Who Invented Scotch Tape

Scotch tape is one of the most significant consumer-ready inventions of the 20th century. Developed by Dick Drew, who worked with the 3M company in St. Paul, MN, Scotch tape took a number of years to perfect.

Masking Tape

In the early 1920s, Dick Drew developed masking tape for the 3M company. The firm learned that railroad refrigerator cars needed insulation. 3M worked on adapting the masking tape design to become waterproof.

Cellophane

In 1929, Drew began to conduct experiments with cellophane, a newly-developed waterproof wrap created by DuPont. 3M determined it would be promising for packaging.

Adhesive Coat

Drew found, in early 1930, that if he added a primer coat to the cellophane, an additional layer of adhesive would coat evenly across the material. The next step was to create colorless adhesives, which he did the same year.

Scotch Tape

The first roll of Scotch tape was released on September 8, 1930. The railroadsfound that the material worked very well for their needs and suggested that 3M market Scotch tape to the general public.

Consumer Success

Since its creation, Scotch tape became a staple of American consumerism. The public has found a number of uses for the tape, from patching books to wrapping presents.

References

• Cellophane Tape History
• Did You Know? - Scotch Tape

Resources

• The History of the Scotch Tape Brand