MANUFACTURER AND WHOLESALE SUPPLIER OF BADGE REELS, LANYARDS, CARABINERS, DOG TAGS & MORE!

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Manufacturing Big Hit SALE! Promotional Products For Business & Individuals Since 1991!

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BADGE REELS	LANYARDS	DOG TAGS	CARABINERS	LICENSE PLATE FRAMES
WHISTLES	FLASHLIGHTS	BOTTLE OPENERS	PARTY & TRADESHOW	Fax Order Form
To our valued customers, if you see our promotional products advertised for less we'll match and in most cases beat the price...guaranteed!

HOME > GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Here we provide a brief explanation of the terms on our website that may be unfamiliar to you arranged alphabetically A-K. If you can't find the definition you are looking for or need further explanation, please email or call 1-888-284-4327.

Glossary of terms A-K, L-Z

Anodization
This is the process of applying a durable abrasion resistant coating to raw aluminum. The anodized coating interacts with the metal surface and increases surface durability as well as adding a color to the surface of the metal. Laser engraving works to remove the anodized coating exposing the raw aluminum underneath. Engraved designs on anodized aluminum show up "frosty" white in color.

Anodized Aluminum
Material that has been subjected to the anodization process outlined above. Many promotional products are made from anodized aluminum. The anodization process allows for a multitude of color possibilities for the surface metal. Anodized colors can be produced to match PMS colors.

Badge Reel
A small device worn on an article of clothing or around the neck on a lanyard to hold and display id cards. The id card, badge holder or other small object is attached to the badge reel via a retractable cord with a vinyl strap clip at the bottom. Badge reels are very convenient when an id card must be shown many times during the day as well as for card swiping and keyless entry systems. Both blank and custom badge reels are available in a variety of styles and configurations from the least expensive economy plastic reels to heavy duty badge reels with reinforced steel cord.

Blanks
This refers to promotional products that are sold without a custom imprint. Blanks are sold to customers who either do not desire customization or will apply the imprint themselves. Many of our customers for blank products include custom engraving and printing businesses. Blank products are available at a lower price than custom printed products. Blanks can be purchased in a single or assorted colors. All products on the tagsandchains.com website are available blank as well as with a custom imprint.

Breakaway
This describes a lanyard connector as well as the desired effect. A breakaway connector is comprised of both male and female parts. It's typically installed inline with the lanyard material and positioned either on one side or behind the neck. If the lanyard should get caught or when sufficient force is exerted along the length of the lanyard the breakaway connector will come apart thus releasing the lanyard from around the neck. Breakaway connectors function as safety connectors and are either a standard feature on some styles of lanyards or can be added on as an option. Breakaway connectors are typically made from plastic in several sizes to match the width of the lanyard material. Connectors are available in 3/8", 5/8", 3/4" as well as tubular connectors for cord material. tagsandchains.com has a complete selection of blank and custom printed lanyards with breakaway connectors.

Carabiner
This is a device incorporated a pressure activated gate that opens and closes on a hinge. Traditionally carabiners have been used in the climbing and sailing industries. These "climbing" or "load bearing" carabiners are made from either stainless steel or aluminum. Promotional carabiners are made from aluminum and work in a similar way and are primarily used as keychains. They are no load bearing and not for climbing. Smaller than real carabiners, promotional carabiners are available in a wide variety sizes, shapes, colors and functions. From standard D shape small and large carabiners to multi-function carabiners with whistles, flashlights and bottle openers. Promotional carabiner keychains are hot promotional products and provide a great advertising and marketing tool with your name, logo or message laser engraved. Tagsandchains.com is a manufacturer and wholesale supplier of the most popular carabiner keychains as well as an innovator producing new and interesting shapes combined with useful everyday functions.

Carabiner Attachment
This refers to one of several styles of nylon straps added to a carabiner clip to provide additional function and styling. The base attachment feature is a 3/4" nylon strap with split ring on one end and an open loop on the other for attaching to the carabiner. Nylon attachment straps are available in a variety of popular colors. In addition to a split ring, carabiner attachments are available with a compass, water bottle holder and custom printed label. You can view our selection functional attachments in the Carabiner section of tagsandchains.com.

