Whether you’re preparing for an event or outfitting your office, the lanyard colors play an important role in design. You don’t have to go with boring black - although sometimes, that is the smartest option. You don’t even have to necessarily choose a single color! 

But with so many options at your fingertips, it can be hard to know where to start with customizing lanyards. That’s where we come in as the #1 choice for personalized lanyards. 

CustomLanyard.net has helped over a million customers create stunning, functional lanyards for a variety of purposes, and we’re going to help you do the same. Learn more about why small and big businesses alike trust us and how to choose the ideal color for your lanyards below. 

What Role Do Lanyard Colors Play?

Your lanyard’s color influences how quickly someone can spot staff in a crowd, how easily guests find help, and how organized your team looks when everyone is moving around a busy space. This is not something you should just gloss over in the design process. 

Color is especially important for grouping purposes. It’s common for workplaces to assign different colors to staff levels, contractors, volunteers, or VIPs so people can sort themselves without slowing down a check-in line. We’ve seen schools and medical facilities adopt this same approach because a fast visual cue is easier than scanning a badge every time.

But there’s also the branding side of things. The strap color ties everything together. Your lanyards just feel cleaner and more intentional when they match the uniform or brand palette your company has come to be known for. 

And if you’re designing for an event, choosing colors that contrast with badges or outfit styles can keep names readable in photos and low-light areas. There are quite a few things to consider, but we’re going to help you navigate every aspect of choosing lanyard colors below.

What is the Best Color for a Lanyard?

Be clear - there isn’t a single “best” color for a lanyard. Just one that makes the most sense for your specific situation. It all depends on how the lanyard will be used, where it will be worn, and what you need people to notice first. 

Some colors stand out in busy settings, while others blend smoothly into a uniform. It helps to look at the full range of colors, understand what each one communicates, and think through what will read clearly in your specific environment.

What Lanyard Colors Are Available?

The sky is the limit at CustomLanyard.net. Most teams start by narrowing it down to one of the core colors: 

  • Black
  • Navy
  • Red
  • Royal blue
  • Green
  • Yellow
  • Orange
  • Purple
  • White
  • Gray

These cover most everyday needs and pair well with company logos or ID badges. From there, you can get more specific with neon shades, pastel tones, earth colors, metallic finishes, reflective stripes, and two-tone straps

Our custom dye sublimation lanyards open the door to full-color prints, gradients, patterns, and exact PMS shades so you can match tight brand guidelines.

What Do the Colors of Lanyards Mean?

It’s important to remember that specific industries rely on color coordination. This is actually seen in general to some extent, too. 

For instance, red is usually used for staff or security because it catches attention fast. Yellow is common for visitors or temporary badges. Green works well for medical teams, environmental staff, or supervisors. Blue is widely used for corporate teams because it looks clean and professional. Black fits formal settings and blends well with uniforms.

Bright colors, such as neon orange or lime, can help teams manage volunteers, vendors, or high-traffic areas at large events. Think carefully about whether any of these things would make sense for your specific application. 

Lanyard Color Combinations That Always Work Well

Looking for lanyard color inspiration? Some pairings pop really well, no matter where the lanyard is worn. We see these used all the time:

  • White on navy
  • Yellow on black
  • Black on red
  • White on forest green

These basic lanyard color combinations hold up in low light, outdoor settings, and crowded spaces. We also love gray with white or sky blue with navy. This is great when you want something softer that still looks clean.

Companies running events should try to create some sort of bold contrast to stand out - think neon yellow with black text. This approach is good for keeping names readable in photos, hallways, and dim conference rooms.

The trick is pairing a strap color with a print color that pops instead of blending in. Here are a few more industry-specific recommendations for your lanyards:

  • Corporate offices: navy, charcoal, black, white, and PMS-matched brand colors.
  • Healthcare: green, teal, blue, and easily recognized visitor/yellow or contractor/red options.
  • Schools: bright colors for grade levels, classic colors for staff, and darker colors for admins.
  • Festivals and conventions: neon shades, two-tone straps, and bold patterns that stand out in crowds.
  • Retail and hospitality: red, royal blue, and black for daily staff; bright colors for seasonal roles.
  • Security teams: red, black, or high-contrast reflective options for fast identification.
  • Volunteer groups: orange, lime, or other high-visibility colors that coordinate well with event layouts.

