Guide to Standard Lanyard Size

A lanyard is a type of necklace. It’s typically made of fabrics like polyester or cotton. On the end of a lanyard is usually a clip that you use to hold keys, ID badges, or other tiny objects you don’t want to lose. So, how long is the standard lanyard?

The most common lanyard size is 36 inches long and 5/8 of an inch wide. When you wear a lanyard, the clip should rest somewhere on your chest.

In this guide, I’ll go into greater detail about what a lanyard is used for, what sizes it comes in, and the different types of lanyards you can order today.

What Is a Lanyard Used for?

Before I go into the various lanyard sizes, let’s first discuss what a lanyard is used for. That way, you will know whether or not you need to pick up a pack of lanyards for an upcoming event.

Identification

The main purpose of a lanyard is to identify the wearer. Lanyards come with clips that you can attach ID badges or name tags to, which informs guests and readers who you are and what position you hold at an event or ceremony. You’ll typically find security guards and committee members sporting lanyards at conventions, concerts, sports matches, and orientations.

Holding Keys

There are a wide variety of clips that can you can find on the end of a lanyard, with the most popular ones being the crocodile clip and the O-ring clip. Depending on what clip the lanyard comes with, you can attach a wide variety of items to it. For instance, some will use the O-ring to secure a ring of keys.

Securing Small Objects

Other clips come in handy for different things. For instance, you can use a lanyard to keep your face mask looped around your neck instead of scrunching it underneath your jaw.

Some will use lanyards to keep flashlights secured to them while hiking in the wilderness. You can even use the crocodile clip to keep your wallet in place and wear it like a necklace.

Hiking

There are heavy-duty lanyards that are used to secure the wearer to a stagnant object. For instance, hikers will wear hiking lanyards that come with heavy-duty carabiners to withstand thousands of pounds of force. This type of lanyard isn’t something you’d want to wear at non-outdoorsman events since it will look completely out of place.

Fall Arrest

Fall-arrest lanyards are another set of heavy-duty lanyards that are designed to keep workers from falling to their deaths. It also comes with a set of carabiners that harnesses the wearer to a stagnant object, allowing them to safely ascend to hundreds of feet and do their jobs. One common occupation that uses fall-arrest lanyards is window washers.

Standard Lanyard Sizes

There is no standardized lanyard size, at least for necklace lanyards. You can order custom-made lanyards of virtually any length and width you want, and you can choose from a wide variety of clips. In addition, you can even have your logo printed on the polyester cord or nylon string.

That said, the lanyard size you’ll most likely come across is 36 inches in length and 5/8 of an inch wide.

The ideal lanyard length should allow the ID badge to rest on the wearer’s chest. You can use the following table as a rough guide to determine how long your lanyards should be.

Types of Lanyards

While you’re thinking about picking up a box of lanyards for an upcoming event, you might as well learn about the various types of lanyards. There are quite a lot of them, so bear with me.

Beaded

Beaded lanyards are made up of hundreds of metal beads. It looks more like a necklace used for military dog tags than it does an actual lanyard, so it has some style to it. However, you cannot customize the beads in any way. Because it’s made of metal, beaded lanyards don’t usually cause discomfort when worn for long periods of time.

Breakaway

This is the most widely used type of lanyard. The breakaway lanyard comes with a tiny bucket that fastens 2 sections together—the longer section is worn like a necklace, while the shorter section will come with the clip for holding ID badges and other tiny trinkets.

Double-Ended

This lanyard is rarely used, but it’s arguably the most versatile type. It’s a long piece of rope or cloth that comes with clips on both ends, which allow you to secure an ID badge and another small object—say, a pen. You can hook the clips together to form a necklace lanyard that holds more objects at once.

Full-Color

If you purchase premade lanyards, you’ll have very little say about what sort of designs to add to the fabric portion. However, if you order custom-made lanyards from a local supplier, you can request that they come in different colors, have your logo printed on them, or include other kinds of designs that will set your lanyards apart from the rest.

However, the more you add to the custom-made lanyard, the more you’ll have to pay.

Pocket

Pocket lanyards are about 1/3 the size of the typical lanyard. It also comes with a wider rope, which makes it a lot more durable. As its name suggests, you wear this lanyard in your pocket.

It’s mainly used to keep small objects, like wallets or smartphones, in place while you walk around, ensuring that they don’t fall out. You’ll find that it comes with 2 different types of clips on the ends.

Tubular

Tubular lanyards go by another name—shoelace lanyards. They are ultra-thin (less than ½ an inch), so they’re lighter in weight and are less noticeable when worn around your neck. However, a rough tug on the lanyard may cause it to snap.