Rubber bands are one of the essential office and school supplies. Do you want rubber bands that won’t snap when you use them? We all need rubber bands that don’t take the strength of a bodybuilder to pull and apply. Using rubber bands without aggravating your latex allergy is a dream that we all hope comes true. To choose the best rubber bands, it being one of the essential office and school supplies, it is necessary to select bands that suit your comfort. Also, your budget depends on three key factors:

• Rubber content
• Cut width
• Flat length

The rubber band content and width determines the rubber band strength and elasticity.

Despite the name saying rubber band, not all rubber bands are made of rubber. Band elasticity, tensile strength, and weight are affected by the content of the rubber band as so may contain filler materials. The content of the rubber band determines that:

• How many times a rubber band can be used before it breaks.
• How hard it is to stretch and apply rubber band.
• The number of rubber bands you get in a package.
• How tightly the rubber band binds.

The more rubber a rubber band has, the more you can use it, and it is easier to apply and remove.

However, this does not mean rubber bands with lower rubber content are worthless. Lower rubber content is ideal for sturdy binding items as they provide the tightest hold. Some rubber bands don’t contain natural rubber at all, they are known as latex-free rubber bands. The non-latex brands are made from synthetic rubber and are recommended for office and school supplies, home, government and medical facilities. These rubber bands offer the same strength and elasticity as bands with high and mid-range rubber content. The higher the rubber content, the thinner the rubber band will be and vice versa. Higher rubber content bands are best for plastic packaging goods and best for fast application and repeat use. The mid-range content bands are used as everyday office and school supplies and also, suitable for sturdy binding items, and the lower rubber content bands are used for single applications and secure holds.

Being one of the most commonly used office and school supplies, picking the right rubber band for your project is extremely important and has got more to do than just the rubber content, even the cut width or the width of the band perpendicular to the length also matters. The thinner the rubberband is, it is softer to hold and more comfortable to apply. Also, the more extended the rubber band is, it is harder to apply, and the hold is tighter. Hence, if you have two rubber bands of different widths and same length, the more extended the rubber band will be, it will be tougher to apply and remove, but will provide a tighter hold.

Rubber band length is measured by placing the band flat and measuring the distance from end to end. The circumference of the article(s) you are tying should be more than half of the level length. A rubber band won’t provide any holding power if it is too long. If you are unsure of the size, you can also use a string to measure the circumference of your bundle.

After picking the right rubber content for you, cut width and flat width for your project, and also make sure you choose the right size. The sizes of rubber bands are universal, example a #64 from one brand would be of the same width and length as any other brand of the rubber band #64. So, next time you when you are buying office and school supplies, you know how to purchase the rubber bands.