Whether you’re going with a polyester vs nylon lanyard theme, you can’t go wrong with these lanyard colors. That said, the color you choose is just one piece of the puzzle!

Other Important Design Elements to Consider

A lot of our customers want to start by choosing the color of their lanyards. But the truth is, the material, printing method, and hardware you choose will dictate how your colors look in real life and how long the lanyard holds up once people start wearing it. So, you might be better off thinking about these types of things first.

Picking the Right Lanyard Material for Accurate Color

First things first, what are lanyards made of? Our custom polyester lanyards are the most popular choice because they take color well and prints stay sharp on them. Perfect for everyday staff, schools, and corporate settings.

That being said, dye-sublimation is best for bright, photo-quality color that pops. The ink bonds directly into the material for a unique final product. We also sell a lot of woven custom lanyards. These have a more textured finish, but you’re limited to simple, bold colors.

There are custom tubular lanyards as well, which feel softer and have more muted colors - that’s ideal in casual or volunteer settings, but maybe not for fun, upscale events. 

The point is, your material often determines how vivid your chosen shade appears. Take your time to match the material to the look you’re aiming for. 

Choosing a Printing Method That Makes Your Colors Pop

There are different ways you can go about printing on your lanyards, too - and this also has an effect on what the lanyard looks like in the end.

Screen printing produces bold, solid color that holds up well on darker straps. It’s perfectly fine for simple logos or text that needs strong contrast. 

However, dye sublimation lets you print full-color artwork, gradients, and detailed patterns without losing clarity. It gives you more control, especially if your design has multiple colors, shading, or strict brand requirements.

Those woven designs we talked about above are great in their own right, too. They can help you create a stitched effect that looks clean. Just be aware these types of lanyards aren’t ideal for small details or complex color schemes.

Pairing Text and Logo Colors With the Strap Color

The key takeaway on lanyard design is that clear readability comes from contrast. Light text on dark straps, dark text on light straps, and bold pairings (like white on navy or black on yellow) are always readable. 

Does your brand use specific PMS colors? If so, start by matching the strap and then adjust the print color so your logo stays sharp. Avoid combinations where the text color sits too close to the strap color’s tone. Names will blur at a distance.

Adding Safety Breakaways, Buckles, or Badge Holders

Think about the hardware while you’re at it - not because it influences strap color, but because it impacts usability and overall vibe. Here are some options:

  • Breakaways are a must for schools, warehouses, and medical environments where lanyards can catch on equipment. 
  • Buckles make it easy to take off an ID without removing the whole lanyard. 
  • Badge holders protect cards from scratches and give you more room to display information.

There’s clearly a lot to consider, whether you’re going for custom nylon lanyards or polyester lanyards. But no matter your vision, the experts here at CustomLanyard.net can help you bring it to life. 

Create the Perfect Lanyard in Just a Few Clicks!

Picking the optimal lanyard colors is easy when the design tools actually help you see how everything fits together. We provide clean templates, fast previews, and full control over colors, materials, attachments, and printing styles.

Whether you need bright neon for a festival, exact PMS-matched straps for a corporate rollout, or simple everyday colors for staff badges, you can build everything online without guessing how the final product will look.

Our production team works with every type of design, from basic text to full-color artwork, and we print on materials that hold their color and stay sharp even with daily wear in tough conditions. 

You’ll enjoy the lowest prices online, no MOQs, and world-class support from A to Z. Our team can help you navigate lanyard colors and make the perfect choice if you’re still unsure. Design a lanyard that looks polished and matches your brand today at CustomLanyard.net! 

Closing Thoughts on Lanyard Colors

Choosing the right lanyard colors makes a real difference in how your team looks, how clearly your badges read, and how easily people move through your space. It’s as simple as matching the color to the setting, the type of lanyard, and the wearer (if color coordination is a concern).

Our blog has more tips on what to put on a lanyard if you’re looking for additional inspiration. Otherwise, it’s time to get started bringing your vision to life as we wrap up this conversation on common lanyard colors. 

Take the next step at CustomLanyard.net and see what keeps customers coming back for more!