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A BAND NEW MESSAGE

JEDDAH ˆ Wristbands that were once worn to highlight a message in support of a cause and a portion of income from its sale went to charities, are becoming a fashion statement. Nike designed different coloured wristbands, of which 10 percent of the income was donated to ...

different charities. As its popularity grew worldwide and in the Kingdom, imitations of the bracelets emerged, and soon became fashionable. The elastic wristbands exist in many different colours.

Yellow bands with the word „Livestrong‰ represent the battle against cancer and were created in 1997 by the nonprofit Lance Armstrong Foundation. In the United States, wristbands are being sold for one dollar, of which 10 cents is donated to cancer victims in need. Other existing colours are: pink for breast cancer, white and black against racism, dark blue against child abuse and black, for antiterrorism. Many other colours have since emerged.

According to a shopkeeper on the fashionable Tahlia Street in Jeddah, wristbands have become more of a fashion statement than anything else, which is one of the reasons sales were good.

„Personally, I do not know where the charity money goes,‰ said the owner of a small stand at a posh mall in the same area „If I knew it was being donated to Muslims in need, for example, I would definitely want to sell them, but since I do not know, I would rather sell the bracelets as a fashion statement, he added. „Unfortunately, the local charity organisations are not manufacturing these bracelets. If they were, then I would definitely like to have them in my shop for customers, he said.

Wristbands were introduced in Jeddah six months ago. Shopkeepers were buying the bands for SR10 and selling them for SR50. With time, the price has gone down and they are now again going for about SR10.