Build one complete specification before asking for a unit price
For custom acrylic ticket cards, quote size and thickness together with print faces, white-underbase coverage, corner treatment, protective film, individual packing and quantity per design. MOQ and lead time change with the number of SKUs, special finishes, sample revisions and packing work. Approve color, registration, edges, warpage, scratches and packed condition on a physical pre-production sample.
Specification Map
Lock these six items before comparing OEM quotes
The decisions interact. A thicker sheet changes weight and packing clearance, while printing on both faces or adding a sealed glitter layer adds sample checks and process steps.
Material & Size
Start with the holder, display method and intended handling
“Clear card” does not always mean PMMA acrylic; PET and other sheet materials have different rigidity, weight, edge appearance and printing conditions. State the material in the RFQ and approve a physical sample.
Confirm the holder or file pocket, visible artwork area and corner feel.
Check bending, warpage, weight and pack clearance as the length increases.
Do not treat one value as universal. Balance rigidity, weight, edge presence and cost.
Approve color and transparency with the printed artwork and real background.
Record physical color chips and real samples under the same light
Compare the color name with actual particle color, density, edge tint and transparency. When a supplied reference chart is used, keep it as visual evidence and write the approved sample code separately.
Print Faces & White Ink
Specify what “double-sided” means and map the white-underbase layer
On clear acrylic, pale CMYK colors can lose opacity against the background. White ink supports color, but full coverage can remove the transparency intended by the design. Mark where white ink is full, spot or absent.
| Specification | Typical construction | Useful when | Check on the sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reverse print on one face | View color and white ink through the acrylic | A glossy protected front is the priority | Artwork reversal, white spread and rear protection |
| Layered front/back art on one face | Stack front art, white ink and back art on the same print face | Different art should read from each side | Show-through, interference and shared white areas |
| Printing on both acrylic faces | Print separate artwork on the front and rear surfaces | Depth or multi-layer effects are required | Registration, rub resistance, feel and protection |
| No or spot white ink | Leave clear windows and translucent areas | The background should show through | Pale-color loss, boundaries and real-use backgrounds |
Treat sealed glitter or shaker structures as a separate construction
A moving-glitter cavity or internal glitter layer cannot be quoted as ordinary reverse printing. Ask for the layer count, cavity or liquid, bonding and sealing method, total thickness, weight, particle size, fill quantity and whether the particles move or remain fixed.
Surface condition, scratch control and film removal.
Print face, white ink and viewing direction.
Particle mix, amount, movement, bubbles and leakage.
Alignment and interference with the front design.
Exposed print, film, bonding or sealed edge.
Compare particle size and density with the artwork held constant
Strong color shift, but confirm how much character art or text is covered.
Check whether transparency and pale artwork remain readable.
Review background coverage, edge accumulation, weight and total thickness.
Stack samples to compare edge color and transparency
A front-on photograph may hide edge tint, particle concentration and the appearance from the rear. Use multiple samples under one light source as a repeatable comparison record.
Edge & Finish
Approve the edge, corners and protection—not the process name alone
Laser cutting, routing and other finishing methods depend on sheet type, thickness, shape and equipment. Instead of assuming one process is always clearer or cheaper, approve the actual production-intent sample.
A tilt video proves appearance changes, not the hidden construction
A short video can show reflection, transparency, particle movement and artwork readability. It cannot by itself identify holographic sheet, film, a sealed cavity or an oil-filled structure, so pair it with a layer drawing and the physical sample.
Keep close-up photos and the physical-sample video in one approval record
- The same sample against light and dark backgrounds
- A continuous front, tilt and rear video
- Whether glitter moves or stays fixed, including clumps and static
- For sealed constructions: cross-section, bubbles, seal area and leakage criteria
MOQ & Cost
Separate total quantity from quantity per design
Some suppliers accept small runs, but MOQ is not universal. Five hundred units of one design and ten designs at fifty units each create different artwork checks, print changeovers, sorting, backing cards and label work.
Compare suppliers against the same RFQ. Otherwise, a one-face bulk-packed quote may appear beside a two-face, SKU-packed quote as if they were equivalent.
Sample Approval
Work back from the approved-sample date and delivery method
Lead time is a chain of artwork review, sampling, revision, approval, production, inspection, packing and freight. Ask which specification must be approved by which date rather than relying on an unsupported “fastest days” claim.
RFQ
Lock quantity, SKUs, specification, destination and required date
Artwork release
Check final art, white layer, cut line and revision number
Sample approval
Approve color, registration, edges, corners and packing
Production and QC
Share the limit sample, checks and count records
Shipment
Confirm freight, tracking, customs and holiday risk
Seven approval points for the physical sample
- Dimensions, thickness, corner radius and hole position
- Front and rear artwork orientation
- Color, white-ink position and transparent areas
- Cut edge, burrs, chips and warpage
- Print rub resistance, adhesion and protection
- Condition after removing the protective film
- Fit inside the OPP bag, backing card, label and retail case
Mark every revision with a location, current photo, requested condition, priority and revision number. See the acrylic color-difference control guide for color approval planning.
SKU & Packaging
Packing and multi-SKU control determine delivery quality
Scratches and fingerprints are visible on clear acrylic. Decide whether protective film remains on the product, is removed for factory inspection, or is removed by the customer, because that decision changes inspection and labeling.
