Flickr/Larry Rosenstein/CC BY 2.0
Whether you call it a binder, elastic, lackey band, laggy band, lacka band or gumband, all we can say is blessed be the rubber band.
We have Stephen Perry to thank for the ubiquitous rubber latex loops — in 1845, Perry patented the use of india rubber for use as springs in bands, belts, etc., and also the design for elastic bands by slicing sizes of vulcanized india rubber tube. Perry invented the rubber band to hold papers and envelopes together, but its uses have multiplied into untold applications.
Which is good, because most of us have rubber bands coming out of our ears. They sneak their way into our homes via bundles of mail and the newspaper, bunches of produce and cut flowers. And then they seem to multiply, like rabbits, in the junk drawer.
So what to use them for? They’re not as sleek a hack as binder clips, and they don’t have the same repair integrity as duct tape, but they are the perfect in-a-pinch solution to many problems: Think providing the simplest means for an easy fix that might otherwise deem an item unusable.
Aside from that, they are genius for storage and organizing, they can be a wonderfully irreverent craft material, and they’re just the perfect all-around little helpers. There are as many ways to use a rubber band as your mind will conceive, but here are 19 right off the bat.
1. Prevent a sliced apple from browning
© Melissa Breyer
2. Make a makeshift tripod
3. Turn regular jeans into maternity pants
4. Wrap around a hose to seal small leaks
5. Create a gripper to conquer stuck lids
© Melissa Breyer
6. Keep books safe and closed in your bag
7. Tame the wily measuring tape
Flickr/Unhindered by Talent/CC BY 2.0
8. Craft a statement necklace
9. Keep ribbons from unspooling
© Melissa Breyer
10. Make a rubber (band) duck
11. Tie dye Easter eggs
Flickr/James Britton/CC BY 2.0
12. Improvise an impromptu wrist strap
13. Keep bags and packages sealed
© Melissa Breyer
14. Portion control pump products (especially good for kids who can’t get enough)
15. Hang fliers without tape or adhesives
16. Make a rubber band ball (that can double as an eraser)
17. Prevent your cutting board from slipping
© Melissa Breyer
18. Force a long-exposure on a vintage camera
Flickr/imwearingcons/CC BY 2.0
19. Desperate times call for desperate measures: Make your phone hands-free
Have more uses for rubber bands? Let us know in the comments.
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