How To Use Photocard Sleeves For Pictures

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By Hayley

Do you want to keep your pictures looking fresh and new after years? Photocard sleeves are the best for you. Keeping your cards in a binder is the best method to protect them and maintain their value and condition, while there is no “right” way to keep your collection.

Binders are the standard storage method for K-pop photocard collections since they provide excellent protection for the cards and allow the collector to flip through the collection at any time easily. Therefore, the best sleeves for photocards and Different binders, pages, sleeve materials, and other factors may make one collector’s binder seem extremely different from another’s.

Sleeves keep dust and things like liquid that can damage the surface from getting on your cards. Scratches can make your cards less valuable if you want to sell them, and some scratches can be very obvious. Most photocards are 55 x 86 mm (2.5 x 3.2 inches). Pokemon, Magic: The Gathering, and sports cards, usually 63x88mm, are bigger than K-pop photo cards.

Types Of Photocard Sleeves

Photocard sleeves,

 

When buying Photocard sleeves, it is important to check to see if they are made without PVC. I suggest that you start your collection with well-known brands like Ultra-Pro, Dragon Shield, May Day, and Ultimate Guard. You know exactly what you’re getting, which is the best way to protect your cards. 

– Plain Sleeves

Clear sleeves are the cheapest and best choice for people who want to see both sides of the photocard. Photocard sleeve size varies, from very tight to very loose. I like to get sleeves that match the pocket size on the pages rather than a tight sleeve that fits the photocards.

1- Ultra-Pro

  • Ultra-Professional 25.8 x 34.8 mm (66 x 92 mm)Penny sleeves, better suited to larger cards like play cards and other trading cards, are not the greatest solution for K-pop photo cards. The protection offered by penny sleeves is minimal at best.
  • Ultra-Pro Deck Protector Sleeves 6691mm. These are thicker and stronger than the penny sleeves, but everyone has a watermark, which is a small downside. Clear sleeves make it easy to avoid the watermark, but it can’t be avoided with colored sleeves.

2- Dragon Shield

  • Classic Clear Sleeves: These are the most common type of photocard sleeves. Dragon Shield is a great card for TCG players and collectors. The Clear Classic sleeves are great for people who collect things. Since the sleeves are very clear, it’s easy to enjoy your portfolio. Fits cards up to 63x88mm in size. You can also get the Clear Classic Fit, holding cards up to 59x86mm.
  • I haven’t used Mayday sleeves and don’t know much about them, but a few people who collect photo cards have used them. They don’t cost much as well as these photocard sleeves Pvc free and shouldn’t be as thin as penny sleeves. There are many different sizes, but the most common ones are 63.5x88mm and 56x87mm.

-Sleeves in Various Colors

Colored sleeves can make your catalog more personal and make it more fun to go through. I have seen a lot of cool and different collections with colored photocard sleeves. I put my cards in black sleeves because it makes them stand out more, but you can get sleeves in almost any color. With colored sleeves, you can’t see the backs of the cards, which is bad.

3-Dragon Shield 

  • Classic Dragon Shield Colored: Dragon Shield has a good range of attractive colors, and the sleeves they make are usually very good. Don’t choose the non-glare Dragon Shield sleeves if you have holographic or foil photo cards. Holographic or foil photocards won’t look as good in non-glare sleeves.

4- Ultimate Defense 

  • Katana for the Ultimate Defense,

I’ve been using these popcorn photocard sleeves for years and have no plans to switch. The clarity is incredible, and the cards in their protective sleeves look great. In the case of Dragon Shield, there aren’t many color options, but the ones they offer are all must-haves.

What Are Binders And Their Types?

photocard sleeves

Assuming you have selected the appropriate photocard sleeves, you will need a binder to store your photocards. The most common method to preserve a Kpop photocard collection is in a binder, which is a beautiful way to show it off.

 

         Regular Office Binder               Album for collectors       Portfolio Binder
You can buy these binders at almost any store, and they don’t cost much. I think it would be better to buy a binder with D-rings instead of O-rings. O-ring binders can damage the cards close to the rings, which are not as useful as D-ring binders. To put the photo cards in a5 photocard binder sleeves, you need to buy 9-pocket pages. Alike Dragon Shield and Ultimate Guard have albums for people who like to collect. Kpop photocard sleeves are the best kind of binder. And are made well. Ultimate Guard feels like a normal office binder, while Dragon Shield has a soft, padded cover and a zipper to close and open it. Two sizes can hold either 18-pocket or 24-pocket binders. Portfolio Binders are those in which the pages are part of the binder. So, This means that you don’t have to buy pages and can’t change the pages like you can with other binders.

 

Some Common Questions

Many people are confused and ask why we need to use photo cards to protect our pictures. Below are some common questions for photocard sleeves and their answer to them. 

1- Should I put my cards in sleeves?

Most of the time, putting your photocard in a sleeve will give it more protection against things like fingerprints, sweat, dust, dirt, moisture, scratches, etc.

If you often move your photo cards around in their storage boxes or binders, take them out to look at them, or get them ready for sales or trades, it would be a good idea to put BTS photocard sleeves to give them an extra layer of protection.

2- Does the material of a card sleeve matter?

To keep your cards in good shape, you should look for acid-free (no PVC) photocard sleeves. The card should also be made of polypropylene, another thing to look out for. Most polypropylene is resistant to mold, water, and heat, so it is a good way to keep moisture and vapors out.

3- Do I need to put my cards in two sleeves?

People who play card games, where the cards are shuffled and played with more often, are more likely to double-sleeve them. Double-sleeving photocards are a good way to protect your collection if you are a collector. However, if you are still confused about how to double sleeve photocards since photocards aren’t meant to be played with, double-sleeve them are not necessary.

4- How do I keep photocards?

You may save photocards in many ways. Toploaders, photocard storage boxes, and binders are other options. In the KPOP community, 9-Pocket A4 files are popular for storing photo cards. A5 files with 4-Pocket pages are ideal for storing photo cards. Personal taste determines how to save photo cards. Enjoy yourselves!

Conclusion

Photocard sleeves are very useful accessories for taking photographs. They come in various sizes and shapes and are usually made from plastic or cardboard. The use of these sleeves is to protect the image printed on the photo paper. You can use photocard sleeves to protect your photos at parties, weddings, events, and other celebrations. These sleeves are also great for taking snapshots of kids and pets.