Stephen Perry significantly contributed to the rubber industry by inventing vulcanized rubber bands, which were designed to hold envelopes and bundles of paper together. The rubber band was officially patented on March 17th, 1845. This invention served as a precursor to today’s rubber products and proved a game-changer. It addressed the growing demand for bicycle tires, which traditional rubber could not adequately supply. At that time, rubber was primarily sourced from trees, a rapidly depleting resource due to increasing demand.
In the mid-nineteenth century, people in London referred to Perry’s invention as “elastic bands” rather than “rubber bands.” The term “elastic band” was chosen because of its ability to stretch and then return to its original shape. This property made it particularly useful for office organizational tasks and other applications that benefited from its elasticity. However, as the demand for rubber continued to rise, the growth of rubber trees could not keep pace, making elastic bands an unsustainable resource.
In 1909, German chemists, responding to the challenges facing the rubber industry, developed synthetic rubber to replicate the elastic qualities of natural vulcanized rubber. Today, with increasing environmental concerns, there is a growing emphasis on creating more sustainable methods and materials for rubber band production, ensuring the continued availability of this versatile office tool.