In a post-pandemic world, greater emphasis is placed on ensuring germ-free and hygienic solutions across various industries. Good hygiene helps protect your staff, customers and clients from illnesses. Still, in 2025, good hygiene in the workplace means so much more than strategically placed hand sanitising stations and good ventilation.


One of the most effective ways to reduce the spread of potentially harmful bacteria is to invest in antimicrobial products, where possible, for objects that are handled often. Your smartphone, ID cards, access cards, and cash are all examples of items we handle every day that are also rarely clean. Investing in antimicrobial solutions for some of these products can stop the spread of germs in its tracks.


This is our comprehensive Guide to antimicrobial cardholders, designed to help you make an informed decision about whether they are necessary in your industry. 


So, What Are Antimicrobial Cardholders?


Antimicrobial cardholders are a type of cardholder that contains an additive that is designed to stop the spread of germs and bacteria. They’re perfect for when you’re looking for a cardholder solution in an industry where minimising cross-contamination is a must. 


Another important thing to note is that the additive in antimicrobial cardholders doesn’t wear off, so you can ensure long-term protection from germs and bacteria. 


How Do They Work?


At Universal Smart Cards, our antimicrobial card holders are manufactured by Evohold, and they use an antimicrobial ‘Biomaster’ additive that stops the growth and spread of bacteria in three different ways. 


Biomaster disrupts the bacteria cells from growing, stops the bacteria cells from producing energy and interrupts the bacteria cells’ DNA to prevent cell replication and stop the growth of bacteria on surfaces like access control cards and cardholders. 


What Do They Protect Against?


Antimicrobial cardholders protect against a range of germs, pathogens and bacteria. Antimicrobial solutions in the workplace started to gain traction during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it’s not just COVID that antimicrobial cardholders protect from. 


Since antimicrobial card holders make it impossible for germs and pathogens to grow, they offer protection against: 


  • MRSA 

  • E.coli 

  • VRE 

  • Staphylococcus 

  • Salmonella 

  • Norovirus 

  • Listeria 


Whilst this isn’t an exhaustive list, it does highlight some of the most common germs, bacteria, and pathogens you may be in contact with at work most regularly. Investing in antimicrobial card holders can stop the spread of germs in your place of work, reduce sick days, and protect your employees from dangerous bacteria. 


What Industries Benefit Most From Antimicrobial Card Holders?


Antimicrobial card holders are incredibly useful for a range of different industries, and it’s not always just in spaces where stopping the spread of germs is a top priority. These are some of the different industries that may benefit most from having antimicrobial card holders. 


Healthcare


This is probably the industry you think of first when you think of antimicrobial solutions, and it’s obviously for good reason. Hospitals, doctors' offices, and dentists all utilise antimicrobial solutions, such as cardholders, in their day-to-day operations to minimise the transfer of germs between patients and staff. 


Nurses, doctors, and first responders frequently handle ID cards and access cards, so it’s crucial that they have a level of protection in place for staff and patient safety and well-being. 


Hospitality & Service


The hospitality and service industries are also key spaces where staff interact with many different people all day, so it’s vital to ensure some level of protection from bacteria and germs. 


Whether in restaurants, hotels, airlines, or any other business where there is often a high volume of guests, minimising the spread of germs and harmful bacteria is absolutely crucial to prevent a possible outbreak. 


Corporate Environments


This is one that you may not have previously considered. Whilst it’s clear you need to minimise germs as much as possible in the healthcare and food service space, it’s also vital in the office environment. If you’ve got a large corporate office with numerous people coming and going at all points during the week, minimising germ spread can help protect your employees and reduce sick days. 


Using antimicrobial cardholders can help protect the ID cards and access control cards that your employees use daily to ensure they don’t get sick. 


Education


The education sector is another key player in which germ reduction is absolutely critical. Teachers and staff in schools and universities handle ID cards daily, and they interact with a number of individuals every day. 


The volume of students, staff, and teachers interacting means that antimicrobial cardholders are vital to stopping the spread of germs within the classroom. They could even be a factor that greatly reduces the risk of an outbreak. 


Public Transport


Individuals who work on buses and trains frequently come into contact with individuals or surfaces that may increase the likelihood of them spreading germs. Access control cards are often used in the public transport sector, and it’s incredibly important that the spread of germs is minimised in high-contact environments. 


Utilising antimicrobial cardholders in this space can drastically reduce the risk of bacteria build-up on frequently handled items or high-traffic surfaces. 


I Know They’re Important, But Aren’t They Bad For The Environment?


Protecting the environment and trying to tackle plastic pollution is at the top of many businesses' and corporations' minds, but our range of antimicrobial cardholders is fully recyclable. Just like their standard issue counterparts, once you’re finished with them, you can simply recycle them in your normal recycling waste collection. 


From there, they can be broken down and used in the production of new products so you can protect your staff and protect the environment simultaneously. This is good news for companies or businesses that are interested in stopping the spread of germs but don’t want to cause harm to the environment whilst doing it. 


So, Do You Need Them?


It’s hard to give a definitive answer here, as it comes down to personal preference. However, now, more than ever before, there’s a real awareness of the need for proper hygiene in the workplace. 


Antimicrobial solutions aren’t simply reserved for hospitals or places where ill people frequent; they’re now widely used to protect employees, customers, and clients from potentially deadly germs and bacteria. 


Investing in the proper solutions – like antimicrobial cardholders – and regularly cleaning surfaces can stop the spread of bacteria, reduce the number of sick days in your workplace and, most importantly, keep everyone safe at work. 


If you’re looking for some additional guidance on how antimicrobial card holders can help you, or you want to chat about more bespoke solutions, you can contact a member of our Universal Smart Cards team today. We’re here to help you protect yourself and your employees.