Loom Bands

Associated With

Cheong Choon Ng / Choon's Design - associated person, creator or operator

Defining Feature

Elastic bands looped across grooved pins with a hook and secured by a clip

Status

Active - Rainbow Loom products remain active; the retained U.S. patent record lists the core patent as active

Overview

Rainbow Loom was Choon Ng’s grooved-pin board-and-hook system for turning elastic bands into linked crafts.

Choon Ng developed the rubber-band crafting system around 2010–2011, with commercial activity recorded from 2011. Repeated links formed chains for bracelets, necklaces, charms and other wearable items.

The loom held each band in place while another loop was pulled through it, and a clip secured the finished chain.

Why It Mattered

The loom gave a fiddly hand-looping activity a clear system that children could learn, repeat and expand into more complicated patterns.

Its rapid popularity produced tutorials, trading and competing kits, turning tiny elastic bands into an international craft craze.

Brunnian Link Structure

• The patent defines a Brunnian link as one closed loop doubled over itself to capture another loop.
• Repeating the links produces chains used for bracelets, necklaces and other wearable items.

Loom Components

• A base holds pin bars in selected arrangements, while flanged pins keep the elastic bands positioned.
• A hook reaches through a pin groove to lift a lower band, and a clip secures the finished ends.

Patent Enforcement

• The USITC opened investigation 337-TA-923 on 1 August 2014 after a complaint from Choon’s Design.
• The products at issue were children’s hobby kits for linking elastic bands into articles such as bracelets.

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