How Taylor Swift made friendship bracelets cool again with royals and Olympians wearing them - but critics them they're not eco-friendly and businesses report bead shortages

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Friendship bracelets were once icons of girlhood - traded at sleepovers and worn as the sign of an unbreakable bond. 

Flash forward to 2024 and they've become the hottest accessory of the summer after pop superstar Taylor Swift inspired the trend at her Eras Tour concerts, with Olympians and even royals hopping on the trend. 

Swifties have been trading - often hundreds of - the bright and colourful beaded bracelets at her concerts, and now they seem to have become the one item that any fashionista can't be seen without. 

The phenomenon has resulted in an unprecedented boom in sales - with data from eBay showing a 15,200 per cent increase in sales for friendship bracelets and Hobbycraft's increasing by 500 per cent. 

But while the bracelets have brought resounding joy to Swifties around the globe, environmental experts have warned Femail that the trend comes with a 'huge cost'. 

Taylor Swift has made friendship bracelets cool again. Pictured trading with a fan

Swifties have been trading - often hundreds of - the bright and colourful beaded bracelets at her concerts. Pictured: Fans with bracelets ahead of her Wembley concert on Thursday

There have also been reports of businesses and craft stores running out of beads due to the sudden surge in demand, especially in Eras Tour locations. 

There was even a 'great bead shortage' in Brisbane according to the Courier Mail, with businesses unable to keep up with the huge demand. 

The bracelets themselves, which Swifties loop by the dozen onto carabiners ready for trading, break easily, are quickly forgotten about after the concerts and often seem to be for one use only. 

Speaking to FEMAIL, Sian Sutherland, co-founder of A Plastic Planet and Plastic Health Council, said: 'Friendship bracelets, though small and seemingly harmless, are part of a much bigger problem. 

'99 percent of new plastic, including the multicoloured beads threaded onto these bracelets, are made from fossil fuels and are filled with toxic chemicals. 

'These trinkets are contributing to a plastic legacy that our planet cannot sustain without any thought to the impact of the throwaway.'

And Gary Lewis, CEO of Resourcify, added: 'While Swift encourages millions of adoring fans to “Make the friendship bracelets” on her Eras Tour, it’s easy to forget the environmental cost of this jewellery. 

'It may seem like a key part of being a fully-fledged Swiftie, with celebrities in the VIP tent touting multiple on their wrists, but the environmental impact of these bracelets goes deeper.' 

Even royals have joined in the trend - with Princess Charlotte wearing them to Wimbledon last month

Britain's Sky Brown was spotted wearing a beaded bracelet reading 'Paris' as the 16-year-old claimed her bronze medal in skateboarding

It's something that even the royal family have started wearing - ever since Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended Taylor's concert at Wembley with Prince William in June (pictured)

Nevertheless, a number of celebrities have been snapped sporting the wrist wear, including Reese Witherspoon, Channing Tatum, Gayle King and Gigi Hadid. Even Tom Cruise has reportedly jumped onto the trend. 

Swifties first started making the bracelets due to a lyric in fan-favourite You're On Your Own Kid from the singer's album Midnights: 'So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it / You've got no reason to be afraid.' 

Fans have been trading beaded friendship bracelets, often bearing phrases from her lyrics. 

Taylor's boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, even admitted he once put his number on his bracelet to catch her eye before they began dating. 

Friendship bracelets were placed at the centre of summer after they were spotted on the wrists of several Olympians throughout the Paris Games. 

Britain's Sky Brown was spotted wearing a beaded bracelet reading 'Paris' as the 16-year-old claimed her bronze medal in skateboarding. 

Team Canada have also embraced the accessory after being given them by their social team whenever they won a medal. 

American swimmer Erin Gemmell said her teammate Torri Huske was using her downtime in the Olympic village to make friendship bracelets for Taylor's concerts. 

Torri won three golds and two silvers at the 2024 olympics, making her the most dcorated female Olympian at Paris, while Gemmell won silver in the 4x200m relay. 

