Eeeewwww! Duct tape tends to get very sticky, even on the non-tacky side of the tape. I used to "repair" one of my motorcycle's seat with duct tape every now and then. It almost never worked. The tape made a mess of the seat and my pants after a while.

The ribbon is a great idea if you can manage the stitching. Beyond that, there's no shame in retiring a collar because it doesn't perform up to par for one reason or another. I retired one of my submissive's collars just because she called it stupid, for example. Finding a replacement collar can take a little time but is fun.

I recommend checking the local shops (if there are any in your area) first. Also contact any local leather crafters in your area. They may well make kinky items on the side. I like to see and touch an item before I buy it if at all possible. You could be sure a collar doesn't have nickel studs that would touch your skin, doesn't pinch in the wrong places, allows for a proper fit, etc.

If that's not an option, then ordering from catalogues or the net is usually good too. One of my fave kinky online shops is sub-shop. A wide variety of toys are offered with decent descriptions and photos. Autumn, who helps run the place, is sweet, helpful, and quite smart. She's quite good at word play and I think you'll find that she is willing to help you find just the right item.

If you're looking for a more durable collar, I highly recommend Dom Wolf's House of Collars. I currently wear one of their stainless steel collars. It's beautiful and very well made. They also offer aluminum collars and other wonderful devices.

There's also a thread on this forum titled How do you choose a collar for living in for a long period of time? that has other collar links.