Gaffer Tape

A special variety of duck tape, for use in technical theater. Gaff tape has a matte finish so as not to reflect light and a different kind of adhesive that does not leave that gummy residue when removed. It's also easier to tear than duct tape. Because of the special features, many techies worship it above all other tapes. The downside is it's ungodly expensive. It's usually black, but can be purchased in white, grey, red, blue and yellow as well.

The ostensible purpose of gaff tape is to hold lighting cables together, but generally, gaff tape can and is used to fix, cover, decorate, hem, or shut-up anything. See http://www.will-tatam.freeuk.com/gaffa.htm for the full 191 documented uses.

"And lo, as the year begins, so is the Gaff Tape delivered unto the TECHIES, who do revere and worship the Gaff. And, soon, does the Gaff Tape leave the store, to be used by the TECHIES in pursuit of excellence in their techie activities, and also in various activites with fair TECHIE maidens. And, the head TECHIES do soon become worried at the amount of Gaff used, for while much use of Gaff does surely lead to a higher plane of TECHIE existence, the year must be split in two: 6 months of plenty, following the delivery of Gaff unto the TECHIES, and 6 months of famine, when the Gaff must surely run out."
From the Book of Techxodus

The author recommends against the use of gaff tape as a hair removal device.

While Duct Tape may hold the world together, Gaffer Tape can mend anything except a broken heart or a bad haircut, so they say.

'Gaffer', 'Gaff' or 'Gaffa' Tape, likely named after the movie term 'gaffer' for the techie gang, is vinyl- or polyethylene-coated cotton cloth tape used and loved by stagehands all over the world for its high usability and performance. In colors or white, it's for marking and labelling things (like the lights and sound setup on a mixer console). In black, it's for everything else.

Proper gaffer is not your cheapass homeland security duct tape. You can easily tear it to arbitrary rectangles of a few millimeters size - with the tips of your fingers. It's curl resistant, you can write on it and it's not glossy but matte, so it hides well on a movie set or stage. It sticks, holds and seals incredibly well, yet removes cleanly.

The popular choices for good gaffer seem to be "Permacel 665" and "Nashua 357". (Use this info with caution, I rarely have the chance to use proper gaffer and cannot memorize the name, so these are from the web. 'Permacel' seems to ring a bell though. /msg me if you know any good gaffa brand. Also, I couldn't find any factual info on a supposed 'gaffa' trademark).