On the one hand, Hybrid means that banknotes remain clean and intact for longer. The polyester coating makes the notes particularly hardwearing; yet, thanks to the cotton core, they feel just as familiar as banknotes made of cotton paper and are just as secure. Over the last few years, central banks have been looking for a long-lasting and tough alternative to cotton banknotes.

 

Notes that are clean and intact enable absolute determination of authenticity for the general population as well as for the central bank’s processing systems. On the other hand, Hybrid notes are stronger and more durable in circulation, and therefore don’t need to be replaced as often, which means lower costs for central banks. On July 18, 2018, to mark the occasion of Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday, the South African Reserve Bank (SARB) issued a commemorative banknote series with five denominations in total. Two of these, the 10 Rand and 20 Rand notes, were printed on Hybrid from Louisenthal, a cotton substrate coated on both sides with polyester foil.