Badge Holders, Reels & Lanyards

Questions to Ask Before Buying Photo ID Badge Accessories

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Lanyards, badge reels, or badge clips: which accessory is best for your application? Answer these four easy questions to help determine which badge accessory you should purchase:

#1: Is safety a primary issue?
Safety should always be your #1 concern when choosing photo ID badge accessories,  especially for businesses with dangerous machinery, medical facilities, or schools with young children.

For example, industrial environments are not well-suited for a lanyard that hangs around the neck. Instead, badge reels might be a better and safer option.

If you want to use a lanyard but you're concerned about safety, breakaway lanyards are the perfect option, because they offer a built-in safety feature. If the lanyard is grabbed by someone or caught on something, the breakaway portion automatically opens so the person wearing the lanyard won’t be injured.

#2: Does the ID badge always need to be close at hand?
If your cardholders need to have easy access to their ID card – such as a proximity card for building door access – a retractable badge reel will probably be the best option. That's because it's easy (and about as convenient as it gets!) to pull the ID card away to scan a door reader.

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With a badge reel, users can avoid the need to remove a lanyard from around their neck or remove a badge clip to reach the door reader.

Wristband ID badge holders are another option. However, it is important to note that, depending on your application, ID badges could be obtrusive.

#3: Does the badge need to be highly visible?
If you need the badge to be out in the open at all times, a lanyard or a badge clip are your best options. Badge reels are typically worn at the hip and aren't as visible.

To display your ID cards and also to prevent the need for punching a slot in them, consider using ID badge holders. They will help protect your cards from everyday wear and tear, and they are smart, affordable way to display your credentials.  We offer a wide variety of styles, including:

  • Flexible
  • Rigid
  • Proximity card
  • Wallet
  • Magnetic
  • Color
  • Armband
  • Name tagShop Badge Holders
  • Earth-friendly
  • Metal badge racks

#4: Do you want the accessory customized?
To make your badge accessories stand out from the crowd even more, we can easily customize them for you! With lanyards, there is a larger area for customization. For instance, a visitor lanyard could include both the company name and the word "visitor” for added visibility and security.

On the other hand, a badge reel has a smaller, more condensed customization area. Most often, we see organizations customizing their badge reels with a company logo or other artwork. With custom badge reels, you can personalize the badge reel rim, the pad print in the middle of the badge reel itself, or add a colorful label in the center of the reel.

Once you've decided which lanyard, badge reel, and/or badge holders you'd like to purchase for your organization, give one of our knowledgeable ID Professionals a call at (800) 321-4405 x2 or chat now We can also help you with all of your custom orders too!
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Call Us — (800) 321-4405