How to design wristbands

Our blog will help anyone interested in making their own wristbands with top tips and advice on how to get that done. Many people ask How to design Wristbands? And there are so many websites that offer different types of products and services. It can be confusing as to which is the best product for your requirements and the best value for money. So many options to decide on the type of material and the size. We have worked in the wristband industry for over 10 years and have plenty of advice and support to give through our blog articles. We will discuss how to design wristbands for all types of products such as tyvek wristbands, fabric wristbands and also silicone wristbands. These are the three most popular types of wristbands and can all be customized to include text and logos. They are all water resistant but each has it’s own positive and negative aspects. 

Design your Wristbands

If you are looking to design your own wristbands then the first decision to make is what type of wristband is required. To answer that, it will need to be considered how long the wristband is to be worn. Is it just for a few hours or a night? Or is it for more long term use that needs to be worn for a day or even a week? Tyvek wristbands are the cheapest and most popular option but these can only be worn for up to 48 hours. Additionally are the wristbands being used to control entrance? And should they be transferable once worn? Or should they not be removable? Silicone wristbands can be removed and exchanged so if the bands are required to be used for entry management then they are not the ideal product. There are many considerations to think about before deciding which wristband is best for your use and we can help guide you on How to design Wristbands. 

Most websites now have online designers where customers can upload the required design and see a visual proof of how the product will look when produced. This is standard across the industry now and we would recommend a site that offers this so you can be confident of creating the perfect wristband design. Silicone wristbands have three different types of finish; printed, debossed and debossed colourfil. They each have their own limitations and constraints in terms of production and costs but most times printed is the best option. It can include text and logos in full colour and print in fine detail – ideal for charities of fundraising events that want to include a sponsor logo for example. 

Different types of Wristbands

For those looking to design you wristbands online then there is also the option of custom printed fabric wristbands – a great choice for longer term use. The product is sometimes referred to as festival wristbands because they can be worn for weeks or even months and are popular at music festivals. There are two main types of this product; woven and sublimated. The woven style uses different threads of material and weaves it together to form the design. It has the same feeling as a garment of clothing because it is made in a similar way. The product is used for simple designs include just text. Sublimated fabric wristbands can include complex designs and print including gradients and even shadows. The dye sublimated bands are flat to touch and comfortable to wear. 

How to design wristbands that are the most popular type are the tyvek wristbands. They are also known as paper wristbands due to them feeling and looking like paper, but actually it is made from a mix of both. The product is very cheap when compared to the other types and production time is just a matter of days normally – so it is ideal for those who have a tight deadline. Paper wristbands are waterproof and tamperproof meaning they are ideal to control entrance at venues such as nightclubs, waterparks, schools, zoos or even hotels. Depending on where you are in the world tyvek wristbands should cost between 5-10c per unit to include customized print. Plain wristbands should be even cheaper and anywhere from 3-5c per band. 

Design Tips for Printed Wristbands

When creating a unique wristband design be sure to not over complicate with too many logos or too much text. Stick to the essential items and then you can ensure they are big enough to be visible when the band is worn. The worst thing is having too many elements on the wristband surface and then not being able to read what they say. Even worse is where you add a QR code and it is too small to be read by a scanner! How to design wristbands that are easy to read is to make use of the area that will be visible when the band is worn. Speak to your provider for guidance but a normal wrist is about 150-180mm in length – so you should be sure to keep your design within that size for the best results. 

Below a photo of some of the most popular types of wristbands and how they can be customized to include logos and text. Of course many wristbands are also available in plain colours without any print too. If you have any questions feel free to leave a comment and we will reply accordingly. Good luck with designing your wristbands and we hope this article has been helpful.