Elmer's Products
An American adhesive and craft-supplies brand best known for Elmer's Glue-All and school glue.
Last updated October 14, 2026
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Overview
Elmer's Products is an American brand and business associated with consumer adhesives, craft materials, home-repair products, and office supplies. It is best known for Elmer's Glue-All, a white polyvinyl acetate-based adhesive, and for school glue, glue sticks, glitter glue, paint markers, and related creative products. The brand also became a house for several adjacent product lines, including Krazy Glue, ProBond, CraftBond, and X-Acto cutting and office tools. The brand's origins lie in Borden's adhesive operations. Borden, a company founded in the nineteenth century as a food business, acquired the Casein Company of America in 1929 and subsequently expanded from milk-derived casein adhesives into synthetic resin products. A consumer multipurpose white glue was introduced in 1947, initially under the Cascorez name. It later became associated with Elmer's, taking its identity from Elmer the Bull, the advertising partner of Borden's famous Elsie the Cow. Elmer's image was formally adopted for Borden's adhesive products in 1951 and remains part of the brand's visual identity. Product delivery and formulation helped shape the brand's consumer position. Early glue was sold in a glass container with a wooden applicator, while the company later developed a squeezable package with a twistable orange cap. Introduced in 1962, that packaging format became one of the brand's most recognizable features. In 1968, Elmer's introduced School Glue, promoted as a white glue that could wash out of clothing. Although School Glue and Glue-All came to use essentially similar adhesive ingredients, they retained different packaging and market positioning. Elmer's expanded during the following decades from basic glue into school, craft, hardware, home-repair, and office categories. Its glue-stick line, launched in 1983 in response to demand for cleaner and easier classroom use, broadened the brand's relevance beyond liquid adhesives. The company also developed or marketed sealants, caulks, wood fillers, display boards, paints, paint markers, and other craft materials. Acquisitions and combinations added creative-arts and office capabilities, including X-Acto and related brands. The business experienced several ownership changes. Elmer's was separated from Borden's broader operations during the restructuring period after Borden was acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1994. The business was spun off as a separate operating company in 1999, acquired by Berwind Corporation in 2003, and later acquired by Newell Rubbermaid in a transaction announced in 2015. Following Newell Rubbermaid's combination with Jarden, Elmer's became part of the Newell Brands portfolio. Today, Elmer's is positioned around dependable, accessible bonding and creative activity. Its products serve children, families, teachers, hobbyists, makers, office users, and home-repair consumers. The brand has also promoted the idea that shared creative projects can support interaction between parents and young children. Although its earliest adhesive history involved casein derived from milk, the brand states that its current glues do not use animals, animal parts, or milk in their manufacture.
History
Elmer's developed from the adhesive activities of Borden, a company established by Gail Borden in 1857. Borden purchased the Casein Company of America in 1929, giving it a significant position in casein-based glues made from a milk byproduct. After the Second World War, Borden broadened its adhesive business into synthetic materials. In 1947 it introduced a multipurpose consumer white glue initially known as Cascorez Glue. The product later became Elmer's Glue-All, one of the best-known white glues in the United States. The Elmer's identity came from Borden's advertising system. Elmer the Bull was created in 1940 by advertising designer David William Reid, whose team had also developed Elsie the Cow for Borden's dairy business. Elmer became the official symbol of Borden's adhesive products in 1951. His image has continued to appear on Elmer's packaging and helped distinguish the product from generic white glues. Packaging innovation was central to the brand's development. The original product was sold in a glass bottle with a wooden applicator attached to the container. Consumer feedback led to a squeezable bottle with a twistable orange cap, introduced in 1962. The format became a long-running visual and functional signature. In 1968, Elmer's introduced School Glue, designed to wash out of clothing and aimed particularly at classroom and children's use. During the 1970s the business also marketed Krazy Glue, a cyanoacrylate instant adhesive. Elmer's broadened its range through the late twentieth century. In 1983 it introduced glue sticks after teachers sought a less messy bonding method. The company entered children's arts and crafts with GluColors in 1991 and developed products for school, hobby, hardware, and home repair applications. In 1989, Borden and Toagosei America established a joint venture concerning cyanoacrylate and anaerobic adhesives sold under the Krazy Glue and Aron Alpha trademarks. Corporate restructuring changed the company's status. Borden was acquired by Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 1994, after which Elmer's was organized as a separate operating business and later spun off in 1999. Elmer's acquired Ross Products in 2000, supporting expansion beyond adhesives into creative arts and crafts. In 2002 it was acquired by another private-equity owner and combined with Hunt Corporation, bringing brands and products associated with adult arts and crafts and office supplies, including X-Acto and Boston. Painters paint markers and other creative products also became part of the broader portfolio. Berwind Corporation acquired Elmer's in 2003. Newell Rubbermaid announced its agreement to acquire the company in 2015 for $600 million. After the later corporate combination involving Newell Rubbermaid and Jarden, Elmer's became part of Newell Brands. The brand continues to cover adhesives, craft products, home-repair materials, and selected office tools. The company has also used research and educational messaging to connect creative activity with family interaction. In 2013, Elmer's worked with researcher Richard Rende on the Let's Bond program, which examined possible developmental and relationship benefits of parents and young children engaging in arts and crafts together. Elmer's also introduced School Glue Naturals that year, describing the product as made primarily from plant-based materials such as corn. Historically, Elmer's first glue used dairy-derived casein, but the brand states that its present glue products do not use milk, animals, or animal parts.
