Walking through the streets of any city at the minute it’s impossible to take more than a few steps without seeing a loom band, so it’s hard not to wonder what about this new craze has caught everyone’s attention?
Essentially, using a plastic loom or even just fingers, children and adults can make brightly coloured creations with rubber bands. Hardly revolutionary, given that looms and elastic bands have existed for years. Yet the new craze is wide spread and profitable. Cheong Choon Ng, 45-year-old Malaysian-born inventor of the Rainbow Loom which is used to make loom bands is reported to have made £80 million since its creation in 2011. Companies such as Amazon are also seeing the impact of this trend with all 30 of the online retailer’s current best-selling toys being loom band-related.
Despite them being banned in many schools across the UK, they have become the top end-of-term gift for teachers. The media are getting involved, with frequent stories of children injured by this new toy as well as the general the risks to health and marine wildlife. Tales of the elaborate loom creations have also grabbed headlines including a dress selling for £170,000, (though the final winning bidder later withdrew their offer).
The craze for wearing the brightly coloured creations has enticed celebrities such as Fearne Cotton, and even the Duchess of Cambridge: both have been pictured with loom band creations
Are loom bands here to stay? It would seem that yes is the answer for the time being.