It's a tape for ducts rather than ducks :)

This malapropism has taken such a deep hold that stores actually do sell a tape called “duck tape”. It’s the same thing as duct tape, but it is labeled with the duck.

So as annoying as it is, usage continues to evolve.

Duck tape is the older usage. It was strips of canvas duck (the technical name for traditional sailcloth fabric) for finishing sewn edges and rope splices. Adhesive variants came later but fabric tapes are ancient and still in use for example twill tape. Also if you know what duck weave looks like duct tape is still obviously based on it.

It's made of duck canvas. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_duck

Thank you for this. I was pretty sure most people in this thread had the duct/duck origin incorrect, and this reminded me of why I thought that. Looking at the Duct Tape wiki, it says:

> During World War II, Revolite (then a division of Johnson & Johnson) developed an adhesive tape made from a rubber-based adhesive applied to a durable duck cloth backing. This tape resisted water and was used to seal some ammunition cases during that period.

This makes me think Duck is the original term for the tape.

Made even more confusing by the introduction of "Duck brand Duct Tape".

Duck type, duck tape, duck tales!

Duck brand duct tape!

Is guerilla tape a thing yet?

I'm sure somebody somewhere at some point has to use tape on ducks (for veterinary surgery, say). That is, clearly, duck tape.

Fun fact: The product sold as "duct tape", or sometimes actually as "duck tape"(!) is not generally suitable for use in ducts.

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a duct

Duck Brand Duct Tape. Was I really incorrect ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ https://www.duckbrand.com/products/duck-tape/utility/silver-...