You do not have to buy fobs from us. A laminated tag you make at home costs pennies, lasts a surprisingly long time, and works exactly the same: same code, same page, same two way chat when somebody finds your things.
What you need
- An inkjet or laser printer. Either is fine.
- Matt laminating pouches, 125 micron or thicker. Matt matters, see below.
- Scissors or a craft knife, and a single hole punch.
- Split rings, luggage loops or cable ties, depending on what you are tagging.
Making one
- Download your code as PNG at print size. Use the print resolution option rather than the screen one. If you have a vector editor, take the SVG instead and it will be sharper still.
- Print it at 30mm square or larger. Smaller than 25mm and you are relying on a very good camera in very good light. For a luggage tag, 40mm is more comfortable.
- Leave the white border alone. That empty margin is called the quiet zone and the scanner needs it. Cutting into it is the single most common reason a home made tag will not scan.
- Laminate it, then cut it out, leaving 3mm to 4mm of sealed edge all the way round. Cutting flush lets water in and the tag delaminates within a fortnight.
- Round the corners with the scissors. Square corners catch on pockets and start peeling.
- Punch the hole through the sealed margin, not through the printed area.
- Test scan it with two different phones before you trust it to anything.
The mistakes worth avoiding
Glossy lamination
Gloss looks better and scans worse. Under a shop light or on a sunny day the reflection sits right across the pattern and the camera gives up. Matt pouches cost the same and simply work.
Printing it too pale
Draft mode and a low toner cartridge produce a grey code rather than a black one. Scanners need contrast far more than they need resolution. If it looks washed out to you, it looks worse to a phone.
Coloured backgrounds
Dark ink on a light background scans. Light on dark usually does not, whatever the design software lets you do. Keep the background pale.
Curved surfaces
A code wrapped tightly around a pen or a cable distorts and stops reading. On anything narrow, use a flag tag: fold the laminate over so the code sits flat on both faces.
How long a home made tag lasts
On a keyring in a pocket, a matt laminated tag typically stays readable for a year or two before the edges go. On luggage, longer, because it spends most of its life still. In a workshop or on a boat, less. When it wears out you print another one from the same code and nothing else changes.
Our domed fobs last longer because the resin is thick, waterproof and slightly magnifying, which is why we charge for them. If you want the cheapest route to a working tag today, the printer in the corner will do.
Common questions
Does a printed tag work the same as a domed one?
Identically. The code, the page behind it, the ability to change your details and the two way chat are all the same. The only difference is how long the physical tag survives.
What size should I print?
30mm square for a keyring, 40mm for luggage, 50mm or more for tools and equipment. Bigger is always easier to scan.
Can I print several at once?
Yes. Download each code and lay them out in any word processor. Keep the white border around each one and leave space to cut.
Do I need a laminator?
It helps, but self adhesive laminating pouches need no machine at all and work nearly as well. Clear packing tape over both faces is a rough and ready version that survives a few months.
Can I upgrade to a domed fob later?
Yes, and it keeps the same code. Order an extra fob and tell us which code it is for, and everything you have already set up carries over.