Custom motel keychains (also known as hotel keychains or vintage key fobs) for retail shops, brands, conventions, podcasts, and anyone making merch with a vintage motel-tag aesthetic. UV printed in full color on durable plastic, sized to match the classic 3.5" motel key fob, and finished with pre-attached metal hardware.
Alchemy is a production partner built by artists, musicians, and brand owners. We've helped creators produce over 5 million custom products since 2019, and we don't operate like a promotional products company. Whether you're an indie illustrator running your first 50-piece drop, a band making merch for a tour, or a designer ordering for a brand launch, our job is the same: make the best merch we can for you.
What you get
- Size: 3.5" tall x 1.77" wide. Same proportions as a classic mid-century motel key fob.
- Material: Durable acrylic, with plastic body made from ABS recycled plastic.
- Printing: Full-color UV printing, double-sided standard. Single-sided available on request for a more minimal look.
- Hardware: Pre-attached silver or gold hardware. Choice of keyring, lobster claw, or hardware-only.
- Express shipping included
Plastic colors
Attachment options
Other motel keychain options we offer
- Foil-embossed motel keychains for a stamped, premium tactile finish
- Metal motel UV keychains, the same UV printing on a metal body (smaller 2.5" size)
- Wooden motel keychains, made in the USA, for the sustainable cherry wood version
- Patch motel keychains, embroidered or woven on the same motel shape
How a run actually works
Most orders start with a quote, not a cart. You send us your artwork (vector, raster, sketch, Procreate file, whatever you have), and we come back with pricing, a production timeline, and any production notes within a business day or two. We'll flag anything in the file that won't translate well at production size before we move forward, so you're not surprised at proof.
From proof approval, most overseas products are about a month to your door. That's the nature of producing 100% custom merchandise overseas vs. shipping a stock promotional item. Shipping is express and included in the price.
If you have a hard deadline, tell us before you order. We don't charge rush fees. We'll either confirm we can hit your date or tell you up front that we can't, so you can plan around it.
Why our minimum is 50
It's a factory math thing, not a quality stance. The factories we work with charge a labor minimum that covers setup, mold use, proofing, and the production run itself. That floor barely changes between a 25-piece and a 50-piece order, so a 25-piece run costs almost the same as 50 with half the output. 50 is where the per-piece price actually starts to make sense.
We can run smaller hard sample runs if you really need to (the factory will do it), but it's not financially viable for most people: you're paying close to 50-piece pricing for a fraction of the output. If you're set on a small run, email us first and we'll walk through whether it's worth it. Larger runs (100, 200, and up) bring the per-piece cost down meaningfully.
Who we work with
Artists running their own work: illustrators, bands, indie brand owners, podcasters, comic creators, convention sellers. Designers ordering for a brand launch, an event, a campaign, or a customer giveaway. Agencies and design studios producing merch for their clients. Merch companies running production for the artists they represent. The common thread is that the merch matters: it's representing a brand, a band, an artist, or a project that someone cares about.
What you get with Alchemy
- 5+ million products produced for creators and brands since 2019.
- 100% money-back guarantee. If it's not right, we remake it at no cost or refund you in full.
- Prop 65 compliant on metal-and-enamel keychains, tested for lead and phthalates.
- Long-standing factory relationships. We've been working with the same vetted overseas factories for years. Consistent quality, predictable timelines, no chasing the lowest quote. You get a US-based partner who handles the production logistics for you.
- Quality good enough for licensed brands. We've produced merch for officially licensed properties and large brands. The same standard goes on every order.
- A team of artists, musicians, and brand owners. Not customer-service reps trained on a script. Everyone proofing your file knows what it feels like to send their own art to a factory and hope it comes back right.
Common questions
Are motel keychains and hotel keychains the same thing?
Yes. Both terms describe the same vintage key-fob shape, the kind that hung on the wall at mid-century roadside motels and small-town hotels. Whichever term you use, this is the product.
How much does a custom motel keychain cost?
Depends on quantity, hardware, and whether you're going UV printed, foil embossed, metal, or wooden. UV printed plastic is typically the most economical of the four. Email us your design and rough quantity for an exact quote.
If I do two designs of 50 each, is that priced as 100?
No, each design is its own run because each one needs separate file setup and production. Quote two 50-piece runs separately. Same total quantity, slightly higher per-piece because the setup is doubled.
Can I do print variants on the same shape?
Yes, simple variants are no problem if each variant hits 50 pieces. If you want lots of low-quantity variants (numbering, serializing, frequent color changes), email us for a quote because the added labor changes the math.
Can the keychain be a different shape?
The classic motel shape is what these are. If you want a different shape entirely, look at our PVC keychains (any custom die-cut shape) or UV printed metal keychains.
How long do they take?
About four weeks from proof approval to your door, including express shipping. Hard deadline? Tell us before you order; we'll confirm whether we can hit it. No rush fees.
Do I see a proof before production?
Yes. Digital proof for review before production is scheduled. Revisions are unlimited until you approve. We don't make a physical sample by default (that doubles turnaround if requested), but the digital proof shows exactly how the print will land on the plastic.
Are these made in the USA?
Plastic motel keychains are produced overseas at long-vetted factories. Our team is US-based and handles file prep, proofing, and customer success. If you need a US-made option, see our wooden motel keychains, which are produced at our US wood shop in 7 to 10 business days.
Start a quote
Send us your artwork and a rough quantity, and we'll come back with pricing and a timeline within a business day or two. Not sure if your file will work? Send what you have. We'll tell you what we'd need to make it production-ready. Start a quote.
Design Templates
Set up your artwork at the correct size with proper bleed and safe zones using our production templates. Vector files (PDF/AI/EPS) are preferred for clean lines and scaling; raster (PSD) works for full-color artwork at 300dpi.
- Motel Keychain Template - Vector PDF + Raster PSD (Vector + Raster bundle)
