Cable Ties, T50R, 4.8x178mm, Black, (Per Packet of 100)

A cable tie (also known as a hose tie, zip tie, or tie wrap) is a type of fastener for holding items together, primarily electrical cables and wires. Because of their low cost, ease of use, and binding strength, cable ties are ubiquitous. Thus you can use them in a wide range of other applications. Cable ties were first manufactured by Thomas & Betts under the brand name Ty-Rap.

Nylon is the manufacturing material for the common cable tie. It has a flexible tape section with teeth. These teeth engage with a pawl in the head and forms a ratchet. Effectively this means as you pull the free end of the tape section the cable tie tightens and does not come undone. Some ties include a tab that you can be press to release the ratchet. This is so you can loosen or remove the tie, and possibly reuse it. Stainless steel versions, some coated with a rugged plastic, cater for exterior applications and hazardous environments.

The most common cable tie consists of a flexible nylon tape with an integrated gear rack, and on one end a ratchet within a small open case. Once you pull the pointed tip of the cable tie through the case and past the ratchet, it prevents you from pulling it back unless you apply a large amount of force. The resulting loop may only be pulled tighter. This allows you to bind several cables together into a cable bundle and/or to form a cable tree