SKU code, design name, quantity and spares
Product-to-backing-card matching table
Front/back orientation and bag insertion direction
Label position and control number
Mixing method and count record for random assortment
Inner and master-carton counts, dividers, weight and markings
A wrong backing card, wrong label or mixed SKU is a delivery defect even when the acrylic surface is acceptable. Separate product inspection from assembly and packing inspection.
Blind packaging needs an assortment-control plan
An acrylic ticket can be packed in an opaque pillow pouch or small printed box and sold from a display carton. Define scratch protection, tamper evidence, SKU count, insertion ratio, display-box count, mixing method and reconciliation record in the same controlled instruction.
Opaque pouch or small box, inner bag, backing card and seal.
SKU count, ratio, mixing unit, reconciliation record and spares.
Pack count, arrangement, retail opening and transit restraint.
See-through risk, touch identification, abrasion, crush and tamper evidence.
Blind packaging and random assortment are separate controls. An opaque pack does not automatically guarantee a series ratio or a complete set in each carton.
Manage standard and special variants with a carton-level assortment sheet
When glow effects, moving glitter or other special constructions share one series, record their approved sample, insertion eligibility, quantity, spares and reconciliation method separately from standard variants.
Common construction with separate SKU quantities and spares.
Separate approval sample and acceptance criteria for the special process.
SKU quantity, ratio, sequence and complete-set policy per carton.
Link product lot, packing lot, remainder, spares and seal check.
Compliance & Supplier
Determine safety requirements from classification and market
EN 71, ASTM F963 and CPSIA do not automatically apply to every item called an acrylic card. Requirements depend on the sales market, intended age, toy classification, dimensions, corners, small parts, materials, inks, packing and labeling.
Share market conditions first
State the country, channel, intended age and whether the item is positioned as a toy or collectible.
Link documents to the product lot
Confirm the material statement, test scope, report owner, lot identity and label artwork.
For the United States, review the CPSC toy-safety guidance. For the EU, review the European Commission toy-safety information, then confirm classification with the importer, brand compliance team and an appropriate laboratory where necessary.
Evaluate the supplier’s control system, not only its sample gallery
Can it provide card-format and long-ticket physical samples?
Can it explain the proposed material, thickness, cut and print faces?
Can it return a white-ink and two-sided print layer diagram?
What production reference is retained after sample approval?
Can edge, warpage, registration, rub and SKU-mix criteria be agreed?
Can it retain packing and carton reconciliation records?
Can it define NDA, access and deletion rules for unreleased artwork?
Can reinspection, replacement and cost responsibilities be written down?
RFQ Checklist
Information to include with an acrylic ticket quote request
Sending the same level of information to each supplier reduces quote revisions caused by different assumptions.
Some fields can remain open.
Share the use and priorities first, and we can organize the next confirmation steps.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
QAre acrylic ticket cards the same as clear PET cards?
No. They may look similar in listings, but material, thickness, rigidity, weight, warpage, printing, edge finish and packing requirements differ. State the material and thickness in the RFQ and approve a physical sample.
QIs 60 × 180 × 3 mm a standard acrylic ticket size?
It is one possible long-ticket format, not a universal standard. Choose dimensions from the artwork, intended holder or file, weight, warpage risk, packing clearance and sheet utilization.
QShould custom acrylic ticket cards use single- or double-sided printing?
Use reverse printing when a glossy protected front is the priority. If front and back artwork differ, specify whether both designs are layered on one print face or printed on the two acrylic faces, then approve registration and rub protection.
QDoes the white-ink underbase need to cover the whole design?
Not always. Full white ink supports opacity and color, while spot or no white ink keeps selected areas transparent or translucent. Mark the exact white layer and check the sample against light and dark backgrounds.
QIs a glitter shaker acrylic ticket the same as holographic acrylic?
Not necessarily. Loose glitter in a cavity or liquid layer, holographic sheet or film, and a surface sparkle finish use different constructions. Confirm layer count, sealing, total thickness, particle movement and the approved appearance.
QHow are MOQ and lead time quoted for multiple designs?
They depend on the supplier and the complete specification. Quote total quantity and quantity per design separately, then include size, printing, special finish, sampling, revision, packing, inspection and freight conditions.
QWhat should a pre-production sample approval cover?
Check dimensions, front/back orientation, color, white-ink position, transparency, print registration, edges, warpage, scratches, protective film and final packing. Save photos and a revision number as the production reference.
QWhat changes when the cards are sold in blind packaging?
Add the opaque pack structure, SKU count, insertion ratio, display-box quantity, mixing method, reconciliation record, tamper evidence and the artwork files for the bag, box, backing card and labels.
QDoes one display box automatically contain a complete set?
No. A complete-set promise must be defined in the carton-level assortment plan, including SKU quantities, sequence, spares, reconciliation method and customer-facing wording. Pack count alone does not create that guarantee.
QAre EN 71, ASTM F963 and CPSIA always required?
The product name alone does not determine applicability. Requirements depend on market, intended age, toy classification, materials, shape, accessories and labeling. Confirm the classification with the importer, compliance team and an appropriate laboratory when needed.