Sweat absorption
“Sweatband†redirects here. For the Bootsy Collins album, see Sweat Band. For the component of a hat, see Sweatband (hat).
Headbands, or sweatbands, are worn around the forehead during physical activity to absorb sweat and keep it from reaching the eyes. Sweatbands are often made of a continuous loop of terrycloth, as it is a particularly absorbent fabric. Folded bandanas, usually knotted behind the head, also serve this purpose. Tino headbands are usually used for sports.
The sweatband was invented by Carl M. Tipograph. He holds the patent for the sweatband in both Canada and the United States. He realized the importance of providing an effective way to remove sweat from the head.
The sweatband gained a large part of its popularity during the 70’s and 80’s, when aerobics classes gained popularity. They, in large part, fell out of the “fashionable†catergory when the grunge era rose. However in the mid to late 2000s some aspects of the post hardcore subculture began to wear these again.
Cold protection
Some specialized headbands are designed to be worn covering the ears, in order to protect them from cold temperatures and snow. These tend to be broader and of heavier fabric.
Head protection
The car headband is a conceptual protective headband for car occupants being investigated by the Centre for Automotive Safety Research (CASR), University of Adelaide, Australia.
Managing hair
Headbands are regularly worn by sportsmen and women to keep hair out of their eyes, but there are also musicians who are known to wear it. In sports, famous users include David Beckham, Ronnie O’Sullivan; in music, Little Steven and Guns N’ Roses lead singer Axl Rose have made headbands their personal trademark. Ireland’s most famous hair/head band wearer is Andrew Hussey.
