The plastic badge holder has become a common office accessory in recent years due to increased popularity in the identification badge.  While the badge holder is a simple item, there are a few considerations you should make before going forward with your purchase.

The first thing to consider when selecting a plastic holder is the type of work that is being done.  For office employees that spend the majority of their time at a desk, the soft plastic holder is a great option.  This is the most commonly chosen type of badge holder and for good reason.  Soft plastic holders allow for good protection on an id while still giving the employee many different display options for the badge.  The other nice thing about a soft plastic badge holder is that they come extremely cheap when purchased in bulk.  This can be very important if the business making the purchase is on a tight budget.

One drawback of this type of badge holder is that they are prone to bending and tearing and will likely have to be replaced at some point due to a limited lifespan.  Fortunately, the small cost of the holders still makes them an attractive option.  If you’re worried about maximum protection for your id badge, the soft badge holder is probably not the choice for you.  Instead, you probably want to consider purchasing a hard plastic badge holder.

The biggest benefit you’ll receive from a rigid badge holder is that you won’t have to worry about damage to your id badge.  Hard plastic holders can endure a lot of abuse without breaking, much more so than soft id holders.  Hard plastic id badge holders can also be displayed in all the same ways as their soft plastic counterpart so you should not worry about this when making your purchase.

The biggest downfall for the hard plastic option is the cost.  They are many times more expensive than soft plastic holders and can this can be a turn off for a lot of businesses.  It’s a legitimate concern, but the hard plastic holder will outlast a soft plastic option nearly every time.

You’ll save some money on each type of holder if you purchase them in bulk, which can be done both in office supply stores and online.  Online stores often have a better selection of plastic badge holders along with better pricing.

Whether you choose the soft plastic holder or the hard one, there are many different types of accessories that can be added to them to make your id badge much easier to live with.  Some of these items include the lanyard, the magnetic badge holder, and the retractable id badge reel.