Lego tape, the year’s greatest invention, lets you build anywhere with on a bendable, adhesive-backed Lego-friendly surface.
Formally known as Nimuno Loops, Lego tape is essentially just strips of rubber with round Lego studs and adhesive backs. The strips are flexible and easily cut with scissors to be whatever length you would like. They come in original (two-stud) or wide (four-stud) sizes. You can also buy “receiver” tape that provides a sticky surface that works like the back of a Lego block – if that’s more suited to your construction needs. Most importantly, if early tests are to be believed, the strips are genuinely strong enough to let you build Lego upside down or off the wall.
Two South African designers, Anine Kirsten and Max Basler, created the innovative material, which began as an Indiegogo campaign. According to The Daily Dot, the crowdfunding effort raised $1.6 million – more than 20,000 percent above what they were asking. While Kirsten and Basler work to get Lego tape to their backers by July or August, the duo is also working on a mold for mass production. At the same time, they’re pursuing a patent for the technology. The goal is to have the adhesive strips in stores worldwide by Christmas – so make note for your gift lists now.
Lego tape is all possible, in part, due to the Lego Company’s expiring patent. In 2011, the patent on the Lego building block system expired and opened up the market to new and innovative add-ons. When attempts to extend the patent failed, Lego turned its attention to exclusive licensing i.e. all those theme sets like Star Wars, Harry Potter, and multiple superhero universes. While creating anything Lego-like is still a trademark and intellectual property minefield, the technicality does mean we get exciting new things – like Lego tape.
