Name/Title
Homemade hair tie (moño, coletero) — yarn-wrapped condom-rubber elasticEntry/Object ID
2025.6.14Description
A small ring-shaped hair elastic, handmade. A stretchable core — the rubber rim ring cut from a condom (per owner) — is densely covered with rose-pink knitting yarn worked in tight, segmented bumps, giving the loop a beaded, "caterpillar"-like texture.Use
Made and used by Mirta Suquet MartínezCollection
The Martínez Suquet family collectionAcquisition
Accession
2025.6Source or Donor
Mirta SuquetAcquisition Method
GiftMade/Created
Date made
circa 1994Place
City
Pinar del RíoState/Province
Pinar del RíoCountry
CubaRegion
Caribbean, Central AmericaMaterials
Material Notes
Materials: Rose-pink knitting yarn (wool or acrylic — unconfirmed) over an elastic core of rubber cut from a condom (per owner).
Technique: Yarn hand-worked (wound/wrapped or crocheted) over a stretchable rubber-ring core to form a covered hair elastic.Relationships
Related Person or Organization
Person or Organization
Mirta SuquetNotes
ownerRelated Places
Place
City
Pinar del RíoState/Province
Pinar del RíoCountry
CubaRegion
Caribbean, Central AmericaNotes
manufacture, useResearch Notes
Notes
Cultural context: In Cuba, condoms have been widely repurposed for non-sexual uses — fishing, tire repair, balloons, securing medicines, and tying hair; a Havana hairdresser explained that, lacking proper tools, they turned to alternatives, using condoms to hold clients' hair. The elastic rim in particular is documented as a hair/braid fastener.Created By
María A. Cabrera ArúsCreate Date
December 30, 2025Updated By
María A. Cabrera ArúsUpdate Date
June 11, 2026