How plastic playing cards are different from paper plastic coated playing cards

Plastic playing cards last many more times than the paper playing cards. Paper playing cards are also called plastic coated playing cards. Paper playing cards are cheaper due to the substrate used. As paper is cheaper so the price is lower. 

The printing process is also different. Paper playing cards can be printed using normal offset printing inks. But plastic custom playing cards can only be printed using special UV inks. Paper sheets are printed and cured by normal drying where as plastic sheets are printed with UV inks and have to be instantly cured under UV rays or LED lights to dry up these sheets. 

The print production area has to be kept very clean as plastic has a static charge that attracts dust towards itself. Once printed and cured the sheets are moved into curing process whereby special liquid coatings are put on both sides of the sheets and cured under through a conveyer under heat. This coating is one of the most important part of making plastic playing cards. 

If the coating is good quality then the plastic printing will not scuff off and the cards will slip for a long time. If the coating is not perfect then it will effect the slip on the cards which will immediately effect the printing by chipping it off. We have been making custom playing cards on plastic sheets with multi color printing as per clients artworks and we have been able to achieve excellent results. Our print process can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUBorxosoyk Plastic cards can be washed and reused which definitely is not an option for paper playing cards.  These cards also give that premium look which is why clients prefer custom playing cards to be made of plastic material. Almost all drinking deck games are made of plastic material.