More Ways to Repurpose and Recycle Silicone Wristbands
More Ways to Repurpose and Recycle Silicone Wristbands
Perhaps the only thing more durable than the popularity of iconic embossed wristband is the actual material it’s made of. Silicone Was hailed as a wonder material when it was first introduced over half a century ago, thanks to its extreme resilience and durability.
It’s also quite recyclable when sent to the right facilities. However, this type of industrial recycling also has its own issues due to the energy use associated with it. A far greener solution would be to reuse old wristbands when possible.
Of course, not everyone wants to wear a whole mess of silicone wristbands on their wrists, no matter how cool we think that is. But if you’ve been thinking of some other way to reuse old wristbands, you’re in luck. Here are a few creative ways we’ve seen our wristbands being repurposed and reused.
Temporary seal for pipe and hose leaks
Silicone bands can be used to quickly tie off any leaky pipes and hoses temporarily, at least until you can find the appropriate sealant or find a repair professional. The flat profile and grippy texture make them exceptional as a fast and effective temporary solution.
Framed décor
If you have a whole mess of festival wristbands and silicone wristbands from different events and promotions that you just can’t bear to send off to a recycler, you can attach them to a nice piece of wood or some corkboard or have them professionally framed to display them. This can be an interesting way to have these mementos and their associated fond memories on hand without them using up space in a drawer.
Color-coded organizers
Sure, you can simply use silicone wristbands to group cables together. But the fact these come in bright colors also make them a good candidate for an extra level of organization. This can let you figure out the function and purpose of different cables at a glance. If you turn them “wrist side out” you even have a nice surface for a sharpie to write on, allowing you to label your cables as well.
Bookmarks
If you somehow manage to break a silicone wristband, you can still use them as a handy bookmark. That’s a heck of a lot better than letting it go to a landfill.
Paintbrush holders
If you have plenty of loose paintbrushes and other art materials, a silicone wristband is an ideal way to keep them together. The non-reactive nature of silicone rubber makes wristbands ideal for this purpose, as natural rubber bands will deteriorate quickly due to the solvents that will be off-gassing in the old paint that’s stuck to these brushes.
Tool holders
More of a handyman than an artist? Old silicone bands can still be immensely useful for the same reasons they’re great for holding paintbrushes. You can use them for holding together loose tools such as screwdrivers and wrenches together.
Their resistance to oils and solvents makes them extremely suited for this purpose, especially for the small set of tools you keep inside your car. You can even use them for holding together loose rat tail files because the silicone rubber material is resistant enough to abrasion to safely hold these tools together.
Drink markers
If you host a lot of parties at your house, you know how annoying it can be for guests to identify who has which glass. This can be a problem especially when the conversation’s hopping and everyone’s a few drinks in.
If you have a stash of different silicone wristbands however, your troubles are over. Simply slip and twist them over the stem of your wine glasses or stretch them over thicker glasses and your guests will have no problem remembering who has which glass.
