Given recent events, people are becoming more aware that there are changes that need to occur within our society so that everyone can feel safe and included. In response to the changes, Band-Aid announced that it will be creating a more inclusive skin tone range of products. Currently, the bandaids are just sold in lighter skin tones but not for long.
With a post on Instagram, Band-Aid shared the news through a photo of five different colored bandages that range in hues in order to match all skin tones. In their post, the company recognized that they need to do better and that they “will” do better. While they didn’t say exactly when these would be released, we do know that they will be a thing.
Their caption read in full, “We hear you. We see you. We’re listening to you. We are committed to launching a range of bandages in light, medium and deep shades of Brown and Black skin tones that embrace the beauty of diverse skin. We are dedicated to inclusivity and providing the best healing solutions, better representing you.”
Besides the additional bandaids to their line of products, the Band-Aid company will make a donation to the Black Lives Matter movement in an effort to help come together with the community in order to fight systemic racism.
While this is definitely a step in the right direction, the comments have been mixed. Many applauded the company for their initiative, however, there were those critical of the amount of time it took them. One person pointed out that since the brand has been around since 1920, they should’ve been thinking about this long ago rather than as a result of mass protests. While another person commented that the company can just keep their new bandaids because they’re only thinking about this now.
Band-Aid isn’t the only company that has seen the need for darker toned adhesive bandages and done something about it. Both Tru-Colour Bandages, which launched in 2014, and Browndages, which launched in 2018, were founded to fill this specific gap.