Promotional Lanyards

A brief history of the lanyard.

“Lanière” was the first recorded reference to the use of lanyard taken from the French word for describing a strap or long piece of fabric to allow the ability to attach useful objects, whilst at war

Used in the military from the 15th century to assist naval and cavalry to hold a whistle, pistol piece or sword whilst in combat or travel, the lanyard provided an unrivalled tool to aid in the war.

Accessory attachments evolved with the lanyard to hold additional items and add functionality to the ease of swapping and removing tools.

The many different uses for branded lanyards

To hold electricals

Promotional lanyards are a popular choice for as a practical holder for electronic and technical devices, holding USB flash drives, power banks, electronic keys and data devices, benefitting the user with a functional band around the neck to hold corporate accessories. Using a promotional lanyard to hold your USB close, will enable your team at an event or exhibition to easily exchange information across to your potential customer. Data such as price lists, product catalogues and spec sheets can be smoothly transacted between individuals.

ID badge holders and lanyards

Custom lanyards are perfect for the purpose of holding an ID badge or cardholder, for use at trade exhibitions, sales conferences, or larger company offices.

Fittings such as j-hooks and lobster clasps allow ease of connection for clear window wallets containing ID card, or attachment of a plastic rigid card holder containing security details.

Personalised lanyards are also an important security accessory for individuals within the hospital and healthcare sector, the lanyards are used to hold ID cards and to carry keys forward use and medical cabinet access.

Charity Lanyards

Printed lanyards are also favoured by many leading charities for applicability to carry a metal award or sporting medallion, to be presented to winners of runs, athletic events and charity sports competitions.

Schools and primary education

Widely used for field trips custom lanyards worn by children in attendance of school trips and outings.

Printed lanyards benefit the group by avoiding confusion by broadening the security of the group and providing a united group of young people clear identification as a school group party.

Sports coaching

Sports lanyards are a chosen accessory to define the team players separately to their coach or referee.

With a large squad and sports team indistinguishable between individuals, sports coaches favour lanyards to hold whistles, documents and notes to be used during the match.

Retail

Dual purpose to the application of the printed lanyards allows both the shop employee to connect ID cards and passes into the premises, along with allowing shoppers to easily identify a point for customer service or assistance.
Maintenance and Cleaning Staff

Custom lanyards worn by employees allow cleaning teams to be easily identified whilst on premises, and painless movement between buildings and complexes whilst completing cleaning duties or building maintenance work.

Security Teams

Custom printed lanyards are an important accessory for all individuals working in security roles, such as retail security, event security or personal security.

Acting as a pass and ID holder for the worker moving backstage or around a shop floor or department allows the worker to offer maximum security whilst still be recognisable to individuals seeking help or assistance at events, and deterring any individuals attempting to breach the security to the individual’s client.

Tour Guides

Printed lanyards are a valuable accessory for holding clear PVC wallets, to contain local maps or travel information, print and folded document and timetables, with the added benefit of allowing the tour guide customers to easily identify the guide whilst visiting attractions.

Exploring the different types of promotional lanyards

Tubular / woven

• Favoured by event organisers and fundraising teams, as a cost-effective custom printed lanyard best suited to spot colour printing, many colours available for company brand colour matching for consistent brand management.
• Seen often at sporting events, leading music festivals, and large concerts.
• Pantone matching can be achieved to this item for a fully bespoke printed lanyard.

Flat weaved / nylon Lanyard

• Popular due to the smooth finish of the flat weave nylon, sometimes the nylon contains a small amount of silk to add to the silky finished feel of the custom lanyard.
• Quality screen printing in spot colours can be achieved to both sides, and express print routes are available for businesses in need of printed lanyards in a rush.
• Nylon can be Pantone matched for additional costs, starting from x 300 units.
• Sizes for the width of the lanyard range from  10mm through to 25mm.

Ribbon lanyards

• A polyester satin ribbon is used for the build of the branded lanyard.
• Swivel hooks are built into the end of the printed lanyard as a standard fitting.
• A large variety of colours to explore benefitting all brands looking to match to their company colours.
• Great option of custom lanyard for exhibitions and events, as the lightweight build, benefits the wearer by remaining comfortable during the day.

Bootlace Lanyard

• For an affordable option on printed lanyards, the bootlace design is a great option for charities or companies with tight marketing spends.
• Best suited for custom text, and small print designs only to a maximum of 3 spot colours, this may be a little limiting to some businesses looking to fully replicate their company logo at a larger print size.
• Multiple options for fittings and accessories available, to fully customise the lanyard.

Woven lanyards

• This option of printed lanyard features a manufacturing process that includes a dense weave built into the custom lanyard.
• Benefits of a weave design include the hard wearing property and choice of widths.
• Due to the machined weave process the woven promotional lanyard best suits simple 1 colour text designs or artwork.
• Multi colour options available and a large selection of accessories and fittings to suit all budgets looking for a personalised lanyard.

Recycled PET Lanyards

• Ticking the eco box for companies looking for a printed lanyard option.
• Sizes ranging from 15mm to 20mm.
• A wide variety of colours but not with the ability to explore Pantone matching as available with other custom lanyard alternatives.
• Supplied as standard with safety break to the neck and a j-hook attachment.

Dye Sublimation lanyards

• Represents value for money as custom printed dye sub lanyards are generally printed full colour to both sides as standard.
• The print method allows for full-colour reproduction to the length of the lanyard for designs requiring a digital print.
• Fitted with safety breaks as standard and trigger clips for ease of attaching passes and ID cards.

What is the importance of safety breaks on Promotional Lanyards?

Branded lanyards with safety brakes are imperative to keeping workers safe in hospitals, factories, veterinary practices, mental health care, security, policing and child care.

