An Overview of Keychains

I used to think keychains were quite tacky but they've grown on me recently. Here's why... there aren't many accessories out there that are as versatile as the keychain. There has been a seemingly endless amount of customizations that have established this accessory as one of the most customizable and useful ones available. It usually consists of a small chain, most commonly some form of durable metal, that connects an accessory to a key ring. They let you express yourself by adding a unique touch to your keys and can prove to be a useful utility as well.

Keychains have been dangling from peoples keys for a fairly long time. It wasn't until the 50's (musical treat below) and 60's however, that they began to become more popular. Innovations in the way that plastics could be manufactured made wide scale production of the chains much easier. They could also make new unique forms of chains that were much more useful and personalized.

Since many people use their keys on a daily basis and regard them with a high level of importance, they like to use this accessory to make their key set more unique. Small figurines, name plates, and useful gadgets are just a few of the many different forms this accessory can take on. There are a wide variety of uses and styles of chains they make that you can easily attach to your keys.

First off is the souvenir type keychain. This style is the most common and prevalent key accessory in circulation. People make them to commemorate a particular area or event. Popular vacation spots like famous beaches and theme parks as well as events like concerts and festivals have a variety of chain designs sporting their name.

Another popular style is advertising chains. Different companies like making these chains to spread their influence and promote their brand. These chains can be made for virtually any company that wants to promote their product. People that are fond of the product can buy one of these and display it on their key ring.

One of the more interesting types of chains is the utility style. These chains actually yield potential usefulness through the use of tools and other gadgets. Some popular examples are flashlights, knives, bottle openers, tape measures, and even small USB flash drives.

With developments in smaller technology and designs, the entertainment style is growing increasingly popular. This type of chain will commonly use some form of electronics to provide someone with entertainment value. They could be a laser pointer, a flashy light show, or even a small electronic video game.

The materials that keychains can be made with are virtually endless. They can utilize any form of durable material to craft a unique item to hang from a set of keys. More simple designs use metals like aluminum, gold, silver, and brass and usually have some form of writing engraved or plated on to them. Fabrics like leather and hemp can be used to make some form of strap to hang from keys. The most popular material used in them is plastic. Plastic offers a good deal of customized potential and is relatively an inexpensive investment.