Culture and Uses

Culture

Rubber has been traditionally used in many contexts, specifically involving medicinal practices. The rubber plant is a natural anti-inflammatory and analgesic ("Rubber Plant Facts," 2019). It produces a fig-like fruit that is good for constipation (The Editors, 2023). The fig water is good for mouth disorders such as mouth sores ("Rubber Plant Facts," 2019). Here are some uses in various places around the world:

Northern Cameroon: Fertility enhancement
Philippines: aerial roots used for wounds, cuts, and sores
West Africa: treatment of joint and muscle pain

("Rubber Plant Facts," 2019)

Rubber Art

This is a sculpture called El Gato by Charakaia Booker made in 2001 (Benz, 2020). It is made from old tires.

Rainbow loom!

This is a modern kid's toy that is used to make bracelets and other creations using small rubber bands.

Uses

Rubber is used in a multitude of products and is essential to modern everyday life. Possibly one of the most well known uses is in tires, for cars, planes, heavy machinery, and other mobile equipment (Doner, 2013). Other uses include but are not limited to rubber bands, automotive hoses, shoes, seismic bearings, condoms, and medical gloves. Overall, rubber is very good for waterproofing and insulating (Chand, 2014). Traditionally, it was used to line baskets to waterproof them.

Rubber bands

Tires

Medical Gloves

Thailand

Thailand is the leading producer of both tires and condoms. Its rubber is processed as either sheets, blocks, or liquid latex. While it is a major producer, most of its rubber is exported in a semi-processed form rather than as a final product, such as a shoe or rubber band (Doner, 2013). The pictures below show rubber being processed in Thailand.

The milky sap being drawn from the tree is latex.

Thai women processing rubber.

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