Awareness ribbons, due to their nature, come to symbolize various concerns depending on the colors or patterns. For example, they can be used for sadness.

Yellow ribbons, the United States, are used to show that a close family member is abroad in military service. In Russia, Belarus and other countries of the former USSR gold and black striped tape used to celebrate the Allied victory in World War II (May 9).

The use of tapes to develop awareness of health issues, perhaps the best known is the red ribbon to support people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Other health and social problems that have adopted colored ribbons are Alzheimer’s disease (purple), breast cancer ribbons (pink), bipolar disorder (green) and brain disease or disability (silver).

Political use of ribbons red ribbons are worn to commemorate the October Revolution (November 7) in the former Soviet Union, and orange ribbons in the Orange Revolution in Ukraine. Other ornaments, including flowers (of specific types), the wristbands and labels basically serve the same purpose to draw attention to the cause. These include poppies, rosettes and wristbands. More information about awareness ribbons can be found at this site: www.awarenessribbonpins.net

Source: Wikipedia