Working in sectors at high risk of pulls and grabs to the lanyard around the neck leaves individuals vulnerable to strangulation from the custom lanyard without the safety break included.

Built into the printed lanyard on those containing safety releases is an important plastic component that will cleanly break away with pressure to ensure the wearer is not choked by the fabric and the lanyard is safely released from the neck.

Printed deluxe safety lanyards are a popular choice amongst healthcare centres, further decreasing any risk of harm for the wearer with two safety release components included in the design.

Which promotional lanyard will best suit my needs?

Consider your required use for the custom lanyard, do you need the lanyard to hold an event pass or ID card, allow your employees to attach an office pass or entry card, all promotional lanyards will be suited to your requirements with a j-hook or lobster attachment.

Perhaps your printed lanyard needs to be fitted with an accessory attachment to contain a set of keys, a pen or tool, any available lanyard styles will work amicably if given out to your team or sales reps, consider the fitting to the end of the lanyard, such as a swivel hook and standard clasp to hold the required item.

Does your custom lanyard need to hold a USB flash drive at events and meeting to exchange information and price lists, any lanyard with a safety loop or lobster clasp will hold your flash drive securely whilst allowing you to interact with your stand attendees.

Consider the required artwork that needs to be printed to your promotional lanyard. Will your brand allow spot colour printing or does your company logo need to be replicated as a full-colour design?

If a CMYK process print is required for your artwork, your favoured option for both cost and digital print method is to consider the option of a promotional dye sublimation lanyard, or a full colour heat transfer method to a standard polyester.

Does your local team need to explore custom lanyards to arm the Sports coach with a lanyard to define the sports team members and allow the coach to wear a sports whistle? any of the standard flat ribbed lanyards will work fine for your requirements.

A large organised music concert or event will need assistance with personalised lanyards to be handed out to crowds in attendance to hold an event program, timetable of acts or map of the festival grounds, explore the option of basic lanyards with trigger clips.

What are my print options to a personalised lanyard?

With the exception of the woven promotional lanyard, all of the varieties of custom lanyards allow for spot colour printing across the length of the lanyard surface.

With polyester materials used to manufacture the custom lanyards clear, clean solid colour printing provides impact and vibrancy to you merchandise or team wear.

For full-colour designs, dye sublimation printing to one of both sides of the lanyard will allow all businesses to personalise their lanyards with a digital print method, best chosen if your company logo has tight registrations, shades and gradients and will not replicate well as a single spot colour print.

How quickly can I get custom printed lanyards UK produced?

Uk 5 day turnaround dye sublimation lanyards offer businesses the opportunity to source custom lanyards in time for the event.

Express routes on standard printed polyester lanyards are also available as a 1 or 2 colour screen print to 1 side.

Allowing 2 – 3 weeks if possible to source and print your promotional lanyards will benefit your business by coming in slightly less expensive if there is time to explore production in the Far East.

Uk lanyards are available and can be turned around in a far quicker timescale. Picking a UK printed lanyard will need your company to compromise on the colours available, stock colours are varied however, pantone matching is not possible within 1 working week.

Attachments available to consider with your branded lanyard.

Metal Bulldog Clip

A snap on holder attached to your custom lanyard can easily hold pass cards, pockets of folded documents, clear wallets holding ID cards and envelopes containing maps or paperwork.

The ring attachment

Perfect printed lanyard accessory for holding onto items also containing a split ring attachment, such as keyrings, security locks, mobile phones with split rings, pens, USBs and notebooks.

J-Hook

A popular and common fitting to many general personalised lanyards, the light metal attachment enables with ease the connection with ID cards, rigid card holds, clear PVC windows and name badges, as a mass produced connector, the j-hook is also one of the more standard and affordable attachment options offered on printed lanyards.

Safety Loop

A non rigid loose fitting that provides a little give when used as a sports lanyard accessory, enabling the user to snap free the fitting if the safety clasp is to be released for speed and safety.

Lobster claw

Aptly named due to the claw shape, this preferred fitting is commonly supplied as standard to most branded lanyards, due to the strong yet practical application to hold most objects to be lanyard such as ID passes, card holders, technology items ( with split ring), strong a durable.

Breakaway

Designed to come away from the printed lanyards wearers neck with any force applied, the breakaway clip provides safety for workers at risk of grabbing, the additional safety feature also aids the user with the ability to easily release the holder is feeling under threat, or for easy storage after a shift.

Alternative types of promotional lanyards to consider

Looking for something a little different to include as part of your company’s promotional marketing or advertising campaign, why don’t you consider some alternatives.

3d Logo lanyards

A quirky alternative to a standard woven lanyard as it offers an additional layer of customisation to the buyer, with a 3d PVC raised design a different custom lanyard option for your promotional product marketing campaign.

Snap Lanyard

With its elliptical shape and doubled up safety release features, your print area is achieved to the plastic release clasp, allowing for express delivery on lanyards needed for a tight turnaround.

Flashing Lanyard

Push button controlled with 8 flashing LED lights, with safety breaks and a crocodile clip attachment, a great choice for outdoor events or running clubs during the dark winter months.

Glitter Lanyards

Glitter covered promotional lanyards are brave choice for brands looking to provide their events team with a slightly more glamorous custom lanyard option.

Reflective Lanyards

Looking to provide a custom lanyard with the added benefit on increasing safety for the wearer in the dark, the printed lanyard made from a reflective polyester will work wonders in the winter months or marshalls working at sports events.

Phone Sock Lanyard

With the added feature of a carabiner hook attachment as standard, with a neck cord, choosing this option of promotional lanyard will add a novelty factor if you are looking to gift a custom lanyard to a customer or prospect base.  Have a bit of fun with the phone sock.