Salon Paper supplies playing card paper from Ningbo, China: PC3, PC4 and PC5 card stock and blue core board, 250–350 GSM, engineered for stiffness, snap and edge durability. MOQ 25 tons, offset and flexo printable.
PC3 / PC4 / PC5 card stock and blue core board 250-350 GSM
Playing card paper is a multi-ply board engineered for one thing above all: snap. The card has to spring back flat after it is bent, survive repeated shuffling without fraying at the edge, and stay dimensionally stable so the deck does not warp in humidity.
That is a different requirement from ordinary folding carton board. It is met with a laminated construction and a controlled pulp blend rather than simply by raising the GSM.
| Grade | GSM | Characteristics | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| PC3 | 250–310 | Good stiffness and surface finish | Standard playing cards, board games |
| PC4 | 300–330 | Better formation, tighter tolerances | Premium decks, trading cards |
| PC5 | 310–350 | Maximum stiffness, strictest QC | Casino and luxury decks |
| Blue core | 300–350 | Blue-tinted centre layer, virgin pulp | Casino-grade, see-through opacity |
| Taber stiffness | PC3–PC5 typically MD > 18.0 mN, CD > 12.0 mN (ISO 2493 / TAPPI T489) |
|---|---|
| Cobb value | 30–40 g/m² (ISO 535 / TAPPI T441) |
| Thickness | Controlled per grade, reported as a range |
| Opacity | High, to prevent show-through on printed faces |
| Sheet size | Standard 787×1092 mm, or cut to your press size |
Full grade tables are in our playing card paper technical specifications, and the PME explainer covers how PC3, PC4 and PC5 differ.
| MOQ | 25 tons per grade and size |
|---|---|
| Monthly capacity | 3,000 tons of base paper consumed per month |
| Certificates | Mill test certificate per batch; FSC on request |
| MOQ | 25 tons per grade and size |
|---|---|
| Monthly capacity | 3,000 tons of base paper consumed per month |
| Pricing basis | EXW Ningbo, quoted per m² for sheet and per ton for bulk |
| Payment terms | 30% deposit, 70% before shipment after inspection |
| Sales terms | EXW / FOB (other Incoterms on request) |
| Currency | USD, converted at the exchange rate on the day of payment |
| Samples | Free A4 swatches of stock grades |
| What drives the price | |
|---|---|
| GSM / thickness | Thickness and basis weight of the board |
| Surface finish | PET, OPP, aluminium foil, brushed, matte, high gloss, holographic |
| Single vs double sided | Coated or laminated on one or both faces |
| Sheet size | Standard 787×1092 mm, or cut to your size |
| Quantity | Volume tier pricing |
| Packing | Palletised, on reels, or loose in cartons |
Prices are quoted against your exact specification, so we do not publish a fixed price list. Tell us the product, GSM, finish, sheet size and quantity and we will return a firm quote.
Playing card paper is a multi-ply board engineered for snap - the card springs back flat after bending, survives repeated shuffling and stays dimensionally stable in humidity.
PC3 runs 250-310 GSM, PC4 300-330 GSM, and PC5 310-350 GSM. Blue core grades are 300-350 GSM.
Blue core board has a blue-tinted centre layer indicating high-purity virgin pulp. It gives the highest stiffness and opacity, which is why casino-grade decks use it.
With a Taber stiffness tester to ISO 2493 or TAPPI T489. PC3-PC5 grades typically require MD above 18.0 mN and CD above 12.0 mN.
MOQ is 25 tons per grade and size.
