How to Make Custom Keychains: A Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide

Creating your own keychains is more than just a craft—it’s a great way to express your personal style, promote your business, or offer unique gifts. Whether you’re a small business owner, artist, or just curious about producing your own custom keychains, this guide will walk you through how to make custom keychains from start to finish.

Customized Keychain Options to Fit Your Style

The first step in making custom keychains is choosing the style and materials that best fit your needs. From sleek metal finishes to vibrant PVC keychains, there’s something for everyone.

Popular Types of Keychains

• Metal Keychain: Durable and often used for high-end branding.
• PVC Keychains: Flexible and fun—perfect for colorful designs.
• Custom Acrylic Keychains: Lightweight and glossy, ideal for vibrant artwork.
• Photo Keychain: A sentimental favorite that lets you carry memories.
• Leather Keychain: Classy and long-lasting with natural textures.
• Wooden Keychains: Rustic charm with laser-engraved details.
• Epoxy Keychain: Adds a glossy dome effect that enhances durability.

Pro Tip: Choosing the right keychain material depends on your goals. For promotional items, PVC or custom acrylic keychains are affordable and fun. For luxury gifts or corporate branding, go with a metal keychain or leather keychain.

How to Make Custom Keychains: The Process

The process of making custom keychains is easier than you think, especially when working with a professional team like The Monterey Company.

Step 1: Upload Artwork

Start with your logo, graphic, or own designs. You can upload artwork directly on our site. If you don’t have a design yet, we offer free design services. We will also provide a quick quote as well.

Step 2: Choose a Material

Depending on your use case, you might choose:

• Clear Acrylic Keychains for a vibrant, modern look
• PVC Keychains for flexible and fun branding
• Leather Keychains or metal for durability and professionalism

Step 3: Select Custom Size and Shape

We create your keychain in any shape you can imagine. Custom size options allow for truly unique designs.

Step 4: Approve Your Proof

Our art team sends a digital mockup. You can request changes until they look perfect.

Step 5: Production Begins

Our average production time is about 4 weeks, but timelines vary depending on complexity and quantity. When you approve your proof, you’ll receive a clear delivery date.oduce your custom keychain.

Materials Spotlight: Clear Acrylic Keychains

Clear acrylic keychains are among our bestsellers because they beautifully showcase full-color artwork. You can even use single-sided printing or double-sided options to make them pop.

We use acrylic sheets to cut your designs into custom shapes. Then, we add your artwork using UV full-color printing or sublimation for crisp, vivid results.

Are you looking to make acrylic keychains for your small business or brand? They’re affordable, lightweight, and offer great print quality.

Make Your Own Acrylic Keychains

Want to make your own acrylic charms? The Monterey Company offers custom manufacturing services that turn your ideas into reality. Whether you need custom acrylic charms for retail or a limited run of gifts, we can help.

You can even add effects like:

• Glitter epoxy
• Custom holographic keychains
• Glow-in-the-dark elements

Promote Your Brand with Custom Products

Custom keychains are a great way to build brand awareness. They’re affordable promotional items that keep your logo in front of people every day.

Whether it’s for trade shows, client gifts, or employee swag, custom keychains make a lasting impression.

Pair them with custom magnets, custom stickers, or enamel pins to create a whole line of swag.

Design Tips and Keychain Ideas

Here are a few popular keychain designs our customers love:

• Custom logos with fun shapes
• Illustrated characters
• Photo keychains of pets or family
• QR code keychains

If it’s your first time, don’t worry—we walk you through the entire process with amazing customer service.

Don’t Forget the Lanyard Keychain Option

Lanyard keychains are especially useful for conferences, schools, and events. Add a detachable clip and you have a functional and stylish keychain option.

We also make custom lanyards to match your brand colors.

Join Our Mailing List for Free Shipping & Updates

When you join our mailing list, you’ll get:

• Free shipping offers
• Access to exclusive sale prices
• The latest news on our custom products

Just enter your email address at the bottom of this page!

We respect your privacy. We won’t share your email address, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Customer Reviews

Our customers consistently rave about our excellent quality, helpful Customer Service, and fast turnaround times.

Here’s what one small business owner said:

“The Monterey Company helped me design my very first set of customizable keychains and they turned out amazing! I even got free shipping and a discount with my mailing list sign-up.” – Michael Turpin

Beyond Keychains: Enamel Pins, T-Shirts & More

We’re more than just keychains! We also produce:

• Custom Enamel Pins
• Branded T-Shirts
• Wooden Keychains
• Corporate lanyard keychains

Want something truly unique? Just ask. We’ll help you create custom designs that reflect your core mission.

Want to Move Forward?

Have questions about your order? Want to learn more about our custom keychains? Fill out this quick request form, and we’ll be happy to help. You can also upload artwork now to get started.