Switching to Digital Business Cards: Exploring the Environmental Benefits

The character of Patrick Bateman certainly made traditional paper-based business cards hip and a must. Investing in impressive, high-quality paper business cards with contact details engraved in an eye-soothing font is a thing of the past, however. Traditional paper-based cards have long been the go-to in professional settings, but they come with a hidden cost: the toll they take on the environment. 

This is where modern digital business cards, or e-cards, come in. Not only do they help solve the impact of traditional cards on the environment, but they offer a modern solution to our modern needs. In fact, they are continuing to rise in demand and popularity, as Market Research Future indicates that the global digital business card market is expected to record an exponential compound annual growth rate of 11% from 2021 through to 2027, reaching $243 million.

One simple yet essential digital feature of today’s world is digitizing a contact’s traditional paper-based business card. Not only are you doing the environment a favor, but you are also enabling yourself to be more organized. No more rummaging through bags and desks to find a contact’s business card. As a first step to digitizing your contacts, you can scan their business cards and instantly integrate them into your address book on any device. Check out Covve’s business card scanner app to begin modernizing your networking efforts.

Sustainability

One of the most obvious advantages of digital business cards lies in their ability to reduce paper consumption. Traditional cards require a constant supply of paper, leading to the depletion of precious natural resources, including trees. 

Some time ago, when we would add traditional business cards to our collection, we would consider that 42% of globally harvested wood is used for paper, contributing to deforestation. By embracing digital alternatives, we can curb the demand for paper and contribute to the preservation of our forests.

In addition to conserving trees and reducing deforestation, digital business cards offer another significant advantage – they are reusable and easily shareable. With just the click of a button, a digital card can be sent to multiple contacts simultaneously. This makes it clear that digital and contactless cards are the best eco-friendly business cards as they reduce waste and offer a longer product lifespan as opposed to paper cards.

Customizable

More importantly, when your role changes or you move to another company, you can simply update your contact details instead of having to print new cards. This means that digital business cards are also cost-effective in the long term. Buy it once, and have it forever.

Gone are the days of printing and distributing stacks of physical cards, resulting in waste generation and strain on landfills. By embracing digital alternatives, we can significantly reduce waste and contribute to a cleaner environment.

Beyond their environmental benefits, digital business cards offer opportunities for creativity and innovation. They allow for interactive features, such as clickable links to websites or social media profiles, videos, and dynamic content. All of your content can be personalized on your digital business card, fitting the theme of an event, or showcasing your brand. You have more control over the information shared, and how it is displayed.

Digital business cards can also be paired with a physical, contactless counterpart. They are typically made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), but can also come in metal and bamboo alternatives, making them the best eco-friendly business cards. What makes them so great is that people with contactless cards do not need to give their cards out. They simply exchange information with a tap of their card on a handheld device.

Covve offers bespoke digital and contactless business card customization that can be adjusted to both professional and personal networking needs and branding. In a 2023 case study on digital business card providers conducted by Capacitor Partners, Covve’s ecard solution is ranked first in design, as well as overall, establishing Covve’s ecard as a leading choice to elevate your networking game.

Accessibility

These features not only enhance networking capabilities but also reduce the need for additional printed materials. Embracing digital business cards is not just a step towards sustainability; it’s a step towards the digital transformation happening worldwide. 

You can share your e-card with a QR code shared through virtually any platform, or wow your next meeting participants with a scannable QR code placed in your background. You may also include it in your email signature, ensuring that your contacts are kept up to speed with your details. 

The environmental benefits of switching to digital business cards cannot be overstated. They are more sustainable, cost-effective, creative, interactive, accessible, and modern. Digital business cards are a significant step towards adjusting to the digital landscape of business and social life. These factors tie in to why digital and contactless cards make for the best eco-friendly business cards.

Written on 10 Aug 2023.

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