The Duchess of Edinburgh appeared to be the latest royal to wear a friendship bracelet as she cheered on Team GB in Paris last week

Charles, 75, was spotted wearing what appeared to be a 'friendship bracelet' made up of yellow and red thread during a visit to the Channel Islands with Queen Camilla last month

Eagle-eyed royal fans noticed a playful addition to Prince George's otherwise formal ensemble in his 11th birthday portrait

Despite their clearly rigorous training schedules, Gemmell joked on TikTok: 'There's always time for Taylor!', adding a personal message to the singer: '@TaylorSwift please tell us you watch swimming!' 

The crafty teammates made them into the shape of Olympic rings, with lyrics reading: 'Today Was A Fairytale, 'Maroon' and the Taylor Swift and Midnights albums.  

It's something that even the royal family have started wearing - ever since Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended Taylor's concert at Wembley with Prince William in June. 

Weeks later, at Wimbledon, Charlotte was spotted wearing two threaded bracelets, one featuring various shades of pink and another boasting green, blue and pink fabric. 

Meanwhile eagle-eyed royal fans noticed a playful addition to Prince George's otherwise formal ensemble in his 11th birthday portrait. 

The Prince and Princess of Wales shared a stunning black and white portrait, taken by Kate, to mark his special day and in the image, a bracelet can clearly be seen above the cuff of his shirt on his left wrist. He wore it again to the Euros final with Prince William. 

King Charles, 75, was spotted wearing what appeared to be a 'friendship bracelet' made up of yellow and red thread during a visit to the Channel Islands with Queen Camilla last month - which fans speculated could be a gift from Charlotte. 

And the Duchess of Edinburgh appeared to be the latest royal to wear a friendship bracelet as she cheered on Team GB in Paris last week. 

Charlotte wore two of the threaded bracelets, one featuring various shades of pink and another boasting green, blue and pink fabric

American swimmer Erin Gemmell said her teammate Torri Huske was using her downtime in the Olympic village to make friendship bracelets for Taylor's concerts

The royals seem to be going about the trend in an eco-friendly way, wearing bracelets made from coloured thread instead of the beaded varieties beloved by Swifties. 

Sian said: 'When trends like this explode, they often lead to a flood of single-use items that are quickly discarded. With 5.3 million tickets sold over 84 international shows, across 19 countries, the quantity of these plastic friendship bracelets being exchanged is staggering. 

'Already, 20 million metric tons of plastic litter end up in the environment every year. We know the impact of plastic all too well – it never truly goes away. 

'The bracelets might be worn with pride for a few weeks following the concert, but their environmental impact lasts for centuries, enduring long after the concert memories have faded. What’s considered ‘cool’ today will have dire consequences for future generations.'

Gary added that each friendship bracelet requires 'huge amounts of water' to produce the fibres to make the cotton thread. 

In addition, the plastic beads used take years to break down and any packaging added even more non-recyclable plastic.  

Environmental website Green Matters posted advice to fans on how to make more eco-friendly bracelets for Taylor's concerts. 

The site recommends using plastic-free beads, such as glass or metal, or even making beads yourself at home. 

They also suggest up-cycling old pieces of jewellery and using cotton as a base instead of plastic string. 

The crafty teammates made them into the shape of Olympic rings

Sian said: 'I’m all for small tokens of friendship but plastic beads should not be the go-to choice for Swifties. 

'There are plenty of natural fibre options or wooden beads. I’m not blaming the fans, they shouldn’t be available to buy full stop. A bracelet made from natural materials will still bring the same joy to Swifties.'

Sian has urged Taylor to speak out about the recent trend, saying: 'With Taylor Swift’s massive platform, she has an incredible opportunity to educate her fans on the importance of sustainability. 

'So come on Taylor, let’s turn a simple act of making a bracelet into a powerful statement for the planet.'

Gary added: 'Most of all, it’s important to remember that Swifties themselves aren’t solely responsible for this surge. 

'It’s ultimately the corporations fuelling this trend and advertising to a demographic of predominantly young women who are responsible for the negative environmental impact.'