Scotch Tape... we all have used it from time to time, especially during the Christmas season to wrap preasents. But how did it get its name? Did it come from Scotland? Was the inventors last name Scotch? Did the inventor just like drinking Scotch? Finding out where the name came from is the question for today.
Scotch tape was invented by Richard Drew in 1930, (so much for the idea of it being named for its inventor) and is made out of cellophane. It was invented to be used by grociers who often wrapped produce and other goods in cellophane wrap at the market.
But how did the name come about... well it came about from what was somewhat an ethnic slander actually. When Richard Drew was working with some auto painters who were using masking tape, and wanted something stickier, supossedly the auto painter exclaimed to Drew "Take this tape back to those Scotch bosses of yours and tell them to put more adhesive on it!" the assumption being that the Scottish were cheap and didn't want to put more glue on the tape as a means of saving money.
So there you have it... how Scotch tape got its name! and it wasn't because of someones favorite booze choice.
Bonus knowledge about Scotch tape!
In 1932 John Borden invented the first scotch tape dispenser... it weighed a whopping seven pounds... nice and portable right? It wasn't until 1939 that the small tape dispenser design that we still use today was developed by Jean Reinecke.
Scotch tape began using the scottish inspired plaid design on the product in 1945, and actually had a corporate mascot named "Scotty McTape" to advertise their product on TVand in print ads in the 1950's
Richard Drew, who invented scotch tape... had previously invented masking tape in 1925, to help out auto painters.
It was during the Great Depression that scotch tape became the household staple it is today, as people turned to the tape for a variety of cheap repairs around the house to save money.
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