How to make acrylic keychains (DIY, POD, and sell online)

In this guide, Merchize walks you through two ways to make acrylic keychains. You can either create them yourself or use a print on demand service to produce unique personalized designs. These acrylic keychains are meaningful pieces whether you keep them for yourself or give them to someone you care about. Choose the method that fits you best and start creating.

How to make acrylic keychains (DIY)

When you choose to make acrylic keychains at home, you’ll need to prepare all the essential tools yourself and customize everything the way you want. There are three main methods you can use to create your own acrylic keychain:

• Use a vinyl cutter and apply vinyl onto an acrylic blank
• Use a laser machine
• Combine laser-cut shapes with a UV printer

1. Gather the required supplies

In this section, the tools will be divided into two types: essentials you must have to make the keychain, and additional tools depending on the method you choose.

Common tools include:

• Acrylic blanks (available in round, square, character shapes, or clear blanks for custom cutting)
• Jump rings, lobster clasps, or keychain hardware
• Jewelry pliers for opening and closing rings
• A microfiber cloth for cleaning the surface

Using a vinyl cutter (Cricut or Silhouette): Permanent vinyl or printable vinyl, a vinyl cutting machine, transfer tape, weeding tools for removing small details, and a cutting mat.

Using a laser machine: A laser cutter (Fiber or CO₂), marking paper if you want sharper engraving, masking tape to secure the acrylic, and a smoke extractor (optional).

Using laser cutting and UV printing: A UV printer for full color designs, UV resin to add gloss or enhance color durability, and a UV lamp to cure the resin.

2. Create your acrylic keychain design draft

Once you have all the tools and machines ready, you’ll need a draft of the acrylic keychain you want to create. A complete design usually includes:

• Creating a template that matches the size of your acrylic blank, typically between 2 and 3 inches
• Choosing a background, whether it’s a solid color, a pattern, a texture, or leaving it transparent if you plan to use UV printing
• Adding icons, characters, fanart, logos or any text you like
• Arranging the layout so it looks balanced. Avoid tiny details if you’re using vinyl because they’ll be difficult to weed
• Exporting your files: a PNG at 300 dpi with a transparent background for printing or engraving, and an SVG with only the cutting outline so your machine can cut the shape accurately

Note: When designing, always double-check the placement of the keychain hole so you don’t put important details too close to the drilled area.

3. Cut, print or engrave the acrylic piece

At this stage, you’ll decide how your finished product will look, as each method creates different effects.

Vinyl cutter method:

• Cut the decal according to your exported SVG design
• Weed the excess vinyl
• Use transfer tape to apply the vinyl onto the acrylic blank
• Press firmly to ensure the vinyl sticks well and avoid lifting at the edges

Laser machine method:

• Engrave directly with the laser to create sharp black lines on the acrylic blank
• Use marking paper if you want smoother engraving without burned edges
• Cut acrylic with the laser if you’re using a large acrylic sheet instead of a pre-made blank

UV printing method:

• Place the acrylic blank in the UV printer
• Print full-color designs directly onto the surface
• Print in 2–3 layers to ensure color durability and prevent peeling

4. Finish the surface and add a protective coating

To make your acrylic keychain look polished, maintain vibrant colors, and resist scratches, you’ll need to apply a protective coating or varnish after the keychain is finished. The process is as follows:

• Drop a small amount of UV resin onto the surface of the acrylic
• Use a wooden stick or silicone tip to spread it evenly
• Check for and remove any air bubbles before curing
• Place under a UV lamp for about 1–3 minutes until the resin fully hardens
• Flip the keychain and repeat if you want to coat both sides

5. Attach the jump ring and keychain hardware

You just need to attach the keychain hardware to make it ready for use. Handle it carefully to avoid breakage:

• Use pliers to gently open the jump ring sideways (do not twist up and down to prevent snapping)
• Slide the jump ring through the acrylic hole
• Attach the lobster clasp or other keychain hardware onto the same jump ring
• Use pliers to close the ring and check that it’s securely fastened
• Wipe the surface with a microfiber cloth to remove any fingerprints

Once all these steps are completed, your acrylic keychain is fully finished and ready to enjoy.

Making acrylic keychains through custom services 

If you want to own custom acrylic keychains without investing in expensive machines, spending hours weeding vinyl, or curing resin, using a print-on-demand service is the fastest, most affordable, and convenient option.

With a ready design file, you only need to adjust it to the printer’s required format to ensure sharp colors and clean cuts. If you don’t have a design yet, many providers offer template libraries for you to choose from.

This method is perfect if you want to try selling, as total production and shipping time typically takes only 4 to 14 days depending on the region. When browsing artist or anime niche acrylic keychains on Etsy, you’ll notice most sellers use this approach for its convenience and reliability.

How to customize acrylic keychains with Merchize

Merchize provides sellers with an all-in-one platform that covers everything from design, printing, and shipping to integration with e-commerce marketplaces like Etsy, Amazon, Shopify, and eBay, offering maximum support for sellers. The base cost for a single acrylic keychain starts at just $2, making it ideal for scaling up your production while still maintaining healthy profit margins for your store.

