Rubber wristbands are popular for promoting causes, sports teams, and identities. They were popularized by Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong campaign and have since been used to raise funds for various charities and disasters. They come in different colors and designs and have become a fashion trend.
Rubber wristbands are a visible and attractive way to advertise your devotion to a certain cause, sports team or identity. Bracelets are wide, flat bands that stretch to fit around your wrist or forearm. Beginning with the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s idea to raise money for cancer research and education, proceeds from the purchase of charity rubber bracelets often go to a non-profit organization dedicated to raising significant funds.
The beginning of many people wearing rubber bracelets began with Lance Armstrong’s popular attempt to unite those living with cancer into a single organization. His foundation promotes the possibility for victims to “live strong” while fighting the disease and seeking a cure. In 2004, he joined other companies to launch an initiative where the sale of yellow rubber bracelets emblazoned with the LiveStrong slogan would raise money, one dollar at a time, for cancer research and support for awareness and prevention.
The rubber bracelet craze was galvanized by a few other major disasters that required immediate and generous funding. For example, the international terrorist attacks and the devastating tsunami of 2004 have motivated many charities to sell rubber bracelets to benefit the victims of these phenomena. They borrowed from the efforts of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Since silicone rubber is easy to mass-produce and cast in bright colors, it became a popular choice for charities to raise funds and publicity for various causes.
Unisex rubber bracelets originally appealed to people’s desire to proclaim their devotion to a particular cause, even if they have since become a fashion trend. Organizations have raised millions of dollars for cancer cure research, war refugees, rebuilding tsunami-ravaged countries, and HIV education.
Some wristbands are imprinted with a phrase, such as “Support Our Troops,” along with a colorful design or emblem. Of course, your color is coordinated with your cause, so the patriotic bracelets have red, white, and blue stripes, while the breast cancer bands are pink. Events, such as marathons, auctions, or marches, often sell rubber wristbands so everyone can show solidarity.
Rubber bracelets are not limited to supporting humanitarian causes. Once they received widespread media attention, they were popularized by young people as fashion statements incorporating funny phrases, messages, and favorite cartoon personalities. For example, two teenagers might have matching friendship bracelets that proclaim, “Best Friends Forever.” Some bracelets have swirling rainbow patterns, while others are fluorescent colors that can glow in the dark.
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