Fun Fact: The earliest record of lanyards dates back to France during the 15th century. In the French military, lanyard attachments were used to clip pistols, swords, or whistles to a uniform.
Today, lanyards are used for many different purposes from employee identification to a place to hold your keys. Lanyards come in a variety of shapes, sizes and with several attachment options to choose from as well. To help you decide which kind of lanyard attachment would work best for you, we’ve narrowed down a list of the most popular attachments and the pros and cons of each one:
Metal Ring
The classic attachment for lanyards is the metal ring. It not only comes in many sizes, but is by far the best fit for keys. One concern with the metal ring is that it can sometimes snag hair, so if your users have longer hair that will not be pulled back at your event, you may want to choose a different attachment.
Swivel Hook – Metal or Plastic
Another lanyard attachment is the swivel hook, which makes it nearly impossible to lose IDs, badges or keys. The powerful hook will surely hold on to heavier badges and keys, though one drawback of the swivel hook is that there is the possibility of scratching the top slot area when attaching to an ID badge without being careful. Plastic hooks are less damaging and sometimes less expensive, though more prone to break over time with repeated use.
Bulldog Clip
Ever wondered why a bulldog clip is called a bulldog clip? It’s because ‘Bulldog’ is a trademarked company name (like Band-Aid) meant to illustrate the strength of the clips. This attachment is a strong clip that attaches to almost anything and is especially ideal for backstage or MVP passes.
Lobster Claw and Carabiner
Although these two lanyard attachments tend to cost more than the classic ones mentioned above, they are worth the extra price. Those who order lobster claw or carabiner attachments can expect their lanyards to outlast those with other kinds of attachments as the lobster claw and the carabiner are the two most durable types of lanyard attachments.
Swivel Clasp
Another attachment similar to the lobster claw and the carabiner is the swivel clasp. The swivel clasp is one of the most popular forms of lanyard attachments because it works universally with keys, badges, and anything else.
Now it’s your turn to explore and choose which lanyard attachment is the one for you. Don’t be afraid to experiment and to try out new attachments!