If the time has come for you to purchase lanyards for your company or organization, you might not know what you need to consider when purchasing your new supplies. Lanyards are available in many different styles these days and it can be difficult to know which type of lanyard to get. That said, here are five things to consider when purchasing lanyards.

1. What's your style? How long should your lanyard be?
Lanyards are available in lots of different styles, so you have a lot to choose from. Round braid and flat braid lanyards are the most common, so if you need something simple, check these two out. If being good to the environment is important to you, you'll want to check out eco-friendly lanyards that are made from either bamboo or recycled plastic. OptiBraid and OptiWeave lanyards give you the ability to detach your ID badge or other item from you lanyard while you're still wearing it. Meanwhile, awareness lanyards offer you the chance to show your support for various causes such as curing cancer, and reflective lanyards help promote safety. There are also beaded and imitation leather lanyards if you want something a little bit more fashionable. You will also want to consider the length and width of your lanyards. A standard length is 36 inches, while standard widths are 3/8" and 5/8".
2. To break-away or not break-away?
Lanyards come in either break-away or non-breakaway styles. Break-away lanyards are safer to wear than their non-breakaway counterparts because if the lanyard is grabbed by someone or caught on something, the break-away clasp opens so the person wearing the lanyard won't be injured. If safety is a big issue at your workplace, you should choose break-away lanyards. Break-away clasps are extremely important for use in hospitals, schools and secure facilities such as court houses and prisons.
3. How does this thing finish?
The end of your lanyard needs a finishing touch. The end can either be sewn, have a bead on it, or be crimped. If it's crimped, you can choose between a nickel-plated crimp or a black oxide crimp. Choose the one that you like best.
4. How attached do you want to get?
To attach your badge or ID card to your lanyard, you're going to need some sort of attachment. There are a lot of different styles of attachments. Two of the simplest are the split key ring attachment and the lanyard hook. Other attachment types include bulldog clips, swivel hooks, and cell phone hooks. OptiBraid and OptiWeave lanyards have their own type of attachments that include a cell phone holder and other cool options.
5. Other considerations. When choosing your lanyard, you'll have to make some other decisions. One involves color, of course. If you're customizing your own lanyard, you'll need to decide if your lanyards will display graphics, text, or both (or none of those). You'll also need to decide if you want the lanyards to be silk-screened or not. (If not, dye sub imprinting is available.) If you choose to go with OptiBraid lanyards, you can choose between two different styles of sliders: diamond and round. And finally, price is always a factor. Get the best quality lanyards you can afford. If you do that, you'll be less likely to have to replace your lanyards anytime soon.

Now that you know what to consider when buying lanyards, your shopping shouldn't be too difficult. Good luck and happy shopping!