InComm Payments is making FSC-certified paper the standard for the paper-based closed-loop gift cards it purchases from contracted printing partners. The company announced the change on March 30, 2023, for implementation that spring.

The update follows more than a decade of moving managed closed-loop card production from plastic to paper. InComm said paper already accounted for over 90% of the closed-loop gift cards it bought annually from its contracted printers.

The new sourcing standard focuses on paper from suppliers certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. InComm said the change would cover several hundred million managed cards and give participating brand partners the option of displaying the FSC logo on those products.

The company also identified other measures that can support a gift card program's environmental objectives. These include using demand forecasts to guide print volumes, adding digital cards alongside physical products and adopting barcode redemption where it enables paper substrates.

The scope of the announcement is the closed-loop cards InComm purchases through the named production relationships. It describes a material and sourcing change within that managed supply chain, alongside technology and planning options for reducing physical production requirements.