Today's Lanyards: More Than Mere Whistle Holders

With the security-conscious modern era, lanyards have evolved well beyond their whistle- and compass-bearing days. Nowadays most of us have ID badges or other handy items (from eyeglasses to compasses) to either carry or wear, and one of the easiest ways to carry these items is to attach them to lanyards. Lanyards are everywhere, plain and fancy. Most are made of cording, cotton, polyester twill, or nylon, but some may be made of more elaborate materials. All include some sort of hardware on the end to attach your goodies, and the best ones include breakaway connectors just in case the lanyard gets caught on something. (It's always better for your lanyard to break rather than your neck, after all.) Some include badge reels so that you can pull your badge out and pass it through a security device without taking off your lanyard. Depending on the type of lanyard you've got, it might even be decorated with a printed logo of your company or favorite supplier. Custom lanyards are quickly becoming the "it" thing, and there are several ways to produce them, as outlined in a subsequent section of this guide.

Here are just a few places you're likely to see lanyards in use today:

• Private businesses
• Government agencies
• Schools
• Hospitals
• Military bases
• Special events
• Trade shows
• Reunions
• Conventions

This list isn't exhaustive, but it covers most situations in which ID lanyards will be used; and in so doing, of course, it covers most of us in one way or another. It's a rare American indeed who hasn't worn a lanyard or two in the past year.

On to part six :: The Lanyard's Contribution to Modern Security :: Back to Index