What you didn’t know about Baller ID Wrist Bands

Who is credited with the Baller ID Band ? Baller ID Band history can give its due to entrepreneur Ave Maria Green. Her idea of having National Basketball Association (NBA) basketball players wear their thoughts on rubber bracelets way back in 1999, has given us the Baller Band we know today.

When the NBA disallowed players from wearing the of metallic jewelery for safety purposes, the rubber baller ID bands filled a void left by the jewelry of the NBA stars. When Baller ID bands began to replace the jewelry of NBA stars, fans being fans, the practice of wearing rubber baller bands caught on.

The NBA fans naturally saw the allure of rubber bands, but it wasn’t until cyclist Lance Armstrong and Nike brought focus to Armstrong’s bout with cancer did the whole world learn about that “it’s good!” feeling of a silicone rubber awareness bracelet strapped to one’s wrist. (See LiveSTRONG Bands )

Sports Goods manufacturers Adidas, And1 and Reebok have released their own version of the NBA baller id wristbands with some variations to inscription method and wrist band material. Non-silicone rubber wrist bands made of plastic or hard rubber have been released by these suppliers.

Rubber of Choice for Baller Bands: Silicone Rubber

To be the fashion accessory it is today, the modern silicone rubber wrist band went through a some improvements.

Ordinary rubber has properties that isn’t ideal for a sports wrist band. First is that it tears easily. Second is it degrades in the presence of ultra-violet (UV) light, ozone and acids. Lastly, it poses a minor health concern due to possible Latex protein sensitivity in humans.

Most baller bands today, including the popular Nike Baller ID Bands, are created from a material that not only widthstands high heat, handles fatigue, and counters UV exposure but also stays inert to human skin and perspiration. Silicone rubber has all of these properties and its known toughness is the same reason that the rubber is used in many products, from caps and diving masks for swimming, bakeware and sheets for cooking, to industrial thermoplastic molds for casting.  Silicone is also used for breast enhancers (?),  and as tubings for medical equipments used in handling Ozone gas, a very powerful oxidizing substance. So the next time you wear your band, think “this silicone band is indestructible!”

How are Baller ID Bracelets made?

Clues from the ads of Nike’ LiveSTRONG bands on the production of their Silicone Rubber Bracelets indicate that molding and pour-casting is done to create silicone bracelets. The process involves pouring activated silicone, a liquid that has been devoid of air bubbles, onto a mold or negative of the desired shape and allowing these to settle into the shape.

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