LANYARD MATERIALS
Here are the most common materials used for lanyards. All but the lanyard cord is sold with an optional custom imprinted design. Lanyard materials are typically purchased on rolls or spools and then cut to a specific length. For neck lanyards the cut length is typically 36" yielding a 17" finished length. Material can be manually cut for small production or automated for larger runs. Synthetic materials such as nylon and polyester are best cut using a hot knife. The heat from the knife acts to seal the cut ends and prevents fraying. Cotton material can be cut using a cold blade ie scissors. Other less commonly used materials for lanyards include vinyl, neoprene and rubber.
BEADED LANYARDS
Beaded lanyards are among the least
expensive neck lanyards. Available in both plastic and metal with the latter
being the most popular. Metal beaded material is also referred to as a ball
chain. The balls are available in a variety of diameters with #3 or 1/8"
being the most common for neck lanyards. Ball chains used for neck lanyards
are usually nickel plated or stainless steel, but other finishes ie brass
are available. Ball chain can be purchased in pre-cut lengths typically 24", 30"
and 36" or on spools for custom lengths. In addition to their id card holder
function, ball chains are used for dog tag lanyards.
CORD LANYARDS
Cord is the material of choice for a basic id card lanyards. They are also typically used
for carrying other small objects such as a whistle, pen, cell phone, badge reel etc. Cord lanyards can outfitted with a breakaway connector for safety concerns as well as a slide size adjustor for adjusting the length. Cord
lanyards are 1/8" or 3/16" wide and made from cotton, nylon or polyester.
POLYESTER LANYARDS
Lanyards made from polyester are among the
least expensive custom imprinted lanyards available. The material is
available in 3/8" (shoelace) and 5/8" (budget). Hot stamping and dye
sublimation are the methods used for printing this material.
NYLON LANYARDS
Nylon is the most durable of all the
lanyard materials. It's typically screen printed and is available in a wide
variety of lanyard configurations including quick-release and water bottle
holder. The most popular widths are 3/8" and 3/4".
COTTON LANYARDS
Cotton is both durable and probably the most
comfortable material to wear around the neck for extended periods of time.
Custom printed cotton lanyards are screen printed on one or both sides. 3/8"
and 3/4" are the most common widths.