Introducing the 3M™ 389, this extra heavy duty tape that has great holding strength and conformability for industrial applications. Easy to tear, the tape allows quick application without the need for scissors or a knife. Constructed from a Polyethylene treated closely woven cloth backing with a synthetic rubber adhesive for an initial aggressive adhesion. This cloth tape is waterproof keeping moisture at bay for a short time, but will eventually fail when wet.

• Versatile and conformable
• Excellent strength and durability
• Easy to tear

Cloth-backed tape, often referred to as duct tape or gaffa tape, is highly versatile, with uses in sealing walls in the construction industry, for basic rigging tasks, or for bookbinding and sewing. This type of tape is also sometimes used as masking tapes, and is common around the home, workshop, construction sites or in the garden. It’s primarily used in the aerospace, automotive, military, roofing, speciality vehicle and shipbuilding industries for fabric splicing, seaming and sealing panels, heavy duty masking, bundling, holding and harness wrapping.

These tapes generally have a shelf life of 12 to 18 months if stored correctly from the manufacturer's dispatch date.

The very common and versatile duct tape and gaffa tapes are both types of cloth-backed tape, though they are different in their adhesive and type of backing. Gaffer tape, for example, is a fabric material that is heat resistant and non-reflective with an adhesive that does not leave marks when removed from the surface, and so is suited to temporary applications. As such, it is ideal for theatre and studio applications where subtly, versatility and reliability are needed. Duct tape is a broad term that includes many different steps of material and adhesive, but are typically characterized by a polyethylene film and a rubber-based adhesive. It's strength, cohesion and ability to tear easily means it is suitable for a number of applications where permanence is required.

There are many backing materials available on cloth tapes:

• Fabric/cloth such as cotton is used to improve the tensile strength, heat resistance and electrical resistance. Woven fibres are stronger than non-woven.
• Glass/Fiberglass are reinforced with glass or fibreglass particles. This enhances the heat resistance.
• Plastic/Polymer is protected by a liner in the form of a tape, film or laminate.
• PET/Polyester have a high resistance to solvents and age well.

3M are a trusted name in tapes and adhesives. With a huge range of versatile and specialist tapes, 3M support dozens of industries and applications, from heavy-duty construction to DIY around the home. Whatever your needs, 3M supplies an adhesive tape that won't let you down.