Wristbands 101: Basic Understanding of Different Type of Wristbands

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to reflect the surge in RFID wristband adoption across festivals, resorts, and entertainment venues seeking to streamline operations and fortify revenues with cash-free, card-free experiences.

Wristband Quick Picks: Best Uses by Type

• Synthetic Paper: Durable, economical 1-day use; quick to ship and water-resistant
• Plastic: Great for multi-day wear with bold colors and branding options
• Vinyl: Rugged, secure fit with snap closures for high-energy events
• RFID: High-quality tech for cashless payments, access, and operational insight
• Silicone: Reusable keepsakes for awareness campaigns and fundraisers
• Thermal/Barcode: For basic scanning and access control; customize on-site
• Woven Fabric: Premium for immersive and multi-day experiences; RFID optional

Want more detail? Read the full guide below.

Need help now? Let’s match you with the right wristband for your venue, budget, and timeline.

Wristband Buyers Guide: How To Choose a Wristband for Your Venue or Event

Smarter wristband selection enables stronger access control. Whether running a water park, festival, or resort, the right wristband helps streamline guest flow, safeguard revenue, and support efficiency. But, as our other Wristband Buying Guide highlights, not all wristbands are created equally for every situation.

This guide outlines the most common wristband types and their ideal uses, based on factors like event length, guest volume, durability, design flexibility, and turnaround time. From affordable single-day IDs to fully loaded RFID credentials, we’ll help you understand each wristband class and how it can support your venue.

Most Popular: Synthetic Paper Wristbands

Uses: Budget-friendly 1-day access control and guest identification

Venues: Water parks, theme parks, entertainment venues, fairs, live events

Strong and simple, synthetic paper credentials, like Wristbands.com’s SecurBand^®, are synonymous with general admission and guest classification (e.g., 21+). That’s because SecurBand^®, our most affordable single-day use band, offers:

• Customization | Drop-and-drag logo or message
• QUICK SHIP | Custom wristbands ship ~1–2 business days
• Clean-Tab™ | No more pool filters and floor litter
• Comfortable | Breathable, contoured for easy application and helps prevent adhesive-to-skin contact
• Colorful — 14 vivid shades for at-a-glance identification
• Water-, tamper- and tear-resistance — Difficult to remove without scissors; branding shrugs off showers, sweat, and spills

SecurBand^® belongs to the synthetic paper wristband class popularized by DuPont^™ Tyvek^® material. The Tyvek^® Wristbands have a strong adhesive closure and use specially woven fibers for “tamper cuts” that shred upon removal.

Future Influencer: RFID Wristbands

Uses: Cashless payments and access, operational data capture, crowd flow

Venues: Theme parks, resorts, music festivals, multi-day live events

RFID wristbands offer frictionless festival experiences to social media’s most-liked desert dreamers, modern muses, and other tech-savvy festivalgoers. Embedded within waterproof wristbands, a secure chip and antenna transmit data upon scan, permitting keyless gate and room entry, tap-and-go payment, guest engagement, and more.

Why RFID wristbands rock high-volume, high-emotion experiences:

• Revenue boosters | Studies show 20–30% increased spend via RFID
• Multi-day comfort | Fabric, plastic, silicone, and thermal printable designs offered
• Customizable | Add logos, barcodes, or variable data
• Data-driven insights | Dwell time, vendor traffic, and traffic patterns sharpen services

These advantages are just the start. Our blog: 3 Benefits of RFID Wristbands for Real-Time Data Capture reveals more.

Most Well-Rounded: Plastic Wristbands

Uses: Multi-day ID, crowd management, customization, color-coded access

Venues: Water parks, live events, camps, hotels, resorts, theme parks

Comfortable, durable, and secure, plastic wristbands adapt to virtually any crowd control and admissions need, creating tremendous value. High-quality plastic wristbands balance strength with flexibility by strategically overlapping laminated plastic layers. This design’s waterproof, scissor-only removal is perfect for multi-day wear; plastic RFID wristbands are available.

