Find out about all RFID tag materials (2024)

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) is derived from the combination of sodium chloride and petroleum. It is flexible, ductile and resistant to impacts, water, and high and low temperatures.

Due to its excellent mechanical and chemical properties, PVC is used to produce RFID wristbands, key fobs, hard tags and labels. It is also used for clear discs, special disc-shaped RFID tags consisting of a PVC layer enclosed between two transparent PET sheets. These tags are used for indoor tracking applications.
PVC RFID tags can be customised with logos using pad, offset and silkscreen printing, while numbering can be applied using laser or inkjet printing.

Polyurethane is a plastic material, specifically a waterproof elastomer with excellent resistance to moisture and salt.

Due to these characteristics, polyurethane is used to produce RFID wristbands, a popular choice for access control and identification at swimming pools, hot springs, water parks, campsites and tourist resorts. Polyurethane wristbands are customised using offset and resin printing, while serial numbering can be applied using laser or inkjet printing.

Silicone features flexibility and water-resistance. It also remains elastic at very low temperatures, and has good resistance to higher temperatures and atmospheric agents.

Due to its properties, silicone is widely used in the production of RFID wristbands for access control at swimming pools, spas and tourist resorts. Silicone wristbands can be customised with logos using pad printing, while numbering is carried out with the laser printing technique.

PET is a thermoplastic material that offers excellent resistance to high temperatures and atmospheric agents, cuts and abrasions.

Due to its characteristics, PET is used to produce different types of RFID tags, such as wristbands for access control at hotels, campsites, hospitals and airports, labels and wet inlays for asset management, logistics and waste collection. PET RFID wristbands can be customised using offset printing. Labels can also be produced using inkjet and thermographic printing.

Tyvek is a synthetic paper-like material that is robust, breathable and characterised by excellent mechanical properties.

Resistant to water, abrasion, wear and bacterial penetration, Tyvek is used for RFID wristbands intended for daily use, as required for access control and identification in tourism and at events. Tyvek wristbands can be customised using offset printing in a variety of colours, while serial numbering is applied using inkjet technology.

ABS is a thermoplastic polymer with excellent mechanical properties, such as rigidity, hardness and impact resistance. Waterproof, it can withstand both high and low temperatures.

The RFID tag production sector mainly uses ABS for hard tags designed for outdoor applications such as outdoor industrial asset management and waste collection. It is also ideal for producing RFID key fobs for access control at swimming pools, campsites and tourist resorts. ABS tags can be customised using silkscreen and pad printing, while serial numbering can be applied using laser and inkjet printing techniques.

PA6 (nylon) is a plastic that stands out for its important properties. Indeed, it is resistant to tensile stress, compression and impacts, prolonged immersion in water and atmospheric agents.

PA6 is used to make RFID key fobs for access control at swimming pools, hot springs, gyms, hotels and campsites. Due to its excellent mechanical performance, it is also popular for producing bin tags, cylindrical tags for waste bin identification, and hard tags for industrial applications. PA6 tags can be customised using several techniques, such as embossing for bin tags, and silkscreen and laser printing for hard tags and wristbands.

PA9T is a nylon resin featuring outstanding properties in terms of dimensional stability, fluidity, and thermal, chemical and abrasion resistance.

Also resistant to dust and prolonged immersion in water, it is used to produce hard tags for industrial maintenance and asset management. Logos are applied to PA9T hard tags using either pad or laser printing, while numbering is applied using the laser printing technique.

PA6+30GF is a polyamide with 30% fibreglass reinforcement, which enhances the rigidity, compression resistance and dimensional stability of the nylon.

It is used to produce hard tags, which are widespread in supply chains, asset management and inventory management. PA6+30GF hard tags can be customised with logos using pad and laser printing. Serial numbering is applied using laser printing.

PA66 is a nylon with excellent mechanical properties such as hardness, rigidity and wear and abrasion resistance. It also resists heat and atmospheric agents.

It is used to produce cable tie tags and band-shaped hard tags designed for applications in asset management, supply chains and factory automation. PA66 hard tags can be customised using laser technology.

Faux leather consists of a fabric core (cotton or synthetic) coated with a layer of polyurethane. Resistant to light and heat, it is waterproof and durable.

Similar in appearance to leather, but much more durable, faux leather is used to produce RFID key fobs for access control at companies and luxury resorts. Faux leather key fobs can be customised using pad printing, while serial numbering is applied using laser printing technology.

PPA (polyphthalamide) is a thermoplastic material with high resistance to chemicals, moisture and very high temperatures. It has a high resistance to breakage and deformation.

