Go Back to www.IndependentRetailer.com PRODUCT TRENDS


Slap On Gear


POPULARIZED IN the late 80s and early 90s, slap bracelets were both a fashion staple and an easy way to annoy teachers. The traditional slap bracelets consisted of layered, fl exible stainless steel bistable spring bands, sealed within a fabric cover, usually neon in color. The bracelet would be straightened out, creat- ing tension within the springy metal bands, and then slapped against the wearer’s forearm, causing the bands to spring back into a curve that wrapped around the wrist. The novelty item quickly became a rec- ognizable fashion phenomenon. Yet


like most fashion trends, the interest in slap bracelets faded, only to resur- face in current fashion with a fresh look and a more functional purpose. Today’s slap bracelet sports a new design in a silicone skin, and still accessorizes the wrist, but with the addition of a timepiece. David Nielsen, shipping coordinator for Slap on Gear, admits, “I began this business because I was interested in the innovative and novelty na- ture of this product. It was fun and inexpensive to manufacture, and although competing suppliers have begun investing in the slap watch trend, there is still a lot of room to grow in this market.”


continued on page 52 50 November 2011 INDEPENDENTRETAILER


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