The accidental origin of the name Scotch tape and its inventor
In short: 3M sells enough of this household icon annually to circle the Earth 165 times. Despite its fame, the name 'Scotch' was not a tribute to Scotland; instead, it originated as a derogatory insult aimed at a failed product, implying the tape was cheap due to stereotypical Scottish thriftiness.
The story of Scotch tape begins with Richard Drew, a banjo-playing college dropout from Saint Paul, Minnesota. Born on June 22, 1899, Drew spent only 18 months in an engineering program at the University of Minnesota before transitioning into a career at Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing, a sandpaper company founded in 1902 that would later become known as 3M.
Drew's path to innovation was born from frustration. During the 1920s, when two-tone cars were a major trend, auto body workers struggled to mask off sections for painting. They relied on glued-on newspaper or butcher paper, which often left a sticky mess. After witnessing the workers' frustration, Drew spent two years experimenting with substances like vegetable oil and natural tree gums to create a better solution.
In 1925, Drew discovered a winning formula using crepe paper backed with a mixture of cabinetmaker’s glue and glycerin. However, his initial version of masking tape was flawed, featuring adhesive only on the edges. When the tape inevitably fell off during use, frustrated painters reportedly used the term 'Scotch' as a derogatory dig at stereotypical Scottish thriftiness, implying the product was cheap. Despite the insult, the name endured, eventually becoming synonymous with the transparent tape that turns invisible when smoothed.
By May 27, 1930, Drew had secured U.S. Patent 1,760,820 for his adhesive tape. His work transformed from a lab technician's side project—often conducted despite executive orders to focus on his primary duties—into one of the most successful household products in history.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: The Invention of Scotch Tape (and Why It's Called That)
- Also: How the Invention of Scotch Tape Led to a Revolution in How Companies Managed Employees
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