Keys on a ring

Custom keychains

A custom keychain is a branded fob on a split ring or a short chain. The load is keys, a locker tag, or a hotel drop. It is not a neck ID strap. If you need a short cord and a carabiner that lives on a belt, that is a key lanyard.

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Key takeaways

  • Custom keychains and branded keyrings are fobs. Hotel keychains are the long, labelled version of the same idea.
  • A key lanyard is a cord you wear or clip to a belt. Do not brief a neck lanyard when you want a ring in a pocket.
  • Enamel and metal read premium. Acrylic is light and full-colour. Soft PVC is the character or mascot shape.
  • Unitix makes custom keychains in Australia.

Keychain, hotel fob, or key lanyard

Start with how the keys are carried. A pocket or a bag wants a compact fob. A front desk wants a long tag you can read across a counter. A site or a cleaner wants a cord they can yank without emptying a pocket.

  • Promo keychain: enamel, acrylic, or PVC on a split ring. Giveaway and merch.
  • Hotel keychain: a longer metal or acrylic plate, room for a number or a logo. See metal and acrylic.
  • Key lanyard: wrist or belt cord. Different page, different hardware. Read that brief.

Metal, acrylic, and PVC

The art can be the same. The feel in the hand is not.

MaterialFeelUsual brief
Soft / hard enamelMetal weight, colour in the outlineA logo that already works as a pin
AcrylicLight, full-colour, optional shaker fillA photo, a character, or a hotel plate
PVC (flat or 3D)Soft rubber, custom shapeA mascot or a thick cartoon outline

How to brief custom keychains

Say what it holds and where it lives. Then pick a material.

  1. 1

    Name the job

    Giveaway, staff keys, hotel drop, or merch. Hotel plates need a readable number. Promo fobs need a shape that does not stab a pocket.

  2. 2

    Pick the material

    Enamel if the mark is a logo. Acrylic if the art is full colour. PVC if the shape is the product.

  3. 3

    Send a vector outline

    Same rule as pins: clean paths. A screenshot of a circle logo will be rebuilt by someone else, slowly.

  4. 4

    Quantity and proof

    Keychains get lost. Order a buffer. Approve colour and outline. Browse custom keychains when the job is named.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get custom keychains made in Australia?+
Yes. Unitix makes custom keychains in enamel, acrylic, PVC, and hotel plates, and ships Australia-wide.
Should I order a keychain or a key lanyard?+
A keychain sits on a ring in a pocket or on a hook. A key lanyard is a short cord you wear or clip on. If the keys have to stay on a person, start with the lanyard.
Do you make hotel keychains?+
Yes. Metal and acrylic hotel plates are in the keychain range. Put the number and the logo in the brief.

Order custom keychains

Enamel, acrylic, PVC, and hotel fobs, cut to your outline.