Alliance Rubber Company Rubber Facts

Where does rubber come from?
Deep in the heart of the Amazon Jungle, the rubber tree first found its roots amidst the dense canopy of mahogany, monkeys and palm trees. Christopher Columbus and his crew were amazed when they found Caribbean locals bouncing an awkward ball made from the sticky sap of this tree.

Samples of this odd substance were transported to Europe where chemists puzzled over what to make of it. It was named "rubber" because of its ability to rub off markings.

Though rubber was resistant to water, it became gummy in summer, stiff in winter and rapidly deteriorated, bringing the scientific community to declare it useless. In 1839, Charles Goodyear discovered a heating process known as VULCANIZATION that stabilized and strengthened the properties of rubber. The popularity of this unique product boomed, and the race was on to produce more of the amazing goo.

Rubber grows on plantations in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and the west coast of Africa. Every other day, a 2mm swath is shaved in the bark of mature trees. Rubber sap slowly drips into a cup, along with a white sap known as latex. The sap is collected, coagulated, dried, and pressed into sheets and blocks of rubber, which is then used to make tires, hoses, molding, and, of course, rubber bands!

How do you make a rubber band?
Making a rubber band is a lot like making a loaf of bread. First, you mix up the dry ingredients -- color, additives to give it long life, and the "active" ingredient, sulfur, which brings about the critical chemical process of vulcanization. VULCANIZATION actually cross-links the rubber molecules into a strong chain, giving the rubber its stretch and strength.

Next, the dry ingredients are added to the rubber in a large mixer called a banbury, named after its British inventor, Mr. Banbury. In the banbury, heat builds up from the friction and chemical reaction as the rubber mixes. When it reaches 250 degrees, the 500 pound ball of dough is dropped onto a giant rolling pin called a mill. The mill cools and rolls the dough out into sheets which are then split into strips and fed into a pressing machine called an extruder. The extruder pushes the dough out in a tube form, like a very long garden hose. This tube is then heated to finish the vulcanization, rinsed, cooled, and cut into bands at speeds of up to 3000 bands per minute.

What makes Alliance bands feel so good?
First, the natural rubber we use is carefully selected from the best plantations in the world. Free from impurities and consistently soft, this rubber gives Alliance bands a smooth-to-the-touch finish with no abrasive bumps or rough spots.

Second, our patented "soft-stretch" system makes Alliance bands easier for your hands to stretch, while still holding your bundle secure and strong. As the ergonomically-correct band, Alliance helps to prevent the stress related to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and resulting workers' comp claims.

Finally, Alliance bands are produced with continuous quality control so that each of our bands is as good as the next.

Rubber bands are earth-friendly and reusable. Rubber is organic, providing a greater biodegradability factor than plastic wrap and constitutes less mass in landfills.