- 2015
Newell Rubbermaid announced acquisition
[1]Newell Rubbermaid announced a $600 million agreement to acquire Elmer's Products.
- 2013
Let's Bond program and School Glue Naturals
[1]Elmer's launched a research-oriented family creativity initiative and introduced a school-glue product described as primarily plant-based.
- 2003
Berwind Corporation acquired Elmer's
[1]Elmer's became part of the privately held Berwind portfolio.
- 2002
Elmer's combined with Hunt Corporation
[1]The combination added arts-and-crafts and office-product capabilities, including X-Acto and Boston brands.
- 2000
Ross Products acquired
[1]The acquisition helped Elmer's accelerate development in creative arts and crafts beyond its traditional adhesive base.
- 1999
Elmer's spun off from Borden
[1]The business began operating as a separately structured company after its separation from Borden.
- 1991
GluColors expanded the children's craft range
[1]Elmer's entered a broader children's arts-and-crafts segment with colorful GluColors products.
- 1983
Glue sticks launched
[1]Elmer's introduced glue sticks to provide a cleaner, easier-to-use alternative to liquid glue in classrooms and homes.
- 1968
Elmer's School Glue introduced
[1]The company launched a white glue designed to wash out of clothing and positioned it for school and children's use.
- 1962
Squeezable bottle with orange cap introduced
[1]A redesigned squeezable package replaced the earlier glass-bottle format and became a lasting Elmer's design signature.
Products and positioning
Accessible, dependable adhesives and creative-materials brand serving schools, households, crafts, office use, and home repair.
Multipurpose adhesive · 1947
Elmer's Glue-All
Elmer's Glue-All is the brand's signature multipurpose white adhesive. It is associated with the company's transition from earlier casein products to synthetic resin glue and is used for general household, school, craft, and light repair bonding.
School adhesive · 1968
Elmer's School Glue
School Glue is a washable white adhesive developed for classroom and children's projects. Its washable positioning, familiar squeeze-bottle format, and child-oriented presentation made it one of Elmer's most recognizable consumer products.
Solid adhesive · 1983
Elmer's Glue Sticks
Elmer's glue sticks provide a no-mess alternative to liquid glue. The range was created in response to teacher demand for easier classroom application and is used for paper, schoolwork, office tasks, and crafts.
Instant adhesive · 1973
Krazy Glue
Krazy Glue is a fast-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive marketed for strong instant bonding. It broadened Elmer's portfolio into more specialized and high-strength adhesive applications.
Cutting and office tools
X-Acto
X-Acto is a line of precision and utility cutting products associated with crafts, modeling, office work, and other detailed applications. Its range includes hobby knives, utility knives, saws, carving tools, and precision blades.
Arts and crafts
Elmer's craft adhesives and materials
The craft portfolio includes glitter and colored glues, display boards, paints, markers, and bonding products for children's activities, hobby projects, and creative work. These products extend the brand beyond basic white glue.
Marketing campaigns
- 2013Let's Bond
United States
Elmer's partnered with researcher Richard Rende to study how arts-and-crafts activities involving parents and young children could support developmental benefits and family bonding.
Outcome. The program produced research-based communications emphasizing creative interaction as a shared family experience.
Brand decisions
2015
Sale to Newell RubbermaidM&ABackground
Elmer's had operated as a standalone adhesive and craft-products company under Berwind ownership.
Action taken
Newell Rubbermaid announced an agreement to purchase Elmer's Products for $600 million.
Aftermath
Elmer's entered the Newell portfolio and subsequently became part of Newell Brands after the Newell Rubbermaid and Jarden combination.
announced acquisition value. $600 million (2015 announcement)
2002
Combination with Hunt CorporationM&ABackground
Hunt Corporation supplied complementary arts-and-crafts and office products.
Action taken
Elmer's was merged with Hunt Corporation and added products and brands including X-Acto and Boston.
Aftermath
The combined business had a broader portfolio spanning adhesives, creative products, and office tools.
2000
Acquisition of Ross ProductsM&ABackground
Elmer's sought to expand beyond its traditional adhesive categories.
Action taken
The company acquired Ross Products, strengthening its creative-arts and crafts offering.
Aftermath
Elmer's accelerated product development in arts and crafts.
1983
Introduction of glue sticksProduct launchBackground
Teachers sought an adhesive format that reduced mess and was easier for students to apply.
Action taken
Elmer's introduced a glue-stick line for classroom, office, and craft use.
Aftermath
The launch expanded Elmer's from liquid adhesives into a convenient solid-adhesive format.
1947
Launch of multipurpose consumer white glueProduct launchBackground
Borden was expanding from casein adhesives into synthetic resin products for consumer use.
Action taken
The company introduced a multipurpose white glue initially associated with the Cascorez name and later marketed as Elmer's Glue-All.
Aftermath
The product became the foundation of Elmer's consumer adhesive identity.
Sources1 sources
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