The same common supermarket question exists in the poker world as well. When it comes to playing cards there are two choices, paper or plastic.
Paper Playing Cards
Paper cards are the cards most people use growing up. They are cheap, easy to find, and most people are accustomed to their texture, thickness, and flexibility.
Paper cards are usually made of one to three plys of card stock covered in a varnish. This coating protects the cards, but it is not able to withstand everything.
The coating wears off as cards are shuffled and handled. Eventually the coating becomes thin enough that the cards are too difficult to comfortably handle and they need to be replaced.
The coating does not stand up to liquids well. Spilling a drink on a card will most likely ruin it. And, paper cards are not washable, so soap and water is not an option for removing cheese puff residue or any other dirt that the cards might attract.
Paper cards are not very flexible either. It is not difficult for a player to, either accidentally or on purpose, leave creases or marks on the cards. This immediately ruins the card for serious play, and often requires a new...