It may surprise you to learn that rubber has actually been used for around 1000 years for various reasons, so it is far from a modern material. It comes from plants, so it is a natural material, and people realised early on that it was useful as it could be stretched and moulded.
From the time of the Industrial Revolution, there were lots more uses for rubber, as factories and manufacturing plants set up across the UK, demand for many materials including rubber increased a lot. Even today, it is still in high demand as companies like this Rubber Moulding UK based company meadex rubber mouldings supply a wide range of rubber mouldings to other companies.
As it is such a versatile and useful material, it is easy to see why rubber has remained so popular and regularly used – it is highly robust so can be handled and used a lot without becoming damaged, so it is a popular choice of material for things like hoses as it is so durable.
It is a great insulating material against heat and electricity – many handles on tools such as insulated screwdrivers are made from rubber, and it is a great protector of things like hot water pipes.
Because it repels water it is incredibly useful for a range of things which need to be able to grip the ground – from tyres for vehicles to shoes, it really helps to reduce slipping accidents.
