Cloth Tape
The term "adhesive" refers to any substance that is able to stick to an object or stick objects together and then resists separation. Examples of adhesives include glue, gum, paste, and tape. Cloth tape, which is also sometimes known as fabric tape, is a type of adhesive made with a cloth backing. It contrasts with many other types of tape that more commonly use fiberglass or plastic as their backing.
Quick links to Cloth Tape Information
Applications of Cloth Tape
Cloth tape has cornered a few specific markets that benefit from its construction. In the medical industry, for example, cloth tape is used by medical professionals to set various types of wounds or support weak joints. This type of tape is popular in that industry because it permits the human body to flex, bend, or otherwise move without sacrificing the tape’s strength.
A few of the other industries in which cloth tape is popular are the craft, construction, and print industries. In the craft industry, cloth tape can be used to mark edges or outline shapes as a garment or other type of craft is being constructed. In the construction industry, cloth tape is used to seal up walls. In the print industry, cloth tape is valued as a resource for book repair patches and bookbinding.
Cloth Tape Design and Customization
Cloth tape is available in many different styles, including:
- Gaffers Tape
- Duct Tape
- Friction Tape
- Military Grade Cloth Tape
- Cloth Insulation Tape
- Cloth Electrical Tape
The cloth back of these tapes can also be joined with other materials to make it specific to certain applications. Examples of such materials and material combinations include glass and silicone (used for insulating, splicing, securing, and reinforcing), acrylic (valued for abrasion resistance and flame retardancy), PTFE coated glass (used in packaging with heat sealers, form-fill-seal equipment, and blister formation, extruded polyethylene (used for packaging, protecting, masking, marking, fastening, and closing), and silicone rubber (used in plasma spray flame spraying). Manufacturers and suppliers offer cloth tape in a wide variety of colors, weights, thicknesses, tensile strengths, and resistances to threats like moisture, abrasion, and heat. In addition, cloth tape can be made to be waterproof.
Each cloth tape style brings something else to the table. Duct tape, for example, is an incredibly strong cloth tape that is valued for use in heavy duty applications found both around the house and on the factory floor. Cloth tapes like friction tape, on the other hand, are an ideal substitute for electrical tape. They offer quality bundling and binding of hoses, wires, and cables, and they provide reliable and durable coverage to exposed electrical conduits. Insulation tape serves the very specific purpose of providing an insulative layer to different spaces and materials.
Cloth Tape Standards
Cloth tape can also be made to the standards of various organizations or requirements. This is the case with military grade cloth tape, which is designed to meet the Military Specification (Mil-Spec) ASTM D5486M-06, Type IV. Other tapes may be designed to meet such standards as UL (Underwriters Laboratories), ISO (International Organization for Standardization), and other ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) International standards.
Benefits of Using Cloth Tape
The cloth backing not only imbues this tape with additional strength, but also provides it with a particular form of flexibility that most other styles of tape do not have. In addition, cloth tape does not leave much adhesive residue behind. Lastly, the cloth backing of this tape allows anything to be easily marked for identification purposes.
Finding the Right Cloth Tape Manufacturer
To find out what type of cloth tape may be right for your application, contact an experienced manufacturer with whom you can discuss your specifications. The right manufacturer will provide you with the best possible product for you at the best possible price. To find that manufacturer, scroll up to near the top of this page, where you will find a list of tape companies with whom we partner. Browse their respective company profiles and company websites, and then give one or more of them a call to get started. Avoid a sticky situation and go for the best. Reach out today!