Are there environmentally friendly options for lanyards?

Just about every organization uses lanyards these days and often times, when one doesn’tneed his/her lanyard anymore, the thing winds up in the garbage. Depending on what the lanyard was made of, it could sit in a landfill for years, never decomposing because it was made from non-recyclable materials. It doesn’t have to be like that though, thanks to a new lineup of eco-friendly lanyards that allow you to have an ID card/lanyard solution and save the planet at the same time. Here’s a look at these products that are good for the planet.

One of the most important parts of a lanyard is the strap itself. These are typically made of non-biodegradable material, but there are two new offerings that are much more eco-friendly. The first is the P.E.T. recycled plastic lanyard. This is a lanyard strap that’s made out of recycled water bottles or, to be technical, Polyethylene Terephthalate. These lanyards are only available with a break-away strap and they come in several different colors including purple, forest green, and natural. (A fancy way of saying “white.”) These are great lanyards because they use recycled materials that otherwise would have been thrown away.

There’s another type of green lanyard. This one is made out of 100% pure bamboo fibers, so it’s extremely soft to the touch, while being extremely durable and anti-bacterial. Bamboo is one of the most earth-friendly materials available because it’s a cellulose material that easily breaks down and it can also help prevent pollution. Like the P.E.T. lanyards, these come with break-away straps and are available in a bunch of colors. (Just don’t wear one around a panda unless you want your lanyard to become lunch for a hungry bear.)

Some of the other green ID products available include a badge holder that’s 100% free of phthalates. Phthalates are toxic plastics that are harmful to the environment, as well as detrimental to human health. The phthalate-free badge holder comes in two styles: horizontal top-load and vertical top-load, so they’re great for all kinds of ID cards. There’s even a totally recyclable clip with which to use these badge holders. And if you need to make ID cards, you can purchase the so-called “earth-friendly cards.” These cards are made from 100% recycled plastic and are made from corn plastic. These cards are biodegradable and best of all, they help support the U.S. economy because the corn used to make the plastic is grown by American farmers. These cards come in boxes of 500 and are available in one size only, a standard 30 mil thickness.