We have our keys with us or near us most everywhere we go, and the time-favoured method of keeping them safely secured is with the use of a keyring or keychain. Cool keyrings are available from nearly any resort or destination you would care to visit, but merely securing your keys and looking good is only part of this little accessory’s appeal.
Invented by Samuel Harrison in the nineteenth century, the basic blueprint of a keyring consists of a single piece of metal formed into a double loop. Either end of the metal split ring can then be prised open, and multiple keys attached.
In the 1950s and 60s, radical advances in plastics manufacturing led to keyrings with chains and trinkets attached becoming mass-produced. Businesses realised a unique keyring with their company logo or mascot on was a brilliant way to raise brand awareness. Cheap to make, lightweight and small, and able to be distributed in bulk, a keyring made the perfect promotional item.
Novelty designs and collectable keyring series took off, and keyrings commemorating important events or celebrating popular bands and television characters were commonplace. A good proportion of the population found themselves engaged in copoclephily, as keyring collecting hobbyists. The world record for the largest keyring collection in the world was set in 2016 by Angel Alvarez Cornejo of Spain, with a staggering 62,257 unique keyrings.
Multi-functional in Modern Times
Nowadays, manufacturing processes are even quicker, cheaper and more precise. As a result, electrical key fobs and accessories can be produced to a scale small enough to fit on a keyring too. Army knives, bottle openers, USB flash drives, flashlights and key-finding devices are all useful items you can now keep handy with your keys.
The range of designs and styles of keyrings available has also only grown, allowing the owner to personalise their keys to reflect their style or tastes to their heart's content. Keyrings with a distinctive shape, colour, and material, like a bee key ring from Brass Bee, can help with finding and gripping your keys.
Keyrings still hold the top spot for one of the most popular promotional items and souvenirs, too, for all the reasons they did in the 1960s. Nowadays they are also an extremely popular gift choice. Cheap and small enough to give out to large groups, a memento keyring commemorating the day is a familiar choice of wedding favour. A souvenir keyring from the day’s destination makes for a great take-home gift for children on a school trip. Able to reflect the recipient’s interests and personality completely, if you were wondering “Is a keychain a good gift?”, the answer is a resounding “Yes!”.
And since a keyring is an item we see and use every day, why not treat yourself to one that will put a smile on your face every time you see it? Brass Bee’s bumble bee keyring is the perfect complement to our iconic bumble bee door knockers. Cast in solid brass with a high-shine finish, this distinctive design is the ultimate way to keep your keys handy while celebrating your individuality and flair.
