The History of Hair Ties

Hair ties have been around in some form or another for most of human history. Before elastic was invented, men and women used ribbon or bands of leather to tie their hair back. Hair ties were first used to keep long hair out of a person’s eyes while doing tasks or operating machinery, but in recent years they have become less of necessity and more of a style accessory. But when did the modern hair tie first come about? While the rubber band was introduced way back in the mid-1800s, it wasn’t updated for the purpose of tying hair back until the 1950s, when the Hook Brown Company patented the fabric-covered hair tie. The introduction of the fabric-covered band was important because it allowed users to tie their hair back without the elastic part causing damage or pain. Over the next few decades, many variations of the hair tie became popular, including the scrunchie, which consists of an elastic band sewn inside bunched-up colorful fabric. Some scrunchies also feature fun patterns, gems, sequins, and other “extras” to add pizzazz and express the personality of the wearer. Some of today’s most popular hairstyles, such as the ponytail and the bun, rely on hair ties like scrunchies or fabric-covered elastics.