Satin is the one lanyard material chosen purely for how it looks. A standard lanyard ribbon is ribbed and matte; satin is smooth and catches the light, which is why it turns up on VIP passes, award ceremonies and corporate activations rather than on general event stock.
The material comes with one constraint that shapes everything else: satin is fine and slightly translucent, so it is printed on one side only. What changes between the two versions below is how that one side is printed.
| Screen print | Dye sublimation | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the colour sits | Ink on top of the satin | Dyed into the fibre |
| Colour accuracy | Pantone matched | Full colour, photographic, close but not chip-exact |
| Artwork | Wordmarks, one to three solid colours | Gradients, images, unlimited colours |
| Base ribbon | Coloured satin | White satin |
| Durability | Good; a surface layer that eventually shows wear | Cannot crack, peel or fade out |
| Right for | A clean logo where brand colours are policed | Event artwork, sponsors, photographic designs |
Both methods print one side. The ribbon is thin enough that printing both faces would let each show through the other, and on screen-printed satin the design is often faintly visible on the reverse — normal for the material, not a fault. If the brief genuinely needs different artwork front and back, use a woven or standard polyester lanyard instead.
Screen print lays Pantone-matched ink on top of the satin, so brand colours are exact and the contrast against the sheen is sharp — the right choice for a wordmark or a two-colour logo. Sublimation dyes the artwork into the fibre, which allows photographs, gradients and unlimited colours, and cannot crack or peel. Satin is fine and slightly translucent, so both methods are single-sided.
Because the ribbon is thin enough that ink or dye applied to both faces would show through and muddy each other. On screen-printed satin the design is often faintly visible on the reverse, which is normal for the material rather than a defect. If you need genuinely different artwork on each side, a woven or standard polyester lanyard is the correct specification.
Weave and surface. A standard lanyard ribbon is ribbed and matte; satin is smooth and reflects light, which is what makes it read as premium. It also feels different against the neck. The trade-off is that satin is more delicate and takes print differently, so it suits VIP and corporate use rather than a muddy festival field.
Either, and the decision is about the artwork. If the VIP tier is signalled by a clean logo in brand colours, screen print on coloured satin looks more expensive. If the pass carries event artwork, sponsors or a photographic design, sublimation on white satin is the only one that will reproduce it.
Sublimation does particularly well, because the colour is inside the fibre and cannot crack, peel or wash out. Screen print on satin is durable in normal wear but is a surface layer, so it will show wear sooner where the lanyard rubs against a jacket collar.
From 100 pieces, about two to three weeks from approved artwork. Both print methods sit at the same starting price, so the choice is genuinely about the artwork rather than the budget.
By construction: printed polyester and nylon, round cord, jacquard woven, tubular, satin, neoprene, silicone and PVC. By material story: natural materials, plastic-free and plantable, recycled rPET. By what it carries: badge reels and fittings, bottle straps, phone straps, charging cables, bottle openers. By finish: special effect, reflective and high-visibility. The full range: Lanyards.
Our EU-based production means we meet even the tightest event deadlines.
Each product is created specifically to meet your unique event needs and brand guidelines.
Sustainable materials are available, incl. recycled and biodegradable wristbands.
