Buying guide
Lanyards vs wristbands: which credential should you order?
A wristband is a ticket you can see from a metre away. A lanyard is a neck credential that holds a card. Most expensive mix-ups happen when a conference orders wristbands for delegates who need IDs, or a festival puts reusable lanyards on the general-admission gate.
What each product is actually for
Wristbands stay on the wrist. Tyvek and plastic clip destroy if someone tries to pass them on, which is why festivals, clubs and school formals still use them as paid entry. Silicone and slap bands are keepable merch, not a door ticket.
Custom lanyards sit around the neck and carry a badge, pass or plastic ID card. That is the right product for staff, visitors, contractors, media, exhibitors and conference delegates who need a name or access level on a card, not a colour on a wrist.
Use both on the same event
A typical Australian festival or expo splits the job. Tyvek or clip at the gate. Woven on VIP wrists if you want that look. Staff, crew and media on lanyards so a card can be checked without reading a wrist in the dark.
A workplace or conference almost never needs a wristband. Order custom or in-stock lanyards plus printed ID cards. A school formal is the opposite: Tyvek or clip at the door, and only add staff lanyards if teachers or security need a titled credential.
- Paid entry or one-night door: wristband.
- Name, photo or access printed on a card: lanyard.
- Festival crew and media: lanyard plus a wrist ticket if they also cross the GA gate.
- Same-week staff titles: in-stock Staff, Visitor, VIP or Security lanyards from 10 units.
Minimums and speed
In-stock titled lanyards start at 10 and can express the same day if you order before 3pm AEST. Custom printed lanyards start at 50 and typically take 7-10 days after you approve the proof.
Plain Tyvek starts at 100 per colour and can also leave the same day. Silicone starts at 50 and needs the 7-10 day production window. Do not promise a custom lanyard reprint on the same clock as an in-stock title.
A simple decision
If door staff only need to know who paid, order a wristband. If someone has to wear a card all day, order a lanyard. If the brief is both, order both and keep the lead times separate.
Frequently asked questions
- Can guests wear a lanyard instead of a wristband at the door?
- Only if you do not need tamper-evident entry. A lanyard comes off. Use Tyvek or plastic clip when the band is the ticket.
- Do custom lanyards include a proof?
- Yes. Complimentary artwork and a proof go to your email and phone before we print custom tape. In-stock titled lanyards already have the word on them, so there is no custom proof.