Silicon wristbands were first introduced in the summer of 2004. The original wristbands were yellow, and they were created to help raise money for cancer education and awareness. The Lance Armstrong Foundation worked in cooperation with Nike to produce the bands, which came in packs of ten, 100, and 1200.

The 'Livestrong' bands were yellow to commemorate the yellow jersey worn in the Tour de France. Armstrong, a professional cyclist who was diagnosed with testicular cancer, has dedicated a great deal of his time to raising funds for cancer survivors and cancer education programs. After the initial popularity of the silicon Nike wristbands, many other 'awareness' bracelets cropped up to support a variety of different causes.

In the last couple of years, different colored wristbands have been associated with different causes. The breast cancer pink wristband is quite popular, as are the black and white 'Stand up Speak Up' anti-racism bands that are often seen in Europe. Other popular bands help to raise funds for stopping teen smoking, tsunami relief, and supporting the troops in Iraq.

Nike offers a line of rubber wristbands that feature the signature Swoosh on one side and a player or message on the other. Nike 'Balled I.D.' bands are very popular, and they come in a variety of different colors. The LeBron James ad Michael Jordan player wristbands appeal to basketball aficionados. The Jordan wristbands feature great 'trash talk' quotes like, 'I own the guy guarding me,' and 'Once I get the ball, you're at my mercy.'