16 Oct 2026 • 3 minute read
“No plastic, no shipping, no packaging” — it’s the pitch behind almost every e-gift card, and it sounds like an easy sustainability win. We wanted to know if it actually holds up. So we ran the numbers against our own short-run, digitally printed paperboard cards instead of the mass-produced plastic gift cards usually get compared to.
Here’s what stopped us: a plain-text e-gift card email and our own paperboard card are a dead heat. And the branded, image-heavy email that most e-gift cards actually send — logo, product shot, “Redeem Now” button — is an order of magnitude above the plain one. Heavier than our paperboard card. Heavier than the PVC card too.
“Digital” isn’t automatically “carbon-free.” It’s shorthand for instant — and that’s a real, legitimate reason to offer e-gift cards. It just isn’t an environmental one, and we think the two have been blurred together for too long.
Not everything blamed on digital is actually a difference. An unspent balance sits in the same database whichever format delivered it, and redeeming either one triggers the same transaction. Delivery is the only stage where the two formats genuinely part ways — which is why that’s the stage we measured.
The white paper has the full comparison — every figure, every system boundary, our read of the vendor-funded study your e-gift supplier has probably already sent you, and the one number in our own argument we think is weakest.
Beyond the Screen: The Hidden Carbon
Cost of E-Gift Cards
Greener
Compostable and recyclable
Cheaper
Save up to 40% compared to plastic
Quicker
Turnaround average 20 working days
Introducing our range of plastic-free cards
Since 2006 we have been innovating and disrupting in the card market to develop what is a leading range of environmentally-friendly card solutions. So what sets us apart?
Well that’s the thing, there’s a number of reasons why Green Gift Cards are renowned in the world of card production. It is the material we use for our cards and the certification that the cards come with. It is also the compelling environmental story (we urge you to watch the video) that is behind all of our cards and the fact that, once finished with, our cards are compostable and can be recycled in normal household waste streams. Oh and we’ll say it again – being environmentally-friendly doesn’t mean they are more expensive. In fact they offer great value compared to plastic cards.
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White paper
Read our latest white paper to find out one simple change organisations can implement today to help tackle the issue of single and limited use plastic.
Request a sample pack
If you would like to actually feel and see the quality of our Green Gift Card, we will happily send you some samples.
Customers
Green Gift Cards works with a diverse range of customers, from global brands to independent retailers, all committed to reducing plastic waste.
