What is a lanyard, and what is it used for?

You’ve probably noticed staff wearing lanyards at big events, like gigs and football matches, and you will almost certainly have seen them worn by people who work in offices and public buildings. They seem to be just about everywhere, and they play a valuable role in helping to identify people when you’re not sure who’s who.

In fact, some lanyards, like the ones worn by NHS staff, are now so integral to security and patient comfort that you rarely see anyone in a hospital without one.

In this blog post, we set out to answer your most frequently asked questions on the lanyard, from ‘what is a lanyard’ to ‘what are lanyards used for’?

What is a lanyard?

A lanyard is a loop of fabric – typically polyester or nylon – worn around the neck. It’s designed to hold attachments that are clipped to the bottom of it. Popular attachments include ID cards, visitor badges, and accessories like hand sanitiser and USB sticks.

Most come with a safety break as standard, a small plastic mechanism that breaks apart when the lanyard is pulled. This stops it from tightening around the wearer’s neck if it gets caught on something or someone pulls it.

The average lanyard is 450mm long and 15mm wide, but they are available in different sizes. You can buy them pre-printed with a word like ‘First Aider’ or ‘Visitor’ or choose to customise them with your own branding.

What are lanyards used for?

Most lanyards are used to identify the wearer at a quick glance. For example, when someone is wearing an NHS lanyard, you know they work for the health service in some capacity.

Prominent branding like the familiar white letters ‘N-H-S’ on a blue background is a good start, but it’s not enough on its own to authenticate the person wearing it. That’s why most lanyards also come with an ID card holder that attaches at the bottom with a clip.

Wearing an ID badge around your neck ensures it’s always visible so people can verify who you are. This is particularly important when admittance to an area or building is tightly controlled.

Lanyards work well at big events that require everyone inside the venue to have a ticket. It’s also a great way for attendees to identify staff and key people like first-aiders when needed quickly.

There are also promotional benefits to wearing a branded lanyard. Whether you give them away for free to event attendees or your staff wear them to walk around town on their lunch break, lanyards are great for raising brand awareness.

Who uses lanyards?

When you imagine someone wearing a lanyard, you probably think about employees of big corporations and public services, but they’re also used widely across other industries.

Here is a rundown of some of the most popular uses for lanyards.

Visitors

Pre-printed ‘visitor’ lanyards work well in buildings where access is restricted to authorised personnel only. They often have a PVC pouch clipped to the bottom that is big enough to hold a temporary “pass”.

These lanyards are popular in schools where they can help identify people who have been given temporary access to the building for a particular purpose.

Delegates

If you’ve been to a business networking event or conference, then you’ll know how hard it is to strike up a conversation with someone if you don’t know their name. Lanyards are a great alternative to wearing a white sticker with your name scrawled in biro. Not only do they look more professional, but they can also be reused.

Staff

Wearing a lanyard with an ID card holder is commonplace now for employees up and down the country across various industries.

Some staff lanyards also come with badge reels that can be used to hold the wearer’s access card. With a badge reel, you can use your card without having to unclip it by simply pulling the reel and letting it retract when you’ve finished.

What can you attach to a lanyard?

Most lanyards have a clip fastened to the bottom, from plastic J clips to metal lobster clips. Other badge clips include:

• O-rings (great for attaching small bottles of hand sanitiser)
• Crocodile clips with nylon straps
• Leather luggage straps with a buckle
• ID card grippers

There are different clips for almost every type of lanyard attachment. ID card holders are the most popular attachment for visitors, staff, and delegates, but you can also attach things like hand sanitiser or a USB flash drive.

In fact, you can attach many fantastic things to a lanyard, from your keys to your mobile phone and even glow sticks or a torch. And the best part about it is that when you’re using a lanyard, you don’t have to worry about carrying these things (or losing them!).

Where to buy lanyards

Wholesale lanyards (ordered in bulk) are available to buy online, but before you go ahead and order, check to make sure the company is reliable.

Look at their customer testimonials and reviews for an objective opinion of the products. Third-party review sites are better, but customer testimonials on the company’s website can be just as valuable.

When pricing up your order, don’t forget to look at how much delivery is and whether there’s an origination charge for customised printing. Be aware that to qualify for free delivery, you may have to spend a minimum amount, so keep this in mind when you’re ordering your lanyards.

Don’t be afraid to look elsewhere if something doesn’t feel right. It could save you a lot of hassle – and money – in the long run.