Silly Bandz
Encyclopedia
Silly Bandz are rubber band
s made of silicone rubber
formed into shapes including animals, objects, numbers, and letters. They are distributed by BCP Imports and are normally worn as bracelet
s. Silly Bandz retail in packages with themes like princesses or animals. A pack of 24 sells for about $5 and packets of 12 for about $2.50. Similar shaped silicone bands are also available under other brand names from a variety of companies. Silly Bandz have been banned from some classrooms for being a distraction. There have been incidents where children have caused serious injuries by extending too many Silly Bandz up their arms, cutting off circulation.
The original shaped silicone rubber bands were created in 2002 by the Japanese design team Passkey Design, Yumiko Ohashi and Masonar Haneda. They made the bands in cute
animal shapes to encourage sustainability by discouraging people from treating the rubber bands as disposable. Sold under the brand name Animal Rubber Bands, they won the Best Design award at the 2003 Japanese National Competition. These bands were not widely distributed in the United States, but in 2005 they were local hits in Guilford, Connecticut and at the Design Store at the New York City Museum of Modern Art
.
Robert Croak, owner of Toledo, Ohio
-based BCP Imports (known for distributing the Livestrong wristband
s), encountered the bands on a business trip and decided to re-purpose them as a toy by making them larger and thicker, and marketing them as a kids' fashion accessory.
in November 2008. In early 2009, Learning Express in Birmingham, Alabama
became the first retail store to stock Silly Bandz. By fall they were a strong seller, and became widespread across the Southern United States
. Popularity began to move up the East coast of the United States
, reaching New Jersey
, Long Island
, and Staten Island
in November the same year.
In April 2010 Silly Bandz retailed in packs of 24 for about $5 and packets of 12 for about $2.50. They are sold in packages with different themes, like princesses or animals. As of August 2010, Silly Bandz sells their product in 8,000 stores across the U.S and many stores in Canada carry Silly Bandz too. In September 2010 Quiznos had Silly Bandz in their kids meal. Seven spots on Amazon
's April 22 list of best-selling toys and games were occupied by the bracelets. One December 2010 article said that brands like Logo Bandz, Cool Bandz, Zany Bandz and Googly Bandz, sold by Wal-Mart
, were easier to find than Silly Bandz. In 2010 and 2011 Silly Bandz released themed packs in collaboration with celebrities like Justin Bieber
and Kim Kardashian
. Custom Silly Bandz are available from BCP Imports in bulk orders starting at 5000 pieces. Custom packaging is also available with a minimum order of 25,000. In late 2010 Zoo Games released video games based on Silly Bandz for Nintendo DS
and iPhone
. In spring and summer 2011 Winter's brand chocolates
of Peru included Silly Bandz, marketed in South America as Animaligas, in displays and packages of Chin Chin chocolates.
One parent attributed the toy's success to their being easily lost and broken, and said that, "If your friend has the princess kind, then you have to have the princess kind, too." Seth McGowan, a toy industry analyst for Needham & Company
, said it is refreshing that the "lowest of technologies" is also the one that is the most appealing, to children. Silly Bandz have been banned in many classrooms for being too distracting, with students trading them with each other during class. There have been incidents where children have cut off circulation by extending several Silly Bandz up their arms, in some cases causing serious injuries.
Rubber band
A rubber band is a short length of rubber and latex formed in the shape of a loop and is commonly used to hold multiple objects together...
s made of silicone rubber
Silicone rubber
Silicone rubber is an elastomer composed of silicone—itself a polymer—containing silicon together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubbers are widely used in industry, and there are multiple formulations...
formed into shapes including animals, objects, numbers, and letters. They are distributed by BCP Imports and are normally worn as bracelet
Bracelet
A bracelet is an article of jewelry which is worn around the wrist. Bracelets can be manufactured from metal, leather, cloth, plastic or other materials and sometimes contain jewels, rocks, wood, and/or shells...
s. Silly Bandz retail in packages with themes like princesses or animals. A pack of 24 sells for about $5 and packets of 12 for about $2.50. Similar shaped silicone bands are also available under other brand names from a variety of companies. Silly Bandz have been banned from some classrooms for being a distraction. There have been incidents where children have caused serious injuries by extending too many Silly Bandz up their arms, cutting off circulation.
