Rewritable E-Paper Badges, Wristbands, and Cards for Events

One object instead of disposable paper: the idea behind it

E-paper is mostly known as a digital price tag in a shop. Less well known is that the same technology also exists as a name badge, wristband, card, or luggage tag — objects normally printed on paper or plastic and thrown away after use. Vitria offers four such products: Name Badges, Event Wristbands, Smart Cards, and Travel & Luggage Tags. Technically they differ in size and connection type, but at their core they follow the same principle: a single physical object whose content — name, access right, balance, flight data — can be electronically rewritten, instead of being newly printed or replaced for every new use. The object stays the same; only its display changes.

Less printed paper after every event

A classic paper festival wristband or conference badge is printed for a single occasion, handed out at the entrance, and afterward almost always thrown away, regardless of whether it was worn. With rewritable e-paper, this cycle largely disappears: the same wristband or card can be taken back after the event, rewritten for the next occasion, and issued again. That reduces both the volume of printed single-use material and the recurring effort for design, printing, and reordering before every event. How many times an individual unit can be rewritten in practice depends on use and handling — we deliberately don't state a specific number. The principle stays qualitatively the same: reusable across many occasions instead of discarded after a single use.

How the rewriting works: NFC or Bluetooth, not a radio network

A normal e-paper price tag in a shop is updated via a central gateway that supplies several labels with new content at once by radio, without anyone touching the individual label. Badges, wristbands, smart cards, and luggage tags work differently: they're written individually via an NFC tap or a Bluetooth connection, usually at a registration station, a check-in counter, or with a handheld device. That's a deliberate difference, not a drawback — for personalized objects with individual data such as names, access rights, or flight numbers, a targeted point of contact when issuing or taking them back is needed anyway. The gateway network for silent background mass updates belongs to other Vitria products, such as shelf or room displays, not to this product group.

Name badges: one credential for many occasions

Name Badges are Bluetooth-connected, rewritable e-paper credentials in 2.13 and 2.9-inch formats. Instead of printing a new paper badge for every conference, trade-show appearance, or shift, name, role, and QR code are updated centrally — the same badge can be rewritten for an event guest today and for an employee tomorrow. That makes the badges equally usable for events, conferences, reception, staff deployment, and trade fairs. Acquisition is via subscription from CHF 5.90 per month per badge, gateway and mount included; a one-time purchase option is also available as an alternative.

Event wristbands: ticket, access, and cashless on the wrist

The Event Wristband is the rewritable alternative to the classic paper wristband: NFC-connected, in 1.54 and 2.13-inch formats, showing name, access zone, and cashless balance directly on the wrist. Content is written via NFC and reset after the event, so a single band handles ticket, access control, and payment method in one, instead of issuing a separate paper or plastic band for each function. It's typically used at festivals, conferences, trade fairs, amusement parks, and sporting events. The monthly price is CHF 4.90 per wristband, also including gateway and accessories, with the option of a one-time purchase as an alternative.

Smart cards: the rewritable customer or membership card

The Smart Card, in credit-card format, 2.9 and 3.7 inches, connects via NFC and shows balance, points, or access status directly on the card. Instead of printing a new card for every change, the same physical card is rewritten via an NFC tap — the same card over years, just with current content. That suits customer cards, membership cards, access cards, cafeteria cards, and library cards, anywhere a card stays in circulation over a longer period and its status changes regularly. The price is CHF 5.90 per month per card, including gateway infrastructure; here too a one-time purchase is possible instead of a subscription.

Travel and luggage tags: no more paper tag per flight

The Travel & Luggage Tag is designed for use on real luggage: NFC- or Bluetooth-connected, in 2.9, 3.7, and 4.2-inch formats, with a temperature range of −10 °C to 50 °C, wider than pure indoor products and aimed at the conditions of baggage handling. Passenger, flight, route, and barcode are loaded via NFC or Bluetooth before departure and rewritten after landing, instead of attaching a new paper tag at every check-in that could tear or get lost. The tag is used by airlines, travel agencies, frequent-flyer and lounge programs, as well as charter flights and logistics. The price is CHF 6.90 per month, gateway and mounting included, with a purchase option as an alternative to the subscription.

Which product fits which situation

For personal identification at conferences, at reception, or for staff deployment, the name badge is the best fit, because it primarily shows name, role, and QR code. If access zones or a cashless balance also need to be managed, at a festival or a larger conference, say, the wristband takes over these functions directly on the wrist. For long-term credentials such as customer or membership cards that stay in a wallet for months or years, the smart card in its familiar card format is the more fitting choice. And anywhere luggage is physically moved, loaded, and exposed to weather, the more robust travel and luggage tag with its extended temperature range is needed. The products can also be combined, badge and wristband at the same event, say.

Frequently asked questions

Is this the same as a normal e-paper price tag?

Technically related, but operationally different: price tags are updated automatically via a central gateway network. Badges, wristbands, smart cards, and luggage tags, by contrast, are written individually via an NFC tap or Bluetooth, usually at a station or a check-in counter.

How many times can a wristband or badge be rewritten?

We deliberately don't state a specific number here, since we don't have a reliable figure. Qualitatively, though, the same principle applies as with other rewritable e-paper products: repeatedly rewritable across many events or flights, instead of being discarded after a single use.

What do the individual products cost?

Name Badges and Smart Cards each cost CHF 5.90 per month, Event Wristbands CHF 4.90, and Travel & Luggage Tags CHF 6.90 per month. Gateway and mounting accessories are included in the price for all four; a one-time purchase is also possible.

Do we need separate infrastructure for each product?

No. Each of the four products includes the necessary gateway and accessory infrastructure in the subscription price; no separate acquisition is needed. Several products can also be combined at the same event, badge and wristband at once, say.