Choosing Card,
Holders and Lanyards

From Prime ID — helping UK teams stay professional, practical and eco-friendly

Not all ID setups are the same. The right combination of card, holder and lanyard makes your badges last longer, look sharper and even reduce plastic waste. Here’s how to choose what works best for your organisation.

💳 1. Choose your card type

Standard PVC: durable and smooth; ideal for everyday use.
Eco-PVC: recycled or lower-impact materials with the same quality.
Biodegradable cards: break down faster in composting conditions.
Retransfer cards: premium finish for photo-heavy or dual-purpose cards.

Prime ID tip: Standard or eco-PVC suits most workplaces. Retransfer cards are worth it for ultra-sharp detail or long-term durability.

🧷 2. Pick the right holder

Open-face holder: light and simple; easy to swap cards.
Flexible PVC holder: Good visibility for double-sided ID cards
Rigid Biobadge recyclable holder: strong and reusable for daily wear.
Available in landscape or portrait - match it to your card
layout - landscape is generally better for more content / data.

🥨 3. Select your lanyard

A stack of multi-coloured Biobadge ID card holders available with all Prime ID staff photo ID cards

Plain lanyards: cost-effective and neat.
Pre-printed lanyards: clearly show roles (e.g. STAFF, VISITOR, CARER).
Eco PET lanyards: made from recycled plastic bottles.
Safety breakaway: essential for schools, care and healthcare settings.

🎨 4. Match your colours

Colour-coding is one of the simplest ways to improve identification on-site.

By matching your ID cards, holders and lanyards to roles or access levels, you create a visual system that’s easy to understand instantly.

Different colours for different roles or departments
Clear separation between staff, visitors and contractors
Faster recognition without needing to read badges

In busy environments, this removes hesitation and makes it easier to see who belongs where.

💡 Final tip

If someone can’t be identified quickly, your ID system isn’t working.
A simple colour system makes recognition faster, clearer and more reliable.

📤 Next step

Need help selecting the right accessories? Email hello@primeid.uk or use our Quick Quote form to explore options.

< Back to Guide 2 | 👉 Continue to Guide 4: Setting Up a Staff ID System