The plastic SuperBand^® family is Wristbands.com’s top seller, thanks to:

• Interlocking closures | No transfer, reuse
• Expressive designs | Colorful patterns match your venue
• Customization | On-wrist branding with logos or messages
• Holographic finishes | Elevate entry and access control

Our recent blog, Top 4 Reasons to Choose Plastic Wristbands for Your Venue, shares why plastic is fantastic for high-volume, all-weather events.

All-Star Athlete: Vinyl Wristbands

Uses: Multi-day admission, secure ID, color-coded access control

Venues: Amusement parks, campgrounds, hospitals, festivals, water parks

The “brute in a suit,” vinyl wristbands’ polish masks rugged durability. Their popularity lies in carefully overlaying premium vinyl to fit securely, yet comfortably, for over a week of wear in high-contact, high-humidity environments.

Resistant to stretching, fading, and water, vinyl wristbands suit high-energy events with:

• One-and-done closures | Secure, tamper-resistant fit; scissor removal
• Patterns that pop | Use moody metallic tones and easy-to-spot solids to designate guest age, swimming ability, or pass types
• Statement makers | Glow-in-the-dark and ClearImage^® translucent bands add impact to access control

Guest proximity makes vinyl wristbands perfect for customization. Learn more.

Most Organized: Barcode and Thermal Wristbands

Uses: ID tracking, admission scanning, on-demand printing

Venues: Live events, healthcare, logistics, festivals, corporate

For venues needing in-house printing and efficient check-in, thermal wristbands offer minimal prep for optimal results. Quickly turn thermal wristbands into barcoded wristbands with names and variable data, e.g., access credentials; then, print-on-demand.

Why operations chooses thermal wristbands:

• Direct thermal printing | No extra ink, toner, or ribbons
• Custom on the fly | Drop-and-drag logos, credentials, barcodes, or QR codes
• Integration ready | Pair with POS, registration, or access systems
• Day-long durability | Soft materials resist water, fading
• Security-minded | Tear-resistant and tamper-evident

To start you quickly and affordably, we uniquely bundle ScanBand^® S Thermal Wristbands and a proven PDC Thermal Printer with BarTender^® Ultralite software.

Best Dressed: Woven Fabric Wristbands

Uses: Multi-day access, sponsorship visibility, high-touch experiences

Venues: Music festivals, VIP events, immersive outings, luxe resorts, brand activations

Substance + style = woven wristbands. Popular with experience-driven venues, these soft, fabric wristbands elevate branding and all-day comfort.

Why woven fabric wristbands make the cut:

• Premium presentation | High-profile or Instagrammable events
• High-res customization | Full impact of full-color branding
• Secure closures | Tamper-proof metal closure or reusable plastic clasps
• RFID-ready | Multiple RFID fabric styles from eco-chic to satin elite
• Guest retention | Fan-favorite souvenirs

Woven wristbands support complex designs, multi-color weaves, customization, and are difficult to counterfeit — all while effortlessly enduring multi-day wear.

Best Spirit: Silicone Wristbands

Uses: Fundraising, awareness campaigns, event branding

Venues: Nonprofits, schools, retail, cause marketing

Flexible, reusable silicone wristbands are timeless tokens of identity and advocacy.

Why silicone bands make a lasting impression:

• Customizable messaging | Deboss, emboss, or silkscreen a cause
• Flexible fit | Comfortable adult and child-sized options
• Long-lasting | Extended campaigns or promotions
• Volume pricing | Mass distribution or donor gifts

While not suitable for admission control (because they’re easy to remove and share), our 100% silicone rubber wristbands are enduring symbols of your support.

Wristband Wrap-Up

More than admission, wristbands are operational tools, security measures, and brand touchpoints. In choosing the right wristband type, you can streamline entry, reduce fraud, drive revenue, and create memorable moments.

Still unsure which wristband type suits your venue? Wristbands.com experts will help you find the perfect fit for your needs, budget, and timeline — whether you're running a splashy summer festival or managing year-round resorts.