Reading time of the interview ~ 3 minutes

Why are there such big price differences for rubber bands made of natural rubber?

Interview with our expert Sebastian Gropper

In Europe, rubber bands in standard dimensions are sometimes offered at very low prices. Special dimensions or special qualities, on the other hand, are more expensive. Below you will find a brief explanation for these price differences.

How does production take place at H+D?

Sebastian Gropper: "H+D manufactures its rubber products in Germany. In addition to a extremely high quality standard and consistently exact product specifications, we also guarantee a very short delivery time of just a few days. We are also able to produce batches of a few kilograms to a special specification. On request, finished rubber rings can also be FDA-cleaned or siliconized and individually packaged. H+D's high quality production and hygiene standards combined with a constant supply capability results in a slightly higher price level for rubber bands from Germany than for purely imported material."

How is production done in Southeast Asia?

Sebastian Gropper: "Due to the specific precipitation and temperature requirements, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia are among the main countries of latex cultivation today. The processing of raw rubber into rubber rings also takes place in mass production in these countries. Due to lower wage levels and less regulated labor protection laws, ready-cut rubber bands from these countries can be offered at lower prices on the European market. Furthermore, in these countries the rubber is often "stretched" with cheap fillers for price reasons, which has a considerable impact on the durability and elasticity of the rubber band."

H+D quality guarantee for rubber rings made from natural rubber

• Manufactured in accordance with DIN 7715
• Food-safe according to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 21, Section 177.2600 and EU Regulation 1935/2004 (only applies on request and after explicit confirmation)
• Lead-free and phthalate-free according to legal requirements
• Reach compliant according to 1907/2006/EC
• RoHS compliant according to 2011/65/EU