Check for rubber content. Put some bands in a bowl of water. If bands sink too much clay. If they float high rubber content. When is a pound of rubber bands not a pount when it's clay. Consider the count not the weight.
I purchased these rubber bands approximately three to four weeks ago. I use them to bundle blueprints and other drawings as well as sets of bound reports that we mail out by the box full. They are very durable extremely affordable and are just the right size. The only (and main) drawback is the stench. Everything in our supply cabinet reeks and you can detect the odor on that side of the room even when the cabinet door has been shut for a long weekend! The stench is a mix of dead rat in the crawlspace and mothballs. I am double-bagging them to see if this will contain the odor. It's a shame because they are great rubber bands besides the odor. Staples please fix this!