Rubber bands are one of the most versatile additions to any storeroom or crafting cupboard, and one of the most overlooked. Also known as elastic bands, they’re stretchy loops often used to bundle items or paperwork together. At Avansas, all our rubber bands are made from 100% rubber, ensuring reliable and long-lasting performance.
Our range includes rubber elastic bands of varying lengths and thicknesses. The bigger the items you need to group together, the thicker and longer you’ll need your elastic bands. Smaller and thinner bands are ideal for holding smaller items in one place, such as pens or pencils. However, while they’re primarily used to keep things organised, they also have a life beyond the office.
For those who work with food or in catering, they can be a superb way to keep food storage boxes securely closed, particularly if liquids are present. Using two bands, one across the box’s length and another across its width ensures that there’s little or no chance of your storage box opening unexpectedly.
For cleaners and janitors, they can offer an excellent way to extend the lifespan of brooms that are starting to look past their sell-by date. By wrapping a couple of rubber bands around the bristles, they are held together more tightly, creating a more effective sweeping instrument. However, if your broom is beyond even the help of our robust bands, check out our range of office cleaning and janitorial supplies for a suitable replacement.
In homes and schools, rubber elastic bands prove their versatility in a range of arts and crafts projects. From the obvious ball made from rubber bands, to using them to in painting techniques, they’re an absolute must where there are pint-sized Picassos present.
Many of us will remember finding old rubber bands that have become brittle and lost their stretch. This is due to exposure to UV rays and oxygen, both of which have a negative impact on the rubber’s elasticity. However, there is an easy way to ensure that yours don’t suffer the same fate, which is to store them properly. If you want to extend the lifespan of your elastic bands for as long as possible, the way best way to store them is in a zip-lock or grip seal bag, with all the air squeezed out. These should then be kept in a dark space, such as a tin.
However, if that all sounds a bit too much like hard work, keeping them out of the light, perhaps in a drawer or cupboard, will slow down the changes to their chemical structure caused by light and air.
If you want to keep an eye on your carbon footprint, a big question can be whether or not rubber elastic bands are biodegradable. While the answer is, ultimately, ‘yes,’ this process can take as long as 50 years. However, what you might not be aware of is that there are some incredibly simple ways to repurpose and recycle old rubber bands.
The option that most people have no idea about is sending them to the Royal Mail. The Royal Mail offers a recycling programme specifically for elastic bands, which doesn’t cost a penny. All you need to do is collect your old, unwanted bands together and send them, free of charge to the Royal Mail, at this address:
Royal Mail, Rubber Band Recycling Department, Freepost, Tomb Street, Belfast BT1 1AA.
The Royal Mail will decide which can be reused and, those that can’t will be sent to recycling centres.
However, if you have a large amount to dispose of, most recycling centres will have containers or areas in which to get rid of products made from rubber. Again, this won’t cost you anything.
Avansas is Europe’s leading supplier of office essentials and accessories. In addition to offering you the best products at the best prices, we offer a range of delivery options, so you can stock up in as little as 24 hours. Offices, businesses, and individuals use our service every day and, whether you’re buying in bulk or making a one-off purchase, we treat every order with the same levels of care and commitment.
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