Crafters uncover gem in duct tape

Duct tape — not so good for sealing ducts but great for patching or mending lots of other things — has become a superstar in the crafting world, available in all kinds of vibrant colors and patterns, such as zebra, camouflage and tie-dye.

Want to get a group of teenage boys engrossed in a crafting project? Insert duct tape.

“The boys loved the activity,” said Jake Snider, a youth pastor in Decatur, Ind., who allowed teens to personalize inexpensive Bibles with various materials, including duct tape. “Some were trying different patterns, others were figuring out how to incorporate their interests into the design. It was pretty funny to watch.”

Snider, 24, crafts wallets and messenger bags out of comic book pages and duct tape to sell at his Etsy online shop, Halftone Handicrafts. The comics are sealed with transparent packaging tape. His bags are lightweight but sturdy.

“For me, as a guy, I’m working with duct tape, and that’s pretty manly,” Snider joked.

Troll the Internet with duct tape in mind and see its ingenious uses: jewelry, flowers, clothing. Furniture and home accessories are bedecked in the cloth-backed tape. Kids use it to make pony-tail holders and other bright accessories; pair it with cardboard to make swords, shields and other toys. Parents praise it because there’s no mess to clean up.

“It truly is one medium that’s almost as limitless as your imagination,” said Scott Sommers, director of marketing for ShurTech Brands, maker of Duck Brand duct tape.

Elizabeth Blue-Norton, 13, of Westminster, Colo., has made an iPad holder, hats, wallets, and clothes for her stuffed animals. Her goal in a few years? To make a duct-tape dress for “Stuck at Prom,” a Duck Brand contest in its 12th year.

The formalwear contest for high schoolers closes June 13. This year’s winning couple will receive $5,000 each.

Utah sisters Michele Howarth, 23, of Orem, and Melissa Howarth, 18, of Provo, craft jewelry out of duct tape for their Etsy store, Quiet Mischief. They’ve sold hundreds of rings, as well as online tutorials that explain how to fashion various styles, from hearts to roses. It takes a beginner at least an hour to craft one, Michele Howarth said.

Rosalinda and Victor Salinas of Houston, Texas, make duct tape wallets and purses, many featuring iconic TV and consumer characters, such as Elmo and Hello Kitty. Rosalinda Salinas, a bartender, began making the wallets a few months ago by watching video tutorials online; her husband now runs their online shop, Duct Tape Couple, full-time.

“He’s actually drumming up a lot of business,” she said. “I told him we can’t afford for you to go to work now. We hope it grows into something we can continue doing for a long time.”

Sommers, of ShurTech, said, “There’s a whole small business movement out there. The product itself is an American icon. It’s always been the backbone of a lot of invention.”

According to his company and other sources, duct tape first became known as a fix-it-all for World War II soldiers on the battlefield. At that time, it was green. Later, it became gray for sealing heating and other ducts, but it did that job badly. Duct tape is strong, but its adhesive is not that long-haul reliable. Today, there are better products on the market for sealing ducts.