Duct Tape?

You know it. You love it. Your prom dress was made out of it. But what the hell is it called? Duct tape? Duck tape? Which came first? Can you make fun of that girl who sits behind you and constantly calls it duck tape? Well, you make fun of her anyway, but do you really have the moral high ground?

Cry no more, poppets, as we are about to demystify that sticky silver ribbon for you.

In its first incarnation, this army-green, waterproof adhesive tape was conjured by Pharmacel wizards working with the U.S. Army during WWII. It was called "duck tape" for the way water just rolled off it, and it was Good. So yeah, "duck tape girl" totally deserves to rub dirt in your hair for all those mean things you said to her.

However, after the war, the tape went commercial. Its color was changed to silver-grey to match the duct work in central heating/air systems and it became a staple for construction sites as central heating/air became more and more popular. Thus it became known as "duct tape," to indicate its primary purpose, which means that you aren't wrong, either!

But wait, there's more! At some point, a company called Manco started manufacturing duct tape under the brand name Duck Tape® with a logo that includes an illustration of a duck. So, you're not wrong in saying it either way: "duct tape" is the generic form, and "duck tape" or "Duck Tape®" is either the original name or the modern brand name. Caring about brand names isn't very AntiCrafty, except that according to the Duct Tape Guys, Duck brand duct tape is the best for any job, which would include crafty things like making wallets, corsets, and purses. (Plus it comes in a gazillion colors.) Since making kickass projects is VERY AntiCrafty, we think you should use quality materials and trust the Duct Tape Guys' judgement on this one.

And just for kicks, everything in this short history of duct tape is true.*

Source: The Duct Tape Guys (http://ducttapeguys.com)