EverFit®

Type: Cotton/polymer composite banknote substrate — multi-layer laminated durable paper

Overview

EverFit® is a durable banknote substrate technology developed by the Banque de France's banknote manufacturing division, designed specifically for issuing authorities operating in demanding circulation environments. It is a tried and tested technology that consists in depositing a protective adhesive film on each side of a banknote printed on a 100% cotton substrate. The result is a cotton/polymer composite that combines the security heritage and feature compatibility of cotton paper with the surface durability and soiling resistance more commonly associated with polymer banknotes — without requiring central banks to make a full transition to polymer.

Technology & Construction

EverFit® is a multi-layer banknote technology built around a specialist cotton-based high security paper core, that once printed and secured is laminated on each side with a protective layer. This process involves applying a heat-sensitive, adhesive protective film to each side of a banknote printed on a 100% cotton substrate, resulting in a note that is four times more resistant to soiling than a standard varnished paper note under similar circulation conditions.

The construction sequence is significant: the cotton core is fully printed and security-featured before lamination takes place. This means the protective polymer film is applied post-print, encapsulating the finished banknote rather than replacing or modifying its security feature substrate. This offers a solution against ink abrasion — a common failure mode for polymer banknotes — thanks to the protective layer being added post banknote printing. 

The cotton core itself is a special paper formulation which can be produced by standard paper mills, making the supply chain for EverFit® substrate accessible to a broader range of paper producers than proprietary polymer substrates, which require specialist manufacturing infrastructure.

Security Feature Compatibility

A defining advantage of EverFit® over full polymer substrates is its complete compatibility with the security features developed and optimised for cotton banknote paper. Watermarks, security threads, and embedded features integral to the paper formation process are all fully supported, as the cotton core is produced and security-featured using standard banknote paper processes. Because of its paper core, EverFit® is compatible with the most popular and secure features available, including intaglio printing, watermarks, security threads, and holographic foils — preserving access to the full suite of cotton-substrate security features that many issuing authorities and their publics have trusted for decades.

Market Positioning

EverFit® is explicitly positioned as a solution for central banks that want enhanced durability without the disruption of a full polymer adoption. It is a good option for countries wanting to enhance the durability of their banknotes but that are wary of a significant change and of the subsequent need for re-education of the public this would entail if they switched to a completely different substrate such as polymer. EverFit® notes look and feel like conventional paper banknotes, require no ATM or cash processing equipment adjustment, and carry no public education overhead.

Together with the Banque de France's LongerFit® solution, EverFit® forms part of a portfolio of durable paper innovations that significantly increase the lifespan of banknotes in circulation, offering central banks sustainable products with a reduced environmental footprint.

Licensing & Supply

EverFit® is a Banque de France proprietary technology, licensed to third-party manufacturers for broader global distribution. In 2021, Portals — a leading supplier of banknote and passport papers — signed a licence agreement with the Banque de France enabling Portals to promote and manufacture the specialist cotton substrate used in EverFit® cotton/polymer composite banknotes. This licensing arrangement significantly expanded EverFit®'s commercial reach beyond what the Banque de France's own manufacturing capacity could serve directly.

Notable Deployments

EverFit® was first used in Madagascar in 2014 and is now used by nine countries with more than 500 million banknotes issued. The Madagascar deployment served as a live circulation trial with the Central Bank of Madagascar as the first country to adopt EverFit®, providing the real-world evidence base for the technology's four-times soil resistance claim relative to standard varnished paper. Specific deployments beyond Madagascar are not publicly named by the Banque de France.

Name

EverFit®

Category

Substrate

Company

Banque de France
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Linked Substrates

1 substrate