When it's time to choose the perfect lanyard for your company or organization, you may not be aware of all the things to consider when purchasing your new supplies. Lanyards come in many different styles with different attachments, and it can be hard to know which kind is right for you. With this guide, you'll learn about the imprint methods and attachments available, leaving you ready to choose the perfect lanyard.
When choosing the right lanyard, the imprint method is a very important consideration to make. The method you choose directly affects what materials and styles are going to be available to you, as well as how your logo will look on the finished product. There are three main methods for imprinting onto lanyards: screen printing, embroidery, and dye sublimation.
Screen printing is the most common decorating method for lanyards. In screen printing, the logo on the lanyard is printed by pushing ink through a stenciled screen with a squeegee. For multi-color designs, each color is done one at a time using a different screen for every color. When you run your finger over the printed lanyard, you'll be able to feel the design because it is printed on top of the material.
Embroidery is also a classic choice for decorating lanyards. Embroidered imprints are stitched onto the material using a high speed, computer-controlled embroidery machine, and your logo or design is reproduced with a tightly stitched thread. This option is excellent for messages that are text only. It's important to note that with embroidered lanyards, the back will be reversed and may appear unfinished compared to the front.
Dye sublimation is a process in which a design is transferred onto the fabric using heat and pressure. The heat causes the inks to turn into a gas that penetrates the fabric and combines with it to form a permanent imprint. This is also known as digital sublimation or just sublimation. Unlike screen printing and embroidery, your logo or design will be fused with the fabric and when you run your hand over the lanyard, it will feel smooth. This imprint method is perfect for full color or more complicated designs.
All lanyards have an attachment at the bottom that you can connect all sorts of things to – ID badges, keys, name tags, etc. There are many more options for attachments than can be listed, but here is a breakdown of the most common and popular attachments.
J-Hook
This has a strong closure. To open, press on one side and slide your ID badge or other item onto the hook.
Bulldog Clip
This attachment opens by squeezing the two top ends together. However, it can easily come open if you lean or press something against the clip. Badges lay nice and flat with this clip.
Split Ring
Common with keychains, split rings are metal circles that you pry apart and wind your key or badge onto. Badges do not generally lay flat with this attachment, but it is very secure.
Lobster Claw
Lobster claws are similar to the j-hook but are much easier to open due to the spring-loaded mechanism that’s used to open and close the hook. Lobster claws also tend to have a larger mouth than j-hooks. These attachments are fairly secure and are easy to use.
Breakaway
It's not an attachment so much as a feature, but the breakaway is worth mentioning. This feature keeps lanyards from becoming a choking hazard. A plastic clasp with interlocking parts is placed at the back of the neck of the lanyard. If the lanyard is yanked or pulled on, the clasp will come apart and the lanyard will come off, instead of causing injury to the wearer. The clasp can be put back together and the lanyard can continue to be used. This feature is especially important for lanyards being used by children, in schools and workplaces, or in any facility that is hazardous.
With so many imprint methods and various attachments, there are endless possibilities for custom lanyards. Now that you know the basics, you’re ready to choose the perfect lanyard for your company or organization. Contact us today to get started!