Print guidelines for custom acrylic keychains 

• Use PNG or JPEG files at 150 DPI or higher, and follow the template precisely to ensure the best print quality
• Prepare your print file in CMYK first, then convert it to RGB (since PNG only supports RGB)
• Cover the entire design area, and keep text or important details within the Safe Print Area to avoid trimming
• Avoid using opacity below 25%, as it may be difficult to print or could lose details
• Always double-check your files, as the actual print colors may differ slightly from what appears on your screen

Note: To ensure the highest quality production, contact Merchize support while adding your design to the template. Their 24/7 support team is available, so you won’t have to worry about urgent assistance if needed.

Types of acrylic keychains available at Merchize

As of now, Merchize offers 18 lines of custom keychains. Among them, 4 are acrylic keychains, while the rest include hologram, wooden, leatherette, oval, rectangle, and engraved options—giving sellers plenty of choices to create winning products for their stores.

• Custom shape 2-layer acrylic keychain – $2
• Custom shape 1-side printed acrylic keychain – $2
• Custom shape 2-side printed acrylic keychain – $2.1
• Custom shape acrylic hologram keychain – $2.2
• Custom shape shaker keychain – $3.2
• Stainless steel keychain – $3.5
• Custom shape 2-side printed multi-charm keychain – $2.3
• Custom shape wooden keychain – $2
• Custom shape hologram shaker keychain – $3.5
• Oval leatherette bottle opener keychain – $8
• Rectangle leatherette keychain – $6.25
• Oval leatherette keychain – $6.25
• Oval leatherette and metal keychain – $7.5
• Round leatherette and metal keychain – $7.5
• Rectangle leatherette and metal keychain – $7.5
• Rectangle leatherette bottle opener keychain – $8
• Engraved oval leatherette bottle opener keychain – $8
• Engraved rectangle leatherette bottle opener keychain – $8

Production time and international shipping

Production and shipping times may vary depending on the type of keychain you choose and the delivery region. Here’s a general timeline for production and international shipping with Merchize:

Production time: 1–3 business days

Shipping time:

• US: 4–7 business days
• EU / Rest of the World: 10–15 business days
• GB / UK: 7–9 business days
• Canada: 7–12 business days
• TikTok Shop US: 4–7 business days

Note: 2–6 additional days may be needed due to external factors beyond our control.

Types of best-selling acrylic keychains

Anime and idol keychains

Acrylic keychains based on anime, manga, or idols are consistently among the best-sellers thanks to large, dedicated fan communities and high collector demand. Chibi-style designs, iconic scenes, or character poses easily attract buyers.

Popular games like Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Blue Lock serve as common sources of inspiration for sellers to create designs that meet their customers’ interests.

Fandom merchandise

Keychains created for gaming, streamer, or music fandoms are highly sought after as fans want to preserve memories and show their support. These items are often sold in sets with stickers, cards, or other extras, making them ideal for limited-edition merch or gifts.

Just look at major K-pop acts like BTS, Blackpink, or solo idols—whenever they release limited-edition concert merchandise, it sells out instantly because fans rush to collect it.

3D character charms

3D charms are a more profitable segment compared to regular flat acrylic keychains due to their depth effect and premium feel. Consequently, their selling price is significantly higher because of the complex techniques required and a higher error rate. For beginners, this type of product is not the ideal choice, even though it offers good profit margins.

Cute and kawaii keychains

Cute and kawaii keychains sell steadily throughout the year because they aren’t dependent on trends. As long as the design matches customer preferences, such as dressed-up Shiba Inu or elements popular with female buyers, the chances of making sales are very high.

Cryptid shaker jar keychains

Shaker keychains with glitter or moving mini charms are very popular within the indie artist community. The hottest variations include cryptid shakers featuring Bigfoot, Mothman, or Nessie, potion bottle shakers inspired by magical potions, and ocean-themed designs with dolphins, coral, or floating starfish inside. These keychains have relatively high selling prices, reflecting the technical skills required to produce them. In particular, the products look unique and handmade, making them highly collectible and appealing to collectors or fans within specific niches.

Where to sell acrylic keychains online

Sell on Etsy: Etsy is one of the most active marketplaces for selling acrylic keychains worldwide. Customer demand focuses on handmade, custom, and collectible items, making it ideal for unique or limited-edition acrylic keychains. Search traffic for keywords like “anime keychain” and “custom acrylic keychain” is very high, making it the easiest place for beginners to get their first orders.

Sell on Amazon: Amazon is more suitable for sellers who want to sell acrylic keychains in larger quantities. You can also leverage Merch by Amazon to reach a wider audience.

Sell on Shopify: Shopify works best if you have marketing knowledge and skills for your products. Because you control every step of the process, your profit margins can be higher compared to Etsy and Amazon.

Sell on TikTok Shop: Although it has only recently gained popularity, TikTok Shop is considered a fast-growing and sustainable sales channel in 2025. Many humorous videos featuring products reach millions of views, helping increase revenue for stores.

Acrylic keychains are accessories that let you express creativity, capture fandoms, and turn your ideas into tangible collectibles. Each piece, handcrafted or made via print-on-demand, can become a standout item in your shop, a unique gift, or a collectible, offering personal satisfaction and real opportunities to grow your business.