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Playing Card Stock

PrintNinja offers many high-quality weights and core types of playing card stock for custom card and board games. Fully understanding these terms and knowing what card type suits your needs is the first step in creating your game.

52 Sweat Up Cardstock

52 Sweat Up uses 280gsm cardstock, out most popular option

Cardstock Weight

Cardstock weight is measured in GSM (grams per square meter). This is the universal measure for playing card paper weight. The higher the number (300gsm, 330gsm, 350gsm), the thicker and heavier the stock and card will be. Generally speaking, heavier cardstock gives your cards a higher quality feel. We also offer plastic playing cards made of a durable PVC. These durable, waterproof cards are a great option for party games and children’s games.


Card stock cores

Card stock with blue core (top) and black core (bottom)

Card Cores

Card stock is also categorized by its core: blue, black or coreless. You can tell what core cards use by ripping them in half as seen in the photo to the right. This shows blue core on top and black core on the bottom. The core prevents the card from being transparent when held up to a bright light.

Blue core is the standard and is used in most of the games found at your favorite game shop.

Black core is the highest quality card core. This is favored by casinos because the dark core doesn’t allow players to see through cards.

PrintNinja Tip
PrintNinja also offers foil cardstock, which is a specialty paper stock made of silver or gold foil. You can print CMYK on top of the foil creating a foil stamping aesthetic.

PrintNinja’s Cardstocks

PrintNinja’s International Offset Cardstocks

  • 280gsm Blue Core
  • 310gsm Black Core (Linen)
  • 330gsm Black Core
  • 300gsm Coreless
  • 350gsm Coreless
  • 300gsm Foil Stock
  • 0.3mm White PVC

PrintNinja’s Domestic Digital-Offset Cardstocks

  • 260gsm Coreless Standard (12pt)
  • 240gsm Black Core Standard (11pt Stoplite)
  • 270gsm Linen Standard (100lb Cover w/ Linen Texture)
  • 430gsm Plastic (12mil Rigid Vinyl)
  • 255gsm Silver Foil (13pt)

Ready to get started?

We've created a custom card game pricing calculator for you to explore all our different printing choices, shipping methods, and get an instant price for your project. You can also customize just about anything, from size and packaging, to specialty options like metallic ink, foil stamping, and so much more.

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