Raleigh, NC -- (SBWIRE) --05/24/2011 -- Designer Duct Tape?? Yep. The brainchild of product designer Rob Jordan of Fortis Design, Platypus designer duct tape is the latest craze on the market. And we’re not the only ones who think so. At last week’s National Hardware Show® in Las Vegas, a panel of retailers chose Platypus Designer Duct Tape out of thousands of products on display for the Retailers’ Choice Award, designating the gorgeously patterned duct tape as one of the most innovative products to appear on retail shelves this year.

“New products are the lifeblood of the industry. The Retailers’ Choice Awards program recognizes the top products each year at the National Hardware Show® that demonstrate strong sales potential at retail. The award also creates a strong bond between retailers and manufacturers due to the fact that retailers choose the winners,” says Scott Wright, NRHA’s vice president of member services.

“We’re absolutely thrilled,” says Rob Jordan, founder and president of Fortis Design. “And we can’t wait to unveil our newest patterns, due on shelves in a constantly growing number of retail outlets this summer!”

Designer duct tape - sounds cool, right? And you have to trust the judgment of a panel of retailers that has real-world experience identifying the stuff that will fly off their shelves. But what in the world do you do with patterned duct tape? We thought you’d never ask.

Besides the obvious dressing-up of that leaky pipe in your basement, here are a few fabulous things that our fans are creating with the duct tape craze: wallets, bracelets, guitar pick holders, picture frames, iPad cases and much more. For inspiration and ideas, visit http://www.designerducttape.com.

Wanna get yours? Look for Platypus Designer Duct Tape at hardware and specialty gift shops in your area, or shop online at http://www.designerducttape.com.

About Fortis Design
Fortis Design, coined from the Latin word for strong, makes cool things that work. The brainchild of award-winning product designer, Rob Jordan, Fortis Design makes unique functional products with creative distinction, such as Platypus designer duct tape, wallet-sized bottle openers, Magwear magnetic wristbands, magnetic dart games, and more. For more information, ideas and inspiration visit http://www.fortisdesign.com.

About the Retailers’ Choice Awards
For the past three decades NRHA and Hardware Retailing magazine have sponsored the Retailers’ Choice Awards celebrating the hottest new products of the year that not only offer innovation but also provide great sales and business potential for retailers. Each year a volunteer panel of retail judges scours the floor at the National Hardware Show® to find the latest and greatest products on display. Check out the July Issue of Hardware Retailing for a full list and information on each of this year’s winners.