The history of duct tape is well documented, originating as cotton wrapping tape at the turn of the 20th century used to cover the cables of the Brooklyn Bridge, and evolving during World War II as a means to keep ammunition dry.  As the GIs returned home and the subsequent housing boom took shape, the trusty roll of fiber-infused tape was an essential tool in home construction and has now become the backbone of creativity in a pinch. 

Lesser known is the history of Fat Tape® industries, based in Santa Barbara, Calif., with offices in the lower East Side of Manhattan, which ironically, is where the first product was conceived.

It all began on a sweltering day in the basement below Second Avenue.  A blown pipe was wrecking havoc on the residents of a four-story walk-up as the maintenance crew struggled to shut down the age-old cast iron pipes that carried the effluent.  Once the flow had been stifled, the workers began to wrap the pipe in conventional width duct tape for a temporary fix until the pipe could be replaced.  Just then, the future founder of Fat Tape® wandered into the room, intent on washing a load of laundry for a big night out.

As he watched the men struggle with endless yards of conventional tape, he commented “You’re gonna need a wider tape,” borrowing a famous line from the film JAWS.  The workers, who either spoke little or no English or else didn’t really care for the advice, grunted a reply and continued to wrap the pipe.

Later that night the now-famous eureka moment occurred in the appropriately named “Big Bar” tavern, which, depending on the humidity, seats between 10 and 15 people, when the discussion turned to size, measurement and proportion.  It was at that moment that the spark ignited.  The future founder slammed his drink down, stood, and bellowed, “What this world needs is duct tape that’s twice as wide!”

All conversation came to a halt.  The record player scratched off.  The bartender slowly stopped wiping the glass in his hand as he pondered this sudden announcement. Silence filled the cramped space.  The fish in the aquarium stopped swimming….

A wise old man who had been drinking alone at the end of the bar was the first to speak.  “You know son, that’s not such a bad idea.  Just the other day I had to use two strips to repair a screen door when I could have used just one double-wide piece.”

Soon the watering hole was full of excited chatter as patrons exchanged tales of duct tape woe and success.  With one more round for good measure, the plan was cemented.  The world would no longer have to pine for wider tape.

Today, Fat Tape® is a leading provider of duct tape in the United States, Canada and Panama, where it is used extensively in canal operations.

INTERNATIONAL NAMES FOR DUCT TAPE
Gun Tape (Canada)
Riggers Tape (Australia)
100-MPH tape (NASCAR)
Hurricane Tape (military)
"racer's tape (auto sports)
"tank tape" (UK)
"Panzertape” Germany

In a 2001 NASA manual for spaceflight operations aboard the International Space Station, duck tape is even called for in case of "acute psychosis" during a space mission; NASA procedures call for the use of duct tape to restrain the affected astronaut.