Polyphthalamide is used to produce hard tags designed for industry and asset tracking. PPA RFID tags are customised using silkscreen and pad printing, while serial numbering can be applied using laser technology.

PPS is a thermoplastic polymer characterised by high chemical and mechanical resistance to high temperatures.

Polyphenylenesulphideis used for the production of hard tags in the industrial and laundry sectors. Serialisation and personalisation of RFID tags made of PPS is done using laser technology.

Engineering plastics offer high mechanical and physical performance. They withstand mechanical stress, chemicals and high and low temperatures.

These particular plastics, which present exceptional properties, are used to produce hard tags for asset management and logistics. Printing and numbering are carried out using laser technology.

Polycarbonate is a thermoplastic material with high thermal, fire and impact resistance, hardness and dimensional stability.

It is used to produce hard tags for critical outdoor applications that require strength and robustness. Polycarbonate RFID tags are customised using laser technology.

Epoxy, also known asepoxy resin, is a thermosetting polymer resistant to liquids, impacts and abrasions, extreme temperatures, atmospheric agents and acids.

Due to its important physical and chemical characteristics, it is used to produce hard tags for commercial laundries and hospitals for tracking gauze pads, hospital linens and life-saving equipment. Epoxy resin hard tags can be customised using pad printing.

PCBs, the acronym for printed circuit board, are insulating circuit boards used to connect electronic components.

Protected by a fibreglass plate coated with a light metal layer following lamination, PCBs are used to produce small hard tags that are ideal for supply chains, asset management and inventory management.

FPCs, the acronym for flexible printed circuits, are printed circuit boards consisting of a lightweight, thin and flexible polyamide or polyester film.

They are used in injection moulding to produce mould tags, special hard tags built into the products to be identified during manufacturing.

TPVs (thermoplastic vulcanisates) are elastomers that combine the benefits of thermoplastics with those of rubber.

These materials retain good dimensional stability at high temperatures. They are resistant to tensile stress and breakage, and also to ageing caused by exposure to UV radiation, ozone and atmospheric agents. They are therefore used to produce hard tags for the identification of machinery and equipment. TPV tags can be customised using pad and laser printing, while numbering can be applied using laser printing.

FR4 (flame resistant) is a class of fibreglass material with an epoxy resin matrix, which makes it flame retardant.

Featuring high electrical resistance and very low moisture absorption, FR4 is used to produce hard tags for metal shelf management in warehouses.

Ferrite is a material made of ceramics and iron oxide. It has excellent magnetic properties. and is a good electrical insulator.

Ferrite is used to produce hard tags, the ideal choice for inventory management, product traceability and identification.

Ceramics feature hardness, low electrical conductivity and an ability to withstand high temperatures.

The RFID tag production industry uses ceramics for particular hard tags designed for data transmission in the IoT, e.g. consumer electronics and healthcare.

Glass is a transparent, chemically stable and versatile material. It is used to produce glass tags for industrial use and animal tracking.

In particular, glass tags for domestic, farm and laboratory animals are produced from biocompatible glass which can either be ingested by the animal or applied via injection into the ear lobe. Glass RFID tags can be customised using laser technology.

PP (polypropylene) is a ductile thermoplastic featuring high resistance to impacts and very high temperatures.

Polypropylene is particularly popular in the production of RFID labels for asset management, logistics, access control and vehicle inventories. PP RFID tags can be customised using offset or inkjet printing for colour or black and white prints, and thermographic printing for black and white prints.

With its flexibility, lightness and low cost, paper is the most common material in the production of RFID labels.

Paper RFID labels are ideal for applications in logistics, asset management and inventory management. Printing and numbering are done using offset or inkjet printing for colour or black and white prints, and thermographic printing for black and white prints.

Polyester is a synthetic fabric that resists tears, wear and abrasion, as well as mould and bacteria. Such properties make it reusable.

Due to its special characteristics, it is used to produce RFID wristbands for access control in damp environments, such as gyms, fitness centres, swimming pools and water parks. Moreover, since it is soft, smooth and comfortable to wear, it is also used for RFID labels, which are sewn on garments for traceability in the fashion industry.

Polyester RFID wristbands can be customised using digital printing, while numbering is applied using thermal printing. Laser technology is instead used for printing and serial numbering on polyester RFID labels.

Nylon taffeta is a smooth, soft and wear-resistant synthetic fabric.

Because it combines softness and strength, this fabric is used to produce RFID labels for traceability in the fashion industry. The labels are directly sewn onto the garment to be identified. Nylon taffeta RFID labels can be customised using thermographic printing.