
The World of Rubber Bands









What is a rubber band?
Rubber bands are very elastic, mostly thin caoutchouc bands in the shape of a ring. They are cut from rubber tubes in strips of different widths. Their cross section is therefore rectangular, in contrast to sealing rings, which have a round cross section. A distinction is made between rubber rings made of natural rubber and synthetic rubber. The former have an elasticity of up to 750%, are mostly safe for use in food and come from a renewable raw material (rubber tree). Synthetic rubbers have an elasticity of up to 350% and can fulfill certain properties, such as oil resistance or UV stability. They are produced petrochemically.
What is the minimum order quantity?
The minimum order quantity for rubber bands made from natural rubber and from non-latex rubber is 10 kg per size. For Fashion and Premium Colors the minimum order quantity is 50 kg. H+D LongLife® rubber bands should be ordered in lots of 1.000 or 3.000 pieces, depending on the size.
Why can't I order smaller quantities?
H+D offers an enormous range of different sizes, qualities and colors. In addition, each order is custom. For an economical order processing, we need the quoted minimum order quantities.
Why is there such a big price difference for rubber bands in the market?
Standard rubber band sizes, often combined with a low rubber content of only 60 %, are produced as mass articles in South East Asia and imported by traders. All other sizes can either not be delivered at all or are produced with a lead time of up to 4 months.
H+D manufactures rubber bands in individual sizes, outstanding qualities and various colors already from 10 kg. We do this in a very short delivery time. If needed, the rubber bands are also washed and packed to meet pharmaceutical standards. For this reason, our production cost is higher than that of a standard import product.
How long is the delivery time?
The delivery time for most qualities and sizes is 3 to 8 work days. For printed rubber bands InfoStraps please allow approx. 3 weeks for order processing.
Are rubber bands suitable for contact with food?
H+D rubber bands made from natural rubber as well as all H+D LatexFree® rubber bands and InfoStraps are suitable for contact with food and thus conform to relevant standards.
Which rubber band has the highest yield per kg?
The rubber band made from natural rubber is the most economical. Since it is manufactured without weight increasing fillers, you get the highest yield per kg. All colored and black natural rubber bands also have a high count per kg. H+D LatexFree® and H+D LongLife® rubber bands are manufactured from synthetical rubber and are thus more costly.
How is a rubber band properly stored?
Please store rubber bands dry, protected from light at about 20° C.
How much is the elongation of a rubber band?
Natural rubber bands stretch to approx. 750 %, non-latex and all other synthetic rubber bands stretch to approx. 350 %.
What is a rubber band made out of?
Natural rubber bands are made of the milky solloid from rubber trees, called latex. They are composable and recycable and have an excellent haptics. In the production process chemicals, such as caoutchouc oil, sulfur, zinc oxide as well as certain fillers are added. Specialty rubber bands are made petrochemically. They have outstanding qualities in terms of stretch, allergic reactions, age or UV. Most of H+D rubber bands are safe for use in food or food packaging according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
How many rubber bands are in a pound?
Our natural rubber band has a specific gravity < 1 and is the best value rubber band. It has the highest yield per pound. Colored rubber bands have a little less bands in a pound, as some weight increasing fillers are used. As an example, a natural rubber band 60 mm Ø x 8 mm cut width x 1 mm wall thickness has approx. 1100 rubber bands/pound. The same rubber band in red or black has approx. 880 rubber bands/pound.
Do rubber bands have latex in them?
All natural rubber bands have latex in them, as they are made from the natural latex of the rubber tree. Some people are affected by latex allergy reactions. To avoid those reactions, H+D has developed a non-latex rubber band, made of synthetic caoutchouc, i.e. a synthetic compound isoprene. For more information about our latex free rubber bands, see H+D LatexFree®.
How do you measure the size of a rubber band?
Rubber bands are measured via three dimensions: diameter/flat length, cut width and wall thickness. If you are not sure how to measure the size of your favorite rubber band, please check our chart under "Terminology".