Using bands
How to put on and remove a paper wristband
Updated 2 min read Paper Bands by Adalwin
Hold the band around the wrist with the print facing out, leave a gap of about two fingers, peel the liner off the adhesive end and press it down firmly along its whole length. To remove a band, slide a finger underneath and cut it with scissors, away from the skin. Adhesive bands are made so they cannot be peeled off and reused.
Putting it on, in seven steps
- Check the band. Right colour for tonight, right tier, number visible if the band is numbered.
- Ask for the wrist. The guest holds the arm out, palm down. Staff fasten the band, not the guest.
- Print facing out. The venue name and any number should read the right way up for the person checking it.
- Wrap it. Bring the band round the wrist so the adhesive end overlaps the other end.
- Leave two fingers of room. Tight enough not to slide over the hand, loose enough to be comfortable for hours.
- Peel the liner. Hold the band by its edges and avoid touching the adhesive.
- Press it down firmly. Run a thumb along the whole adhesive strip so it bonds edge to edge.
Do not fasten a band over a wound, a cannula site or irritated skin. If the skin becomes irritated, remove the band.
Taking it off
Slide one finger between the band and the wrist, then cut the band with scissors on the side away from the skin. Blunt-ended scissors are safest on children and patients.
Do not try to peel the adhesive. On most paper bands the tab has small security slits that make it tear when lifted. That is deliberate: it is what stops a band being taken off and handed to someone else.
Banding a queue quickly
- One person bands, one checks. The checker looks at the ticket or the ID; the bander only bands.
- Pre-count stock per lane. Hand each lane a counted bundle and count what comes back.
- Keep scissors at every lane. Mistakes happen; a wrong band comes off at once, not later.
Questions
Can I remove a festival wristband without cutting it?
Not a paper one, if it is fastened properly. The adhesive and its security slits are made to tear when lifted, so the band cannot be reused.
How tight should a wristband be?
About two fingers of room between band and wrist: tight enough not to slide over the hand, loose enough to wear all day.
Can a band get wet?
Paper bands handle rain, sweat and splashes for a day. Water and sweat resistance of ours: yes, according to the material’s specification.
Sources
- ID&C, How do you put on a wristband?
- Epson, Wristband instruction manual
- Wristband Express, How to remove a festival wristband without cutting
Outside sources checked on 14 October 2026.