Carrier

This is the material to which the adhesive is applied and is usually 48mm wide. Different carriers have different properties and can be supplied in a variety of weights and materials including cloth, tissue, paper, polyester and foil. The most commonly used carriers are included in the Premier range.

Polypropylene

• Cannot be torn by hand
• Stretches lengthways
• Tape releases from the roll with a screech

Low Noise Polypropylene

Same as above but with a special liner added to reduce the amount of noise created when
releasing the tape.

Vinyl

• Can be torn by hand
• Stretches across the width of the tape
• Tape releases silently from the roll when pulled

Adhesive

Different types of adhesive perform well under different conditions:

Acrylic

• A good general purpose adhesive
• Tends to be the cheapest option
• A synthetic, water based material with a sweet smell
• Not suitable for use in extreme conditions

Hot Melt

• Hot melt adhesive has a burnt plastic smell
• Performs well in a wider range of conditions and on a wider range of surfaces than
  acrylic adhesives

Solvent

• Solvent adhesive has an odour not too dissimilar to nail varnish remover
• It is well suited for use in low temperature conditions
• Solvent is the most expensive form of adhesive

In theory any adhesive can be added to one or both sides of a carrier. The best carrier and adhesive combination depends on the surface that the tape is being applied to and the stresses it is expected to endure.