How to choose lanyard width and fitting

The short answer

15 mm for most staff and event lanyards. 20 mm when the logo, sponsor artwork or colour coding needs to be seen. 10 mm when you want the lanyard to be discreet. 6 mm for a plain, low cost cord at a one-off event.

6 mm

A slim black cord with no real room for a logo. Our black 6 mm lanyards are a plain stock line, sold with a minimum of 50, and suit single use conference badges where branding does not matter.

10 mm

Light and discreet, for staff who wear a lanyard all day and do not want it noticed. There is room for a logo, but long logos and small text get small, so bold artwork works better. 10 mm comes in printed polyester, printed nylon, dye sublimated and tubular straps, and as a plain lanyard in stock in 13 colours.

15 mm

The width most people picture when they think of a staff lanyard. It holds a card securely without feeling bulky and gives a clear logo. Every custom style we make comes in 15 mm, and plain 15 mm lanyards are in stock in 14 colours with no minimum order.

20 mm

The widest strap and the largest print area. Colour shows from across a room, which makes 20 mm a good fit for colour coding roles at events and for sponsor logos. Woven, eco, satin applique and printed styles all come in 20 mm, and plain 20 mm lanyards are in stock in 14 colours.

See all four widths drawn to scale in the Lanyard Guide.

How width changes your logo

Your logo repeats along the length of the strap, so its height is limited by the width. A tall or detailed logo needs a wider strap to stay readable; a short wordmark reads well even at 10 mm. Our designers set your artwork to the width you choose and show the result on your free digital proof, so you see it before anything is made.

Comfort and feel

For long days, tubular lanyards are woven as a hollow tube, so the edges are rounded and they sit softer on the neck. Bamboo fibre is smooth and silky against the skin. Satin applique is thicker and more substantial.

Length

Printed polyester lanyards are cut to 900 mm end to end before the fitting goes on. Other lengths are available on request. If one lanyard has to suit people of different heights, an adjustable lanyard has a slider so each wearer sets the drop.

Then choose the fitting

The fitting at the end matters as much as the width. A J hook suits most card holders, a trigger clip is quick on and off, a breakaway at the neck pulls apart if the strap is caught, and a double ended lanyard keeps the card facing forward. Each one is explained in lanyard clip types explained. We recommend a safety breakaway for every student lanyard, for healthcare and aged care, and for any site with machinery.

Common setups

• Staff ID: 15 mm printed or woven lanyard, safety breakaway, J hook and a rigid card holder.
• Conference: 20 mm dye sublimated lanyard, J hook and a soft PVC holder.
• School: 15 mm lanyard in school colours with a breakaway on every student lanyard.
• Security and accreditation: 15 or 20 mm double ended lanyard with a landscape holder.

Ask for a free proof of any of these with your own logo on our quote form.

Common questions

What is the standard lanyard width?

15 mm is the most common width for staff and event lanyards.

How long is a lanyard?

Our printed polyester lanyards are 900 mm end to end before the fitting. Tell us if you need them longer or shorter.

Can I mix widths in one order?

Tell us the quantity of each width on your quote and we will price them together.