Custom Wristbands

Silicone Wristbands History

 

In the past five years, the silicone wristband has become an international sensation, a fashion accessory that makes a statement. A simple band of silicone has become the way to show support for a cause, declare a political affiliation or announce one's determination to live life to the fullest.

The wristband owes its status to the determination and popularity of one man, American bicycle racer Lance Armstrong. He created the yellow "Livestrong" silicone wristbands in 2004 in partnership with Nike. The band commemorates Armstrong's own successful battle with cancer, and serves to raise awareness of cancer diagnosis, treatment and impact, and raise funds for Armstrong's educational foundation.

Armstrong was already a championship racer on Oct. 2, 1996, when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain. Given a roughly 40 percent chance of survival, Armstrong underwent surgery and a grueling chemotherapy regimen. With his cancer in remission, he was training again for the Tour de France by 1998.

Armstrong won the Tour de France, the world's most prestigious cycle race, for the first time in 1999, and proceeded to rack up an astonishing seven consecutive victories in the annual event.

In 2004, Armstrong and Nike teamed up to introduce the "Livestrong" silicone wristband. The yellow color represents the yellow jersey traditionally worn by the leader of the Tour de France during the race.

The simple band with the word Livestrong pressed into it quickly became a sensation. The silicone wristbands sell for $1 each to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which supports cancer patients and works to raise cancer awareness. Soon, even athletes competing in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games were sporting the yellow silicone wristbands.

Armstrong's reputation for toughness and determination helped promote the wristbands, and soon the bands were a part of life in America and the world. Other organizations copied the idea, producing silicone bracelets in different colors for their particular causes, and soon a rainbow of silicone wristbands were seen worldwide.

Some of the colors and the causes they represent include: green for kidney donation, pink for breast cancer, blue (or red) for diabetes, ocean blue and white for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and white for the British "Make Poverty History" program.

Custom silicone wristbands also have become a way to announce political affiliations, with bands available in traditional Democratic blue and Republican red. The U.S. recession has even prompted some to use silicone wristbands to announce they're looking for work. A yellow wristband with "I need a job" in black ink lets potential employers know an individual is available.

One reason for the popularity of silicone wristbands is their low cost. Inexpensive to produce, the bands can be sold for a fund-raising product at a low price that virtually anyone from children to adults can afford, yet still yields a relatively high per-unit profit margin.

With their continued popularity, silicone wristbands are likely to continue to be a fund-raising tool, fashion accessory and political statement for the foreseeable future.

 

Custom Wristbands Direct
Ph. 1-888-279-7384
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