Factory worker Vesta Stoudt wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1943 with the idea to seal the boxes with a fabric tape which she had already tested. The letter was forwarded to the War Production Board, which put Johnson & Johnson on the job. Their Revolite division had made medical adhesive tapes from cotton duck cloth from 1927 and a team headed by Revolite's Johnny Denoye and Johnson & Johnson's Bill Gross developed the new adhesive tape that was waterproof, strong and versatile … designed to be ripped by hand, not cut with scissors.

Their new unnamed product was made of thin cotton duck coated in waterproof polyethylene (plastic) with a layer of rubber-based grey adhesive (branded as “Polycoat”) bonded to one side. For a very detailed yet strangely enthralling explanation of the science behind duct tape, check out this video by chemical engineer Bill Hammack aka @engineerguy.

Soldiers nicknamed it “duck tape” because of its water-repellent properties, likening it to a duck’s feathers. The tape’s cotton duck fabric backing gave it additional durability, allowing it to withstand the rigours of wartime use.

After the war, the versatile tape didn’t fade into obscurity. Instead, it found a new purpose in the booming post-war construction industry. Workers discovered that this tough, sticky tape was perfect for joining heating and air conditioning ducts. Manufacturers adapted the product for this new market, changing its original army green colour to a metallic grey to match the ducts it now sealed. With this transition, the name also evolved from “duck tape” to “duct tape”, reflecting its new primary use.

By the 1960s and 1970s, duct tape had become a staple in households throughout the world. Its reputation as a fix-all tool spread quickly, as people discovered its utility for everything from mending broken items to emergency repairs. It was during this period that duct tape truly entered the cultural zeitgeist. It wasn’t just a tool; it was a symbol of ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Duct tape’s reputation for saving the day was cemented in 1970 during the Apollo 13 mission. When an explosion crippled the spacecraft, the astronauts used duct tape to improvise a makeshift carbon dioxide filter. Their resourcefulness – and the reliability of duct tape – helped ensure their safe return to Earth. This act of quick thinking elevated duct tape to legendary status as a tool capable of solving even life-threatening problems.

As the decades have passed, duct tape’s uses continued to expand. Manufacturers introduced coloured and patterned versions, sparking creative projects like duct tape wallets, prom dresses and art installations. While it has become less common for sealing modern ducting systems due to improved (more heat resistant) alternatives, its status as an all-purpose tool has only grown stronger.

Duct tape’s widespread popularity and multitude of uses has earned it a strong place in popular culture, and has inspired a vast number of creative and imaginative applications. It has been featured in TV shows such as MythBusters … and also rates a REMORANDOM mention in our previously featured celebration of duct tape’s sidekick WD-40® [RR2:84].

Finally, we should probably make mention of Tim Nyberg and Jim Berg aka the Duct Tape Guys. They have written several best-selling books about duct tape, featuring real and unusual uses of duct tape.

In 1994 Tim and Jim coined the phrase: “it ain't broke, it just lacks duct tape”.

Postscript
Duct v. Duck. Don't be confused. “Duck® Tape” is a brand of duct tape made by Shurtape Technologies, but there are other makers of duct tape, e.g. 3M.

Story Idea: Thierry Baume
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References

wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape
jnj.com/our-heritage/vesta-stoudt-the-woman-who-invented-duct-tape
octanecreative.com/ducttape
www.instructables.com/Unusual-Uses-for-Duct-Tape
ducttapecamper.com

Images

1. A roll of silver, Scotch brand duct tape by 3M
2. Factory worker Vesta Stoudt
3. Apollo 13's duct taped carbon dioxide filter
4. Duct tape sling
5. Blister fix
6. A wallet constructed entirely from duct tape and envelope windows
7. Homer Simpson portrait made with coloured duct tape
8. Video: The Engineering of Duct Tape, Engineer Guy, 2024
9. Engineering flowchart meme
10. Tim Nyberg and Jim Berg, the Duct Tape Guys
11. Duck® brand duct tape
12. Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian, 2019. See Boundary-Pushing Art Works.