty, Gift and Promotional Cards
Materials and finishing extend the brand experience into rewards, gifting, membership and promotional programmes.
Commemorative and Cultural Cards
Cultural storytelling and collectible design combine with specialist production techniques to mark occasions and create memorable physical credentials.
Recognised Card Design and Innovation
ICMA Élan Awards 2026
Hengbao received two awards and three finalist recognitions across design, culture and technology:
- People's Choice Award: Zheshang Bank "Zhefu" Card
- Loyalty, Promotional and Gift Cards Award: Jin Hui Laojiao Customized Liquor Card
- Access Control Finalist: ICBC Shanghai Branch CIIE 8th Anniversary Commemorative Visual Hardware Wallet
- Access Control Finalist: Bank of China 2025 CIFTIS Hardware Wallet
- Best Secure Payment Card Finalist: Jilin Bank Aurora Themed DIY Card
The Jin Hui Laojiao card combined recycled PVC with dimensional texture, gilding and laser engraving, bringing material choice and specialist craftsmanship into one design.
ICMA Élan Awards 2025
Hengbao received the People's Choice Award for the "Seven Years of Wisdom, Unite for the Future" ICBC Shanghai CIIE 7th Anniversary e-CNY Commemorative Hardware Wallet.
The design combined coloured PVC, transparent rainbow hot stamping, gold cat's-eye foil and resin technology in a functioning e-CNY hardware wallet.
Over the past five years, Hengbao has received more than 20 international design awards and more than 20 domestic design awards. Recognition includes the ICMA Élan Awards, MUSE Design Awards and International Design Awards.
Payment-Card Manufacturing at Scale
The Nilson Report's manufacturer rankings for 2024 shipments placed Hengbao ninth by total payment-card shipments and seventh by payment cards with chips.
Hengbao shipped 115.9 million payment cards during 2024, including 114.9 million chip cards. This manufacturing scale supports programmes ranging from distinctive limited editions to large-volume commercial issuance.
9th
by total payment-card shipments (2024)
7th
by payment cards with chips (2024)
115.9M
payment cards shipped in 2024
From Initial Idea to Finished Card
Some programmes begin with a premium material. Others start with a cultural story, a customer segment or an interactive feature. Hengbao helps shape the material and manufacturing approach around that objective.
- Target audience and programme objectives
- Card application and required functionality
- Suitable materials and finishes
- Design and personalisation requirements
- Certification and durability considerations
- Production quantities, implementation requirements and programme budget
For customer-uploaded photographs, names, text and signatures, Hengbao supports full-card, partial-card and text-based personalisation models. Explore the separate custom-design page for these options.
Explore Custom Card Design & ManufacturingFor centralised, instant or self-service card issuance, explore our dedicated personalisation and issuance services page.
Explore Card Personalisation & Issuance ServicesA Card Programme That Reflects Your Brand
Speak with Hengbao about your customer segment, programme objectives, preferred materials and functional requirements. Our teams can help develop a card design that balances visual distinction with the needs of production and use.
Discuss Your Card Programme