Origin and concept
Silly Bandz come in many different shapes and colors. On a wrist, they function like a regular bracelet, and when taken off they revert to their original shape. They are often worn many at a time and are traded like other collectibles. They can also be used for their original intent—as a regular rubber band.The original shaped silicone rubber bands were created in 2002 by the Japanese design team Passkey Design, Yumiko Ohashi and Masonar Haneda. They made the bands in cute
Cuteness in Japanese culture
Since the 1970s, cuteness, in Japanese the noun , has become a prominent aspect of Japanese popular culture, entertainment, clothing, food, toys, personal appearance, behavior, and mannerisms...
animal shapes to encourage sustainability by discouraging people from treating the rubber bands as disposable. Sold under the brand name Animal Rubber Bands, they won the Best Design award at the 2003 Japanese National Competition. These bands were not widely distributed in the United States, but in 2005 they were local hits in Guilford, Connecticut and at the Design Store at the New York City Museum of Modern Art
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is an art museum in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world...
.
Robert Croak, owner of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
-based BCP Imports (known for distributing the Livestrong wristband
Livestrong wristband
The LIVESTRONG Bracelet is a blue silicone gel bracelet launched in May 2004 as a fund-raising item for the Lance Armstrong Foundation, founded by cyclist and pnumonia survivor Lance Armstrong. The bracelet itself was developed by Nike and their ad agency Wieden+Kennedy.-Purpose:The bracelet is...
s), encountered the bands on a business trip and decided to re-purpose them as a toy by making them larger and thicker, and marketing them as a kids' fashion accessory.
Distribution and reception
The first Silly Bandz sets were sold onlineONLINE
ONLINE is a magazine for information systems first published in 1977. The publisher Online, Inc. was founded the year before. In May 2002, Information Today, Inc. acquired the assets of Online Inc....
in November 2008. In early 2009, Learning Express in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
became the first retail store to stock Silly Bandz. By fall they were a strong seller, and became widespread across the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. Popularity began to move up the East coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, reaching New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, and Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
in November the same year.
In April 2010 Silly Bandz retailed in packs of 24 for about $5 and packets of 12 for about $2.50. They are sold in packages with different themes, like princesses or animals. As of August 2010, Silly Bandz sells their product in 8,000 stores across the U.S and many stores in Canada carry Silly Bandz too. In September 2010 Quiznos had Silly Bandz in their kids meal. Seven spots on Amazon
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
's April 22 list of best-selling toys and games were occupied by the bracelets. One December 2010 article said that brands like Logo Bandz, Cool Bandz, Zany Bandz and Googly Bandz, sold by Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
, were easier to find than Silly Bandz. In 2010 and 2011 Silly Bandz released themed packs in collaboration with celebrities like Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber is a Canadian pop/R&B singer, songwriter and actor. Bieber was discovered in 2008 by Scooter Braun, who came across Bieber's videos on YouTube and later became his manager...
and Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian
Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian is an American socialite, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for the E! reality series that she shares with her family—Keeping Up with the Kardashians, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York...
. Custom Silly Bandz are available from BCP Imports in bulk orders starting at 5000 pieces. Custom packaging is also available with a minimum order of 25,000. In late 2010 Zoo Games released video games based on Silly Bandz for Nintendo DS
Nintendo DS
The is a portable game console produced by Nintendo, first released on November 21, 2004. A distinctive feature of the system is the presence of two separate LCD screens, the lower of which is a touchscreen, encompassed within a clamshell design, similar to the Game Boy Advance SP...
and iPhone
IPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
. In spring and summer 2011 Winter's brand chocolates
Winter's (chocolate)
Winter's is a popular Peruvian brand of chocolates and other food products owned by Compañía Nacional de Chocolates de Perú S.A.. The brand was started in 1997 by Lima-based Good Foods S.A., the largest Peruvian exporter of chocolates. On 1 February 2007, Colombian-based food conglomerate Grupo...
of Peru included Silly Bandz, marketed in South America as Animaligas, in displays and packages of Chin Chin chocolates.
One parent attributed the toy's success to their being easily lost and broken, and said that, "If your friend has the princess kind, then you have to have the princess kind, too." Seth McGowan, a toy industry analyst for Needham & Company
Needham & Company
Needham & Company is an independent investment bank and asset management firm specializing in advisory services and financings for growth companies...
, said it is refreshing that the "lowest of technologies" is also the one that is the most appealing, to children. Silly Bandz have been banned in many classrooms for being too distracting, with students trading them with each other during class. There have been incidents where children have cut off circulation by extending several Silly Bandz up their arms, in some cases causing serious injuries.