Branded Lanyards

Why Cheap-Looking Lanyards Undermine You More Than You Think

You're juggling a 60-slide brand deck, vendor approvals, and three "quick questions" from the FD. Lanyards? They seem like the least of your problems - until you open that delivery box and realise what arrived does not pass the vibe check.

They’re rough. They’re curling at the edges. The logo’s slightly off-centre - just enough to make your eye twitch.

Suddenly, that “small detail” starts to feel like it’s yelling across the conference floor.

Branded lanyards aren’t accessories. They’re wearable branding (and everyone is going to be wearing one). They’re the handshake before the handshake.

They dangle in keynote photos, show up in your MD’s LinkedIn selfies, and sit between your brand and someone else’s first impression. If your mentor were here, he’d call them a micro-moment of trust.

(And yes, the wrong lanyard whispers: We went with the cheapest quote on page 2 of Google.)

How Steel City Can Help: Need real photos or case studies of similar jobs? Done. Need samples? We can do that too. We're confident in our print quality, and we want you to feel it.

You don’t need to be a material snob, but avoid anything under 120gsm. That’s not a strap - it’s a limp noodle.

The lanyard sets the tone. If it flops, so does perception.

When Printed Lanyards Go Wrong, Everything Else Feels Wrong Too

There’s something uniquely soul-crushing about watching a crowd of 200 shuffle in - while your team frantically attaches mismatched clips to half-finished lanyards because the supplier forgot the safety breakaways. (Yes, again.)

Suddenly, you’re the person fixing the fixers. And that pristine rollout you planned? Overshadowed by 400 twisted logos and five paperclip "emergency repairs".

It’s never about just the lanyard. It’s the ripple effect - delegates wondering what else was rushed. Execs side-eyeing the print quality. Photos you’ll definitely see on internal Slack channels… captioned.

Picture the corporate events manager from Glasgow with her eco-printed lanyards arriving with the wrong clip orientation. Every single one. They twist backwards and make staff names unreadable. That's not where you want to be.

Here's the fix:

• Pre-approve artwork and hardware placement. We will do that for you here at Steel City.
• Include cut-off times in your calendar and share them with your team. “3-day dispatch” means nothing if you approve the proof 4 minutes too late.
• For bulk orders (1,000+), go for a pre-production sample. Yes, even if it costs £15. That £15 buys you sleep.

Avoiding a lanyard fail isn’t luck. It’s planning like a producer and questioning like a client.

How to Choose a Logo Lanyard That Doesn’t Whisper “Procurement Had No Budget”

Ever held a lanyard and just... knew the person who ordered it had done this before?

It’s soft, but sturdy. Lies flat. Clip’s smooth, not squeaky. Text is legible, not laser-faded. The logo? Sharp enough that even your brand manager nodded. Quietly.

Here’s the thing: there’s an unspoken hierarchy.

• Dye sublimation lanyards: For when colour depth and precision matter. Think full-bleed logos, gradients, event themes. This is the VIP lanyard of choice.
• Woven lanyards: Like embroidery for your brand. Sturdy, textured, built for daily use - ideal for access staff, not influencers.
• RPET or bamboo: For teams with a sustainability policy longer than your venue contract. RPET usually comes from 3-4 recycled bottles per strap, and looks it in a good way - matte, tactile, purposeful.

Quick logic test:

• Will people wear it for 3+ days? Get woven.
• Is this a branding touchpoint in event photos? Go dye-sub.
• Got “Greenwashing Risk” alerts in your inbox? RPET, every time.

And just to avoid surprises - metal clips weigh around 15g more than plastic. Not ideal for flimsy badge wallets. But they do feel expensive.

If a lanyard were a handshake, your choice is the grip.

When Looks Matter More Than Words: What Actually Registers at a Glance

You know how The Drum uses consistent, punchy red-and-white branding in everything? That’s no accident. It’s recognition science.

Lanyards work the same way. At a distance, nobody reads. They scan. And if your strap looks like a greyscale optical illusion under lighting, you’ve already lost the visibility game.

An HR rep told me they once used a dark grey font on navy lanyards to match the brand palette. Gorgeous on screen. Under trade hall fluorescents? Utterly invisible.

Since then, she insists on 15mm width minimum, white sans-serif on dark base, and double-sided print only. No matter what the branding team says.

Do this before you approve anything:

• Print a 15mm strip of your artwork and tape it to your lanyard at home. Walk five steps back. Still legible? Proceed.
• Use a real mock-up tool (or even Figma) to overlay it on an event photo. This will uncover sizing issues or clash colours fast.
• Avoid text under 7pt. Yes, even on dye-sub. Fancy fonts get blurry when heated.

We’re not here to sell Helvetica... but Helvetica won't embarrass you.

If they can’t read it, it might as well not exist.

The Dream Order Is Boring. That’s Why It’s Brilliant.

A good lanyard order feels like your hotel booking confirmation from Eventbrite Live. It’s early. It’s clear. It’s boring - in the best way.

Great suppliers don’t make you chase. They show up in your inbox before you remember to check. They’ll nudge if you forgot the proof. They’ll flag when your logo's blue will print teal. They’ll even throw in a vectorised PDF because they know your designer left last quarter.

That’s who you want on your team - you want Steel City.

Want to flex without splashing? Go for laser-engraved clips or detachable buckle connectors. They cost a extra per unit, but add years of reuse. Not a typo. Years.

If it’s so smooth you forget you ordered it, that’s the goal.

---

HIGHLIGHTED TEAM MEMBER

Jennifer Burton | Marketing Executive

With over a decade of design and marketing experience, Jennifer possesses a broad range of marketing expertise covering everything from event planning to digital marketing. Joining Steel City in 2015, Jennifer manages all areas of the company’s marketing, from writing creative content about promotional merchandise, managing social media activity to organising events and direct mail campaigns. Outside of work, Jennifer loves to try new recipes, keeping fit and spending time with her family.

Linkedin | Email: [email protected]

You can meet the rest of the team here.