The word lanyard is derived from the late Middle English word “lanyer”. This was itself derived from the French word “laniere.” It’s believed that lanyer became lanyard due to its association with the word yard (meaning a unit of measurement). Lanyards may be short, but they have a long and interesting history.
To explain more, Malcolm Humphreys, Director of We Print Lanyards, explores the history of lanyards, and how they evolved into what we know them to be today.
The early days of lanyards
The earliest recorded use of lanyards dates back to late 15th-century France. Both regular soldiers and privateers used straps made of cord or rope to keep useful items handy. For example, sailors used them to hold tools when climbing a ship’s rigging. Soldiers used them to hold their weapons when going into combat.
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815)
By the time of the Napoleonic Wars lanyards had become standard military equipment. They were mainly used to hold items that were small but important. These would typically include telescopes/binoculars and whistles. Lanyards did keep these items near to hand. More importantly, however, they kept the items from being lost or mislaid.
Lanyards become formalised
Around the end of the 19th century, the use of lanyards became a formal part of military dress. The driver for this was the development of new artillery such as the 12- and 15-pounder field guns. These used fuses that needed to be set with a special fuse key.
Obviously, the fuse key was a vital piece of equipment that simply couldn’t be lost. Gunners, therefore, kept it in the breast pocket of their jackets, attached to a lanyard. The military decided that it did not like to see soldiers using plain string for their lanyards. They, therefore, created decorative lanyards and incorporated them into military uniforms.
Decorative lanyards were still in use well into the 20th century. Towards the latter part of it, however, the military started to move back to lanyards that were purely practical. Lanyards are very much still in military use today. They have a wide range of specialist attachments for different purposes.
Lanyards begin to be used outside the military
In the 20th century, lanyards began to be seriously adopted by people outside the military (and privateers) The earliest public adopters of lanyards were people who went off the beaten track. They employed lanyards as a convenient way to hold maps and/or compasses for quick and simple navigation
Many of these people would have had some connection with the military. This could have been through direct service. It could also have been through being trained by ex-military personnel. For example, many scout leaders would have had some military experience.
Around the 1950s they began to be adopted by businesses. As with the military, business lanyards started out as entirely plain and practical accessories. After a while, however, companies started to grasp that they could also be used for branding. This set the lanyard on the path of being the ubiquitous business must-have it is today.
Lanyards go mainstream
As businesses used lanyards for branding, so they also brought lanyards themselves to mainstream attention. Lanyards were quickly seized upon by people in numerous environments.
Any organisation that provided any form of ID generally provided a lanyard to hold it. Sometimes the lanyard was loaned (e.g., guest passes in businesses). Many times, however, lanyards were gifted. In fact, it’s become increasingly common for lanyards to be created with gifting in mind.
Lanyards go back to being both decorative and functional
Even though businesses routinely give out lanyards, many employees will also buy or make their own. This is because lanyards have now gone back to being decorative as well as functional. The trend for handmade lanyards may also connect to the trend towards customising items for greater individuality.
