The Reason You Have No Money: Silly Bandz
Where did they come from? Where did they go?
Today, we’ll go back in time to Silly Bandz. If y’all don’t remember, Silly Bandz are silicone rubber bands that are in different shapes like animals and fast food. We wore them like bracelets, traded them, collected them. It was a big deal in elementary school.
The History
The original Silly Bandz were created in 2002 by the Japanese design team Passkey Design, Yumiko Ohashi, and Masonar Haneda. They made these cute animal-shaped rubber bands to encourage people to reuse rubber bands instead of treating them like disposables. They were sold in select stores like the Museum of Modern Art design store in limited quantities. On a business trip to China, owner of BCP Imports, Robert Croak, saw these bands and decided to repurpose them as a kids fashion accessory by making them bigger and more durable. The first Silly Bandz were sold online in 2008 and in 2009, they quickly spread all throughout the South in brick and mortar stores. As popularity grew, Silly Bandz swept the East Coast and soon the entire nation. By 2010, 8000 stores across the US and Canada sold Silly Bandz.
Did You Know?
- In 2010, Silly Bandz was a part of Quiznos’ kids’ meal!
- There were Silly Bandz collaborations with Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Hello Kitty, and many other famous brands and people!
- Although there is much debate, most people can agree that the phoenix Silly Bandz is the rarest!
- According to Robert Croak himself, Silly Bandz did not pay for any advertisements. Silly Bandz grew through social media and word of mouth.
- Silly Bandz was estimated to cost 24 cents to produce and were sold at $4.95. This means there is about a close to 75% profit margin.
What Happened?
Everyone in elementary school had at least one Silly Bandz around their wrist. We would brag about buying a rare Silly Bandz, trade them, sell them, and even shoot each other with them. Many school teachers and principals felt that Silly Bandz were a distraction and even a danger to the classroom. Just as all good things must come to an end, so did Silly Bandz. Schools all across the nation banned Silly Bandz and confiscated them if you brought them to school (I still never got my giraffe Silly Bandz back!). With nowhere to wear them and no one to show them off too, kids started buying less and less Silly Bandz until there was no demand for them. Silly Bandz has officially become a thing of the past.
Author’s Experience
Growing up, I was a huge Pokemon fan, so I had that “Gotta Catch ’Em All” mentality, so of course, I felt the same way about Silly Bandz. I remember the porcupine being the most sought after Silly Bandz (maybe it’s just in my area), and I was so happy when I finally got one! I did a lot of trading to get it, and I was so excited to brag about it to my friends. However, the boys at my school would get Silly Bandz and shoot each other with it, which is what caused the ban in my school :(. I looked through the stuff in my basement and found my Silly Bandz! I have many of the “rare” ones like the mermaid, baseball pack, phoenix, and unicorn (not to flex or anything). But what made “rare” Silly Bandz rare? My guess is that some packs were limited in stock and were infrequently reproduced as all rare items are. However, I think it’s strange that growing up, I thought the porcupine was rare, but the internet thinks it’s the mythological creatures (which I have a lot of) that are rare. Let me know what you think!
Where is it now?
Silly Bandz are tucked away in people’s closets collecting dust. After finding my Silly Bandz, I can safely say I have at least $100 worth of Silly Bandz, and many of you guys probably do too. Although not many people wear Silly Bandz anymore, I think it’s a waste of money just to have them rot in our closets. Maybe we should bring them back for their original purpose: using them as rubber bands.
About the Author: Rachelle Cha is a sophomore at Rutgers University studying Computer Science and Statistics. Her favorite piece of nostalgia is the Tamagotchi!
