What Is An Awareness Ribbon? What Are The Colors and Their Meanings?

What Does An Awareness Ribbon Represent?

Awareness ribbons are worn to show support for certain causes, highlighting different issues and creating awareness around them. These ribbons are a great way to show your support for certain issues and there are a variety of different types in a range of different colors that can be worn. Very often, these ribbons are purchased from organizations that donate a portion of what they make to various institutions that support the cause they represent. Ribbons are commonly worn during the month that the cause is celebrated, though you can show your support at any time! By attaching a ribbon to your bag, clothing or even displaying them in your home, you can be helping to celebrate and create awareness around very important issues and causes!

While awareness ribbons are designed to help raise awareness for certain issues, they can also be a great way to support individuals! If you have a family member, friend or even a colleague who has been impacted by a certain issue, wearing a ribbon can be a great way to show that you stand by and support them. A person who suffers from a particular issue may see others wearing a ribbon that supports them and what they have gone through, helping to uplift them in amazing ways!

How To Show Awareness With Ribbons?

You can show awareness by purchasing ribbons and then attaching them to clothing or even to bags. Wearing a ribbon during the month that a specific cause is celebrated is especially important as this helps to create awareness about the issue or cause you are supporting. Different colors of ribbons are associated with different things so be sure to look into which ribbons you would want and the cause that they support! Ribbons can help to spread knowledge on things like disability awareness and raise important funding that can go towards the development of medical and technological advancements in different areas. Be sure to purchase the ribbons that you buy from organizations that contribute towards the specific cause and do research into what they do with the funding and how they help!

How Many Different Awareness Ribbons Are There?

There are tons of different ribbons that are worn to create awareness around certain issues or causes. Many survivors of certain issues or the family and friends of these survivors show their support by wearing one of these ribbons, helping to initiate conversations and create awareness for various issues! As you probably know, there are different days and months of the year that celebrate different issues and causes, and wearing your ribbon during these times can help you to show your support!

What Are The Most Commonly Used Awareness Ribbons?

The different awareness ribbon colors and meanings have a profound impact on those who have experienced the cause that the ribbons signify. The following are just a few of the most commonly used awareness ribbons and a brief look into what they each stand for and signify.

ALS Awareness Ribbon: This ribbon is either solid blue or is made up of a blue and white stripe. As ALS is a disease with no known cure, the blue signifies hope in that there will be progression in the curing of those who are known to have this disorder.

Alzheimer's Awareness Ribbon: This is a purple ribbon and as purple is meant to signify strength, it is often associated with incurable diseases. The strength of those who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer's or have lost their battle with the disease is considered to be one of the major signifiers of this specific ribbon.

Miscarriage Awareness Ribbon: This blue and pink ribbon signifies the loss of a child before birth. The light blue and pink color is representative of the profound loss that mothers and fathers face when they experience a miscarriage.

Sexual Assault Awareness Ribbon: This teal awareness ribbon signifies renewal, offering those who have been sexually assaulted the chance to begin a new chapter after such horrific events.

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Ribbon: As cerebral palsy is commonly associated with being diagnosed in children, the vibrant green color signifies youthfulness and acceptance. As this is an untreatable disease, most of the funding from these ribbons goes to advancements in research.

Scoliosis Awareness Ribbon: The color of the ribbon worn to create awareness around scoliosis is green. Just as with cerebral palsy, it is commonly associated with those in their youth and represents the young people who suffer from this disease.

Addiction Awareness Ribbon: The color for this ribbon is red, signifying courage for stepping out and trying to make the necessary changes when it comes to addiction. It is a bold color that is often worn by those who have lost loved ones due to addiction and substance abuse.

Stroke Awareness Ribbon: The ribbon for this cause is also red and wearing it is a great way to support those who have suffered from a stroke and survived!

ADHD Awareness Ribbon: The color of this ribbon is orange and it signifies those who suffer from ADHD are able to rise to the challenge of dealing with the issues surrounding this diagnosis.

Suicide Awareness Ribbon: This ribbon is made up of both teal and purple, signifying hope and courage for those who have attempted suicide and remembrance for those who lost their battle.

Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon: This ribbon is pink and is one of the most popular kinds of awareness ribbons around! It symbolizes feminine power, as most of those diagnosed with breast cancer are women.

Mental Health Awareness Ribbon: This ribbon is green and signifies new beginnings for those who struggle with mental illness. This symbol of growth and new beginnings highlights the importance of further development in the world of mental health.

Cancer Awareness Ribbons: While there are different types of cancer, usually with their own individual ribbons, the color of the ribbon that is used to symbolize all types of cancer is lavender. This color is often worn for different types of cancer awareness and can be combined with other colors that signify certain cancers.

Diabetes Awareness Ribbon: The diabetes awareness ribbon is blue and it signifies a connection to both the earth and to other people. The sign for diabetes is a blue circle, which is symbolic of this connection.

Overdose Awareness Ribbon: The color of this ribbon is purple, signifying the strength of those who have lived despite overdosing! Purple is also a color that represents Suicide awareness, for all those who have been lost to overdosing.

What Do Different Color Ribbons Mean?

Knowing the different awareness ribbon colors and what they signify can help you to better understand what they mean and why you should wear them. While many different ribbons for different causes are the same, the meaning behind the colors is often very similar. The following is a look at the different colors that are used for awareness ribbons and what each color means.

Green Awareness Ribbon: Green is a color that has been related to different ribbons for different causes and is often thought of as expressing hope and new beginnings. Many different causes are represented with green ribbons, though one of the most notable is mental health awareness.

Purple Awareness Ribbon: Purple is often associated as a color that signifies strength! There are many diseases and causes that are represented by a purple ribbon as this is a symbol of how far people have come and how far they will continue to go.

Orange Awareness Ribbon: Orange is often associated as being a color that is representative of youthfulness and happiness. It is also a symbol of positivity and rising to the challenge of having to deal with issues, conquering problems despite all that stands in the way. One of the most well-known ribbons that is orange is the ADHD awareness ribbon.

Blue Awareness Ribbon: Blue is a color that is often associated with hope for the future and connection. It is also often associated with serenity and stability, offering these associations to those who cannot change what has happened to them but can still try to look to the future. One of the most common ribbons that are designed with a blue color is the miscarriage awareness ribbon.

Yellow Awareness Ribbon: Yellow is a color that is commonly associated with happiness and hope. It is often used to symbolize moving on from the past and looking to the future.

Black Awareness Ribbon: The black awareness ribbon is often considered to be a ribbon that is dedicated to mourning. There are many of those who have lost the fight to various causes that are represented by different ribbons. These black awareness ribbons are meant to signify loss.

Red Awareness Ribbon: Red is a very bold color that is used for many different awareness ribbons. The bold color often highlights courage and determination and one of the most notable causes represented by this color ribbon is addiction.