5 Advantages of Using Wristbands to Promote Your Cause

The ubiquity of the Livestrong yellow silicone bracelet in the early 2000s proved that awareness bracelets are an effective tool to promote and raise funds for certain causes. Even after the cancer-awareness campaign popularized by American cyclist Lance Armstrong in 2004, colorful silicone wristbands remain a top option for making a statement. It was at the forefront of famed campaigns such as Beat Bullying, Stand Up Speak Up, Keep a Child Alive, and Make Poverty History, to name a few.

Silicone wristbands have become something of a staple that can still be found adorning wrists 15 whole years later. Organizations of all sizes find that using wristbands as merchandise or campaign material offers them the following advantages.

They’re highly durable.

Awareness bracelets are usually made with non-toxic latex-free silicone to make them hypoallergenic and safe for daily use. Silicone rubber also lasts longer, being resistant to tearing, heat, and water. A silicone awareness bracelet can theoretically last for a lifetime and put through all sorts of abuse, even if the wearer has a particularly active lifestyle and uses his or hands a lot.

Other materials used to make awareness bracelets include fabric, vinyl, or polyethylene plastic. These are also durable, making for long-lasting wristbands that can be worn every day without issue. Polyester and nylon are popular choices for fabric awareness wristbands; they’re easy to procure and take well to being printed on. Whichever material you choose to make your awareness wristbands with, you can be sure that they’ll last as long as your campaign does.

They’re supremely cost-effective.

Having silicone wristbands manufactured won’t cost you an arm and a leg, and most companies offer them at wholesale prices if you buy in bulk. Even with customizations like a debossed or printed message, a half-inch gel wristband will only run you up 30 to 40 cents if you buy a hundred of them. This makes them ideal for fundraising campaigns, as you only need to spend a small amount of money to make them and then sell them with a good markup price. This lets you recover the money you’ve invested and use the proceeds for your cause or organization.

They can help increase your cause’s visibility.

If the 2004 Livestrong campaign has taught us anything, it’s that something as small and insignificant as a wristband can have a monumental impact in the world. Meant to be worn on the wrist, awareness bracelets are highly visible. Worn everywhere, they can start conversations between supporters of your cause and interested parties who wish to learn more about your advocacy.

Their portable nature can extend your cause’s reach.

As an unobtrusive accessory, an awareness wristband can easily become part of a person’s daily outfit, thus going wherever that person goes. In theory, this means that your bracelet could reach places beyond your local area and be exposed to people who may have never even heard of your cause.

They’re fashionable and trendy.

More and more people are becoming aware of issues that concern social and racial justice, and it’s now considered cool to be “woke” and supportive of various causes. Awareness wristbands are back on the rise as millennials and members of Gen Z throw their support behind causes that are personally meaningful to them.

Consumers who believe that the time for awareness bracelets has passed couldn’t be more wrong. Most recently, celebrities showed up to the 2019 Golden Globes held in January wearing ribbons and awareness bracelets supporting the Time’s Up movement in solidarity with women fighting for safety and equality and to publicly denounce sexual harassment. Awareness wristbands can also still be found on the wrists of famous athletes like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant whenever they play games.

Conclusion: Using Wristbands to Promote Your Cause

Whatever your cause may be, silicone awareness wristbands are a fantastic way to raise funds and promote your message. They are infinitely customizable, so you can be sure that your wristband stands out from the others.