Who invented scotch tape and in what year

The car painters took to calling the improved product Scotch tape, and 3M was stuck with the name. When they got around to applying glue to clear cellophane, translucent Scotch tape was born. Today, over four hundred different varieties of pressure-sensitive tape are available. Manufacturers employ various glues, but most of these fall into the acrylic family of polymers. They are not designed to be removed as easily as masking tape, and they adhere strongly because they produce numerous microscopic suction cups when pressed on a surface.

Enter your keywords. Sign-Up Here. Contrary to popular belief, the Scots did not invent Scotch tape. So who did? And what inspired the Scotch name? But he realized that as a sandpaper manufacturer, 3M had access to many of the necessary components: after all, creating sandpaper required a sticky surface to which the minerals would be applied. So, in his time between selling sandpaper, the brash engineer set out to invent his new tape.

A series of experiments ensued with various ingredients -- vegetable oils, chicle, linseed, glycerin, all types of resins -- but nothing really worked. Drew refused to give up, and pursued the tape invention in his own time. Tolerate their initiative and trust them.

Since cellophane was transparent, these sellers sought an attractive way to seal the wrapping. For a year, Drew and his team embarked on a challenging mission to produce a tape with clear, cellophane backing. The material was fickle, recalls a 3M historian :. It often broke or tore before a full roll was coated. The dark amber adhesive spoiled the look of the colorless, transparent cellophane. So, Drew designed his own machinery that treated the delicate tape more sensitively.

It was used to mend book pages, sheet music, window curtains, and even small rips in clothing. Bankers used it to repair paper currency. Secretaries found it perfect for patching broken fingernails. Farmers discovered they could use it to seal cracked eggs. Housewives used it to cap canned milk, remove lint from clothing, secure bait on mousetraps, and repair cracked ceiling plaster.

Goodyear used the tape to cover the inner ribs and beams of its dirigibles, creating an anti-corrosive shield. While other companies folded and laid off hundreds of employees in the s, 3M grew its team and continued to innovate. With four other employees, Drew moved his research lab into a tiny building that was once used as a whiskey distillery. With no air conditioning, it was hot.

One day, I remember a reading of degrees Fahrenheit in the building. It was hard to conduct experiments. In assembling and building out his team, Drew grew a reputation as a quirky, off-kilter leader. He never discouraged people. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors.

Share Flipboard Email. Mary Bellis. Inventions Expert. Mary Bellis covered inventions and inventors for ThoughtCo for 18 years. She is known for her independent films and documentaries, including one about Alexander Graham Bell. Updated March 19, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format.

Bellis, Mary. The History of Scotch Tape. Important Innovations and Inventions, Past and Present. The Inventors Behind the Creation of Television.