Carabiner Gate
This refers to the portion of the carabiner that opens when pressure is applied and closes when released. The gate is hinged and operates via an internal spring. The gate when open allows key rings and other attachments to be added on to the carabiner. Carabiner gates are typically "bright" or silver in color. The gate is probably the most important aspect of a promotional carabiner that determines it's quality. Better quality gates have firm action and are properly lined up when closed. Tagsandchains.com only manufacturers carabiner keychains with gates of high quality that can be relied upon after 1,000s of openings and closings.

Carabiner Spine
This is the portion of the carabiner where the custom imprint is typically applied. The spine is defined as that part of the carabiner that is opposite the gate. With some custom shape carabiners it's not always obvious which portion represents the spine. Better quality and the most sought after spines are round not flat. Rounded spines offer a more aesthetically pleasing look and are by the most popular and requested. You'll many styles of carabiner keychains at tagsandchains.com.

Discount Pricing
As a promotional products manufacturer we are able to offer our customers discount pricing on all of our products from promotional carabiners, lanyards and badge reels to safety whistles, bottle openers and dog tags. You can be sure the price you pay is the lowest price possible. Be on the look out for monthly sales and product specials on tagsandchains.com that will bring the prices even lower, which means more savings for you! We strive to deliver our customers the very best service, quality and price. if you see the same item advertised for less we are confident we'll be able to beat the price. Place your next order for discount promotional products....why may more?

Dye Sublimation
A custom lanyard printing process involving both heat and pressure to apply custom designs and background colors to white polyester material. Dye sublimation printing is considered to be the best quality printing available for customizing lanyards and other products. The desired imprint is first printed on special paper which is then transferred to the material substrate with pressure and heat. The resulting design and background colors penetrate the surface and become integrated into the threads of the material resulting in a very durable imprint that has less tendency to rub or scratch off as often seen with other "surface sitting" printing methods. Dye sublimation requires the production of a printing plate for each color in the design which typically run around $125 each. White is not a printed dye sublimation color and requires no printing plate. The white areas of the design are provided by the color of the starting material. Tagsandchains.com offers a variety of lanyards using several of the most modern custom lanyard printing methods.

Embossing
A stamping method which yields raised characters from the material surface. Embossing is typically applied to metal and leather products. Our military dog tags are embossed up to 5 lines and 15 characters per line including spaces. The machine used for embossing dog tags houses a carousel of metal dies one male and one female for each character in the set. The characters are formed in the metal when the two parts of the die come together with the metal in between. Embossed designs are limited to letters, numbers and some special characters. The advantage is that you have an extremely durable imprint since the characters are formed by the metal dog tag material. Embossing is applied to our military dog tags available in stainless steel and brass in the standard size and stainless steel in the mini dog tags.

Full Color Printing
Also known as four color process printing, this printing method is used to reproduce your multi-color design on several of our promotional products. The method works through the combination of four colors known as Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black (CMYK) in different proportions to achieve the desired imprint colors of the original design. The various combinations of each of these four colors is capable of reproducing millions of colors. Full color printing is used to customize metal and plastic dog tags, playing card cases, license plate frames and lip balm.

Hot Stamping
A printing method used for applying custom imprints to lanyards and custom labels for carabiner keychains. Hot stamping is one of the most economical printing methods. Typically done in a single color, the method involves a metal die incorporating the custom design. The die is heated and pressed onto the surface material with colored foil between the die and the material to be printed. The resulting heat and pressure on the foil works to transfer the design on the plate to the material surface in a color of your choice.

HOME > GLOSSARY OF TERMS A-K, L-M

BADGE REELS	LANYARDS	DOG TAGS	CARABINERS	WHISTLES	FLASHLIGHTS	BOTTLE OPENERS
		LICENSE PLATE FRAMES		PARTY & TRADESHOW

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