Do breakaway lanyards come apart too easily?

No. The connector holds the badge in normal wear and separates under a sharp pull, then clicks back together. The release force is set by the manufacturer and varies by design.

Can I hang keys on a breakaway lanyard?

It is not a good idea. The connector is designed to let go, so heavy keys can pull it open. Keep the lanyard for the badge and put keys on a reel or ring of their own.

What is the minimum for custom printed breakaway lanyards?

100 pieces. Plain breakaway lanyards are quoted to whatever quantity you need.

How long do custom lanyards take?

Typically about ten business days after you approve the proof. It varies by product and printing method, so we confirm it on your quote.

Is a detachable buckle the same as a breakaway?

No. A detachable buckle near the badge end lets the badge come off without removing the lanyard. A breakaway connector at the neck is the safety release. A lanyard can have both.

Breakaway Lanyards: Custom Printed Safety Lanyards

A breakaway lanyard has a safety connector that pulls apart if the lanyard is grabbed or caught, so nobody is held by the neck. In schools, care settings and anywhere near machinery, it is the lanyard to start from, not an upgrade. We quote breakaway lanyards plain or custom printed with your logo, as an authorized Brady dealer, and custom runs start at 100 pieces. For the rest of a badge setup, see our badge accessories guide.

How a breakaway lanyard works

A standard lanyard is a closed loop. If it catches on a door handle, a machine or another person's hand, it pulls against the neck until something gives.

A breakaway lanyard puts a weak point in the loop on purpose. A plastic connector, usually at the back of the neck, holds the two ends together in normal wear and separates under a sharp pull. Afterwards the two halves click back together, so the lanyard goes straight back into use.

The release force is set by the manufacturer and differs from one design to the next, so check it if your policy specifies one. What every breakaway design shares is the trade-off: the connector is meant to let go, so a lanyard loaded with keys or a heavy device can pull itself open. Keep it for the badge, and put keys on a badge reel or a ring of their own.

A detachable buckle is a different part that people often confuse with a breakaway. It sits near the badge end and lets the badge come off without taking the lanyard off. It is a convenience, not a safety release, and a lanyard can have both.

Where breakaway should be the default

Schools. Students pull on each other's lanyards, and staff work among them all day.
Hospitals and care settings. A confused or distressed patient can grab a lanyard. Many healthcare employers require breakaway lanyards in policy.
Manufacturing, warehouses and shops. Anything near moving machinery, conveyors or rotating tools.
Security and front-line public roles. Anyone whose job puts them close to people who may not be friendly.
Events and crowds. Lanyards get caught in crowds and on gear.

Many organizations have breakaway written into policy and have not checked that the lanyards in the supply closet actually comply. If you are not sure what yours are, look at the back of the neck: no connector means no breakaway.

Want a second opinion on the spec?

We have spec'd card systems for Illinois organizations for four decades.

Tell us what you need Have a look at the catalog

Choosing the rest of the lanyard

Material. Flat polyester takes printing well and is the usual choice for branded runs. Tubular polyester is softer and cheaper. Woven, bamboo, organic cotton, recycled P.E.T., reflective and antimicrobial materials are available too. Antimicrobial suits healthcare, and reflective suits outdoor and night work.
Width. 3/8, 5/8, 3/4 or 1 inch. Width mostly decides how much printed text fits.
The badge end. A swivel hook, bulldog clip, split ring or badge reel combination. Match it to the holder or reel you already use, which is the detail most often mismatched when accessories come from different places.

Custom printed breakaway lanyards

A custom lanyard carries your organization's name or logo, and the printing method shapes both the look and the price:

Silkscreen suits a simple logo and text in flat colors.
Dye sublimation prints edge to edge in full color, and for anything beyond a one-color logo it often works out cheaper than silkscreen.
Woven-in threads the design into the fabric, so it wears far better.
TrueColor digital handles gradients and photographic detail, and it can print a different name on every lanyard in one run.

Custom runs start at 100 pieces and typically ship about ten business days after you approve the proof. Both can vary by product and printing method, so we confirm them on your quote. Artwork needs to be vector, or at least 150 DPI, and once you approve the proof the order is firm, because it is made to your artwork.

The quickest way to start is our lanyard builder. Choose the printing method, color, width, material and end fitting, set the connector to Breakaway, drop your logo on, and send the design to us for a quote.

Stuck between two printers?

We will scope the printer, the cards, and the encoding together.

Have us quote it See the full catalog

Plain breakaway lanyards for a badge program

Not every program needs printing. If you just need plain breakaway lanyards in your colors, tell us the color, width, badge-end fitting and quantity, and we will quote it. If you are ordering ID cards from us at the same time, we can match the lanyard fitting to the card's slot punch in the same conversation.

Breakaway Lanyards