Welcome to Breakaway Lanyards Headquarters, the top information source for all things related to breakaway lanyards!
Learn more about the various types of breakaway lanyards, including purposes, materials used, number of breakaway points, and the many kinds of accessories available to increase the functionality and personality of your lanyard!
Breakaway lanyards are a key component of identification and safety in large corporations. Those working around dangerous machinery especially need to ensure that their ID badges are attached to a lanyard with at least one breakaway point. Knowing who your coworkers are and ensuring they are displaying proper identification ensures information and personel are safe.
The Origins of the Breakaway Lanyards HQ
When I was young and after school time, I’d always be made to run errands with my parents once they had returned home from work. I’d go out into town and see all of the professional people with their name tags dangling around your neck. I was always so impressed. Then we’d return to the car to drive home and I’d notice my parent’s badge lanyards hanging from the rear view mirror. Those breakaway lanyards became symbolic to me. They were metaphors of success and power in the corporate world. I wanted to be a business man and walk tall and proud with my name tag and lanyard dangling cordially around my neck, displayed for all of the mere mortals to gaze at in awe and wonder.
Well, fast forward this story from elementary school to my college years. As an engineer I eventually made my way into an internship at a power plant. I was still young and amazed at the complexity of the corporate landscape. Well, it was all so peculiar, because I was given a little cubicle with a computer and nothing to do for 12 hours at a time, but dang-it, I hit the big time. Making nice paychecks and having a boosted self-confidence is what it was about. I eventually was moved to an abandoned office and given an office name plate just for fun, but that really did a job to my ego! I was on top of things! None of this could compare to what was to come…
An older gentlemen and co-worker of mine one day saw me coming into the plant with my little lunch box. Scan my fingerprints, x-ray my lunch box, walk through the metal detector, get scanned by the geiger counter… all the while with my name badge clipped to my shirt pocket. This did not sit well with my friendly co-worker. He told me he’d stop by “my” office later that day. And he did. But he didn’t really stop. He just kind of walked by and said, “Hey,” as he tossed something at me. It was a breakaway lanyard! I later found out what kind it was, and how valuable it was! Boy, was I pleased!
The Varieties of Breakaway Lanyards

My lanyard was a custom lanyard with double breakaway points and a badge reel, boasting a nice plastic badge holder. But what else is out there? I was bored young man with an internet access and no work to complete. So I logged online and began researching lanyards. I found out mine was a woven lanyard of the cylindrical type without custom printing.
The fellow that slung the breakaway lanyard to me told me it was important for me to have it instead of the lesser lanyards being passed out to interns. There were a lot of moving parts in the plant and the flat braid breakaway lanyards only had one, some-what strong plastic breakaway point. That was dangerous, he said, as he knew of buddies who had their necks jerked before the lanyard’s breakaway point released. The one he gave me had two shrink tube connectors that would release easily. Even if, by some curse, one didn’t release, the other surely would.
That’s when I learned about double breakaway points. I learned about flat braid lanyards and antimicrobial lanyards. I learned about plastic hooks that twist or don’t. I learned about split rings made of oxidized metals. There are round braids, microweaves, bulldog clips, swivel hooks, trigger snaps, and more!
I found that you can purchase a wide variety of lanyard gauges measured in quarters of inches, and by integer millimeters. In addition to this deep customization, there are all kinds of accessories. Check out this list:
Breakaway Lanyard Accessories
Custom Printed ID Cards- Badge Holders
- Badge Reels
- Strap Clips, Pins, and Findings
- Retainers and Casino Coils
- Card Printers and Printer Ribbons
…and more! I realize it’s seems silly to get this involved and excited about breakaway lanyards as they are pretty mundane and passive items. But they represent something more, much like wearing a very fancy watch, or driving a customized car. Having your own unique custom lanyards say much about you as a business person! These quick release safety lanyards also contribute to a high level of safety for employees, which is more important than any presentation of dress or ego boost.
Thanks for Coming By the Breakaway Lanyards HQ
Figure out what color, style, and functions you want in your breakaway lanyard by reading all of the information I’ve gathered here. I had fun compiling all of this information and I hope you enjoy it as well. This should be the only site you need for your breakaway lanyard information. If I’ve missed anything, gotten anything wrong, or you just want to drop me a line, email me from the contact page and I’ll gladly respond. Thanks for stopping by the Breakaway Lanyards HQ!
