How to count
- List every category that needs its own band: day ticket for each day, weekend pass, VIP, staff, stewards, press, artists.
- Write down how many people are in each category. Start from tickets sold, the guest list or the venue capacity.
- Decide whether each person gets one band for the whole event or a new one every day.
- Add spares for each category and round up.
- Check that every band design comes to at least 100 pcs.
One band for the whole event or one per day?
Weekend pass: the band goes on at the first entry and stays on for the whole event. One person, one band. It has to survive several days, so choose woven or vinyl.
Day band: a new colour every day. You then need one variant per day, and yesterday's band is worthless at the gate. It also stops bands being passed on, see the guide to single-use wristband security.
Both: if you sell weekend passes and day tickets, you need one colour for the weekend pass and one colour per day. Staff usually get their own colour that is valid on all days.
A worked example with weekend passes, day bands and staff is in the guide to wristbands per day.
How many spares?
Wristband suppliers usually plan for a buffer of around 5–15 per cent on top of expected attendance. Go lower for a closed guest list and higher for tickets sold at the door or an outdoor event.
Spares cover bands that are fitted wrongly, cut off by mistake, or used up when more people turn up than expected.
Order the spares now rather than placing a second order later. A new order takes 2–3 weeks again, and the price tiers are calculated for each order separately.
Spares cost less than you might think. The unit price falls as the quantity rises, so 900 vinyl wristbands cost €208 and 1,000 cost €220 excl. VAT.
Example: a three-day festival
An invented example with 10 per cent spares on every band:
| Band | People | +10% spares | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday day ticket (woven) | 1,500 | 1,650 | 1,650 |
| Saturday day ticket (woven) | 2,000 | 2,200 | 2,200 |
| Weekend pass (woven) | 800 | 880 | 880 |
| Staff and stewards (vinyl) | 300 | 330 | 330 |
| Press (vinyl) | 40 | 44 | 100 |
The press bands are raised to 100 pcs because that is the minimum per design.
At current prices that is 4,730 woven wristbands for €1,106 and 430 vinyl wristbands for €176, excl. VAT and shipping. The woven wristbands are priced on all 4,730 together, not per day.
Many zones, few bands
Every variant must be at least 100 pcs. If you have lots of small categories (artists, catering, medical), it is often smarter to combine them into one band that says CREW and tell them apart by their accreditation.
How to build the colour system itself is covered in the guide to colour-coded entry wristbands.
Questions and answers
What is the minimum quantity?+
100 pcs per design. Volume pricing is calculated on all variants of the same band type together.
How many spares should we plan for?+
A common rule of thumb among suppliers is 5–15 per cent. Go lower for a closed guest list and higher for tickets sold at the door and outdoor events.
Can we order more later?+
Yes, but it is a new order with a delivery time of 2–3 weeks, and the price tiers are calculated for the new order on its own.
What do we do with leftover bands?+
Bands without a date can be kept for next time. Bands with a date or a day colour are used up once the event is over. Keep them locked away until then, as they are worth as much as tickets.
Sources