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Tape looms were once common household tools used to weave narrow bands of fabric for clothing, household items, farming, and other everyday needs. The most common type was the box tape loom, a small wooden device that kept threads under tension as the weaver worked. Materials included linen, hemp, wool, silk, and cotton. Before modern fasteners such as elastic, zippers, and safety pins, woven tapes served as drawstrings, garters, shoelaces, bonnet ties, suspenders, diaper fasteners, and countless other necessities. They were also used for farm equipment, military tents, and bundles of documents.
Tape weaving was a practical skill passed between generations, with children often learning by watching older family members, although both men and women practiced the craft professionally and at home. A variation, the knee loom, held the heddle between the weaver’s knees rather than in a box. Tape looms remained in use in some rural communities into the mid-20th century, but as their usefulness declined, weaving knowledge was often lost. Many small looms survived as family heirlooms and are now preserved in museum collections.