In a couple of weeks, students will return en masse to Ann Arbor. As a result, campus will soon see a variety of new trends and fashions – the latest obsessions of much grander metropolises  introduced to our fair city.  But one fad you’re most likely to see didn’t come from New York or London…it kind of came from…Ohio.

You can buy "Rockbandz" themed Silly Bandz at the official website.

Known in the United States as Silly Bandz, the silicone bracelets take the shape of anything, from dinosaurs to Justin Bieber.  Their concept is based on a similar product originally created in 2002  as a more sustainable alternative to rubber bands by Passkey Design, based in Tokyo, Japan.  Silicone degrades at a much slower rate than rubber so they last longer while the fun animal shapes of the original bands made them more aesthetically interesting.

Robert Croak, the owner of Toledo based Brainchild Products, LLC., was inspired by these office supplies to create what we now know as Silly Bandz.  Produced in endless varieties of shapes and colors, packs of 24 retail for about $4.95.  But the impressive part of the story is that these accessories took over America without any paid advertising. Yep, the craze has been fueled entirely by social media and word-of-mouth.

The trend hit school children hard earlier this year.  They’re traded among friends and are usually worn dozens at a time, snaking up tiny wrists to reach tiny elbows.  Of course, there has been backlash. Many schools have banned the bracelets because they’re distracting to students while others are concerned that the bands cut off circulation and are a health risk.

But I have to hand it to today’s youth.  Their obsession seems preferred to those which signpost my childhood memories. Silly Bandz are cheaper than beanie babies, easier to find (and less creepy) than a Furby, more accessible than Pokemon cards, and less pretentious than Livestrong bracelets.

If you need to do a little catch-up on this trend before the school year starts, I recommend the following:

“The Latest Kids’ Craze: Rubber Bands” from NPR explores the trend more completely, albeit awkwardly.

“The Man Behind the Bandz” in Business Week is an in-depth interview with creator, Robert Croak.

“8 Things You Didn’t Know about Silly Bandz” on Hubpages gives some surprising facts and a video for cool things to do with Silly Bandz.