Stationery tape, most commonly known as clear adhesive tape or Scotch tape (a popular brand name), is a thin, transparent pressure-sensitive tape used primarily for binding, sealing, and mending lightweight materials like paper, cardboard, and plastic.
Key Characteristics & Properties
1.Transparency: Designed to be nearly invisible when applied to paper and other light surfaces, making it ideal for repairs and presentations where aesthetics matter.
2.Adhesion: Offers a reliable, instant bond for lightweight materials. Its adhesion level is balanced to be strong enough to hold paper but not so aggressive that it damages surfaces upon removal.
3.Tensile Strength: While thin, it has good resistance to breaking under tension, allowing it to hold items together securely.
4.Conformability: The tape is flexible and can easily conform to curves and corners.
5.Writeability: Most clear tapes can be written on with ballpoint pens, markers, or pencils, though ink can sometimes smudge.
Common Types & Varieties
1.While "clear tape" is the universal standard, it comes in several specialized forms:
2.Matte Finish / Magic Tape: A frosted or matte tape that is opaque on the roll but becomes nearly invisible when applied. Its key advantage is that it can be written on clearly with pen or pencil.
3.Double-Sided Tape: Features adhesive on both sides, sandwiched between two protective liners. Used for mounting photos, creating crafts, and bonding two surfaces together without the tape being visible.
4.Packing Tape: A much wider and stronger variant, often reinforced with fiberglass filaments, used for sealing cardboard boxes.
5.Decorative Tape: Includes Washi Tape (a decorative Japanese paper tape) and patterned plastic tapes. These are often low-tack and repositionable, popular for crafts, scrapbooking, and labeling.
6.Invisible / Gift Wrap Tape: A clear tape specifically designed for wrapping presents, often with a dispenser that doesn't tear the delicate paper.
