“Eyelet” and “grommet” are two terms the industry often uses interchangeably, but they are not synonyms. The confusion is logical: both pieces are metal rings that reinforce holes and are installed the same way. However, the difference between eyelet and grommet matters in practice because it determines which piece will hold under the load of your application and which tool you need to set it.

This technical guide, written by Industria Acosta Pramon from decades of manufacturing both pieces, settles the distinction once and for all.

What an eyelet is

An eyelet is a tubular metal ring designed to reinforce a hole in relatively thin materials: fabric, leather, light canvas, card or plastic. It has two pieces: the eyelet body (with its flange and barrel) and the washer or counter-piece on the reverse of the material. Crimping the barrel onto the washer locks the assembly and reinforces the hole permanently.

Technical characteristics of eyelets:

Inner diameter: typically between 4 mm and 12 mm
Relatively short barrel, for low-thickness materials (up to 3–4 mm)
Moderate flange size
Wider range of decorative finishes (nickel, gold, colour-lacquered)
Set with hand pliers or a small bench press

Typical eyelet uses: shoe lacing, belt holes, bag eyelets, presentation folders, light fabric curtains, scrapbooking, leather goods.

What a grommet is

A grommet is a tubular metal ring of larger size and greater robustness than an eyelet, designed to reinforce holes in thick materials under heavy mechanical load. Like the eyelet, it is set with a washer on the reverse, but both body and washer are larger to spread the load over a bigger surface.

Technical characteristics of grommets:

Inner diameter: typically between 10 mm and 40 mm (larger sizes exist)
Longer, larger-diameter barrel, able to pass through several millimetres of material
Larger flange to spread tension
More functional than decorative finishes (natural brass, nickel, stainless)
Requires a bench press or pneumatic machine for correct installation

Typical grommet uses: outdoor awnings and tarpaulins, sailcloth, heavyweight decorative curtains, truck tarpaulins, industrial marquees, large-format advertising banners.

Comparison: eyelet vs grommet vs rivet

Feature	Eyelet	Grommet	Rivet
Primary function	Reinforce a through-hole in thin material	Reinforce a through-hole in thick material / high tension	Join two layers of material
Creates a through-hole?	Yes	Yes	No
Typical inner diameter	4–12 mm	10–40 mm	6–15 mm (head)
Number of pieces	2 (eyelet + washer)	2 (grommet + washer)	2 (cap + post)
Mechanical strength	Medium	High	High (axial)
Material thickness	Thin (up to 3–4 mm)	Thick (up to 20 mm)	Variable
Setting tool	Pliers / manual kit	Bench / pneumatic press	Riveter / press
Flagship application	Footwear, leather goods	Awnings, tarpaulins, marine	Straps, leather goods

Origin of the terms: history of eyelet and grommet

The terminological confusion has historical roots. The Spanish word ojete comes directly from medieval Catalan and Castilian, where it denoted any small hole reinforced with metal — by analogy with “ojo” (eye, a circular opening). Its usage spread in the footwear and leather-goods industries, where these small pieces have been indispensable since the 19th century. The English word “eyelet” follows the same idea.

The term ollao (Spanish) — equivalent to English “grommet” — has its origins in the marine industry, where reinforcements on sail holes were more robust pieces than the small washers of the footwear trade. The nautical word spread to the awning and industrial-tarpaulin sector as these applications adopted the larger piece.

In current industrial practice in Spain, “ojete” is used both for small pieces and, generically, for any piece of this type. “Ollao” is generally reserved for pieces of larger diameter (from 10–12 mm upward), though some sectors use them interchangeably.

At Acosta we use the terms distinctly: eyelets (ojetes) for pieces of up to 12 mm inner diameter and grommets (ollaos) for pieces from 12 mm upwards, following the most widespread practice in the Spanish industrial sector.

When to use an eyelet and when to use a grommet

The practical rule is simple:

Use an eyelet if: the material is thin (dress fabric, thin leather, card, light canvas), the required diameter is under 10–12 mm, the tensile load is moderate, or installation is manual with pliers.
Use a grommet if: the material is thick (PVC tarpaulin, awning, sailcloth, truck tarpaulin), the required diameter exceeds 10–12 mm, or the installation is subject to significant mechanical stress (wind, load, continuous use).
Use a rivet if: you do not need a through-hole but rather to join two pieces together permanently (joining straps, reinforcing bag corners, joining metal parts).

Worked examples

Light-fabric decorative curtains: 12 mm eyelets — the material is thin and the load is just the curtain’s weight.
Blackout or heavy velvet curtains: 40 mm grommets — thick material, significant weight. See our range of curtain grommets.
Sports shoes: 4–5 mm eyelets in nickel-plated brass. See brass eyelets.
Façade advertising banner: 10–16 mm grommets in brass or aluminium.
Boat sail: 8–16 mm stainless grommets depending on position. See our marine eyelets.

Not sure which piece you need?

We’ve been manufacturing both for decades. Describe your application and we will recommend the exact reference, diameter, material and setting tool.

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FAQ — difference between eyelet and grommet

Are eyelets and grommets installed the same way?

The process is the same: punch the material, insert the piece from the front face and crimp the washer onto the reverse. The difference is in the tooling: small eyelets (up to 12 mm) can be set with hand pliers or a hammer-and-punch kit; larger grommets require a bench press or pneumatic machine to deliver the necessary crimping force.

Can grommets be used where eyelets are intended?

It is not recommended to use a large grommet where a small eyelet is required. The larger grommet needs a bigger hole and may weaken a thin material. The aesthetic result may also be inappropriate. The reverse — using an eyelet where a grommet is required — is also wrong: the lower mechanical strength of the small eyelet can allow pull-out under load.

Are there non-metallic eyelets and grommets?

Plastic versions (polyethylene or nylon) exist for very specific applications where metal cannot be used: food-contact items, garments passing through metal detectors, pharmaceuticals, certain medical uses. However, plastics do not offer the mechanical strength of metal and their use is marginal in industrial applications. At Acosta we manufacture metal pieces exclusively.

What eyelet or grommet material is most common in each sector?

Each sector has its reference material for technical and economic reasons: footwear uses nickel-plated steel (economical, adequate for indoor use); leather goods use brass (better finish, greater durability); marine uses stainless (essential in salt environments); outdoor awnings and tarpaulins use brass or aluminium (price/strength balance); the TIR sector uses brass (the standard’s specification); textile garment uses aluminium or nickel-plated steel (lightness and low cost).