Scotch tape
Scotch is 3M’s adhesive-products brand, best known for transparent office tape and a broad range of household, school, packaging, mounting, repair, and industrial tape products.
Last updated October 13, 2026
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Overview
Scotch tape is a 3M brand covering transparent, masking, mending, packaging, double-sided, removable, specialty, and related pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes. The brand grew from 3M engineer Richard Drew’s work on masking tape for automotive paint shops. In the mid-1920s, Drew developed a tape that could help painters create clean boundaries between two paint colors without damaging the underlying finish. The product became associated with the word “Scotch” after a body-shop painter criticized an early sample for using too little adhesive, using “Scotch” in the period sense of being excessively frugal. The name was subsequently applied across 3M’s tape range. Drew’s work led to the development of a transparent cellophane tape, introduced in 1930. Food packagers were looking for a practical way to close clear cellophane wrapping without melting or otherwise joining the material, and transparent adhesive tape offered a less costly and more convenient solution. The product also proved useful for sealing parcels, repairing paper goods, mending household objects, and performing small maintenance tasks. During the Great Depression, this versatility helped make Scotch tape a practical repair product. Consumers used it to extend the life of books, clothing, curtains, and other possessions rather than replacing them. The brand’s development was supported by related dispensing and packaging innovations. In 1932, 3M engineer John A. Borden created the “snail” style tape dispenser, initially made from metal and later produced in plastic. The dispenser made transparent tape easier to store, cut, and use in offices and homes. Scotch products also found industrial applications, including use in airship construction and other manufacturing contexts. Scotch is not a single tape construction. Products sold under the name have used different backings, adhesives, finishes, colors, and removability characteristics. One of the best-known extensions is Scotch Magic Tape, introduced in 1961. Its matte surface appears translucent on the roll but becomes unobtrusive on paper, can generally be written on, and is widely used for gift wrapping, document repair, schoolwork, and office tasks. Depending on the product, Magic Tape may be permanent or removable and is designed to resist drying and yellowing. The Scotch name has also appeared on products outside ordinary household adhesive tape. 3M used it for professional magnetic recording media, including audio, computer-storage, and cassette-related tapes, before exiting the magnetic tape business in 1996. Those assets were sold to Quantegy. The company also applied the Scotch theme to products such as Tartan Track and Tartan Turf. These extensions show how 3M used Scotch as a broader technology and materials brand rather than only as a label for transparent office tape. Scotch tape has become partly genericized in everyday speech, especially in the United States, where “scotch tape” may refer to transparent pressure-sensitive tape from any manufacturer. Nevertheless, Scotch, Scotch Tape, and Magic Tape remain 3M trademarks. Brand recognition has been reinforced by distinctive tartan packaging, introduced in 1945, and by Scotty McTape, a kilt-wearing cartoon mascot used from 1944 for roughly two decades. The brand’s cultural meaning combines convenience, repair, thrift, and dependable everyday utility. It remains an active 3M consumer and professional product family.
History
Scotch tape’s history is closely connected with 3M’s development of coated abrasives, adhesives, films, and other specialty materials. Richard Drew, a 3M engineer, was assigned to help automotive body shops solve a practical painting problem. Two-tone automobile finishes required painters to mask one area while applying paint to another, but the available adhesives could pull away paint when removed. Drew experimented with 3M adhesive formulations to achieve a balance between holding power and clean removal. The early masking product became associated with the Scotch name around 1925. The name reportedly arose during testing when a body-shop painter objected that too little adhesive had been applied and criticized Drew by telling him to take the tape back to his “Scotch” bosses and ask them to add more. In the language of the period, the expression implied excessive frugality. Although the origin was pejorative, the name was retained and eventually became one of 3M’s most recognizable consumer brands. The next major step was transparent tape. By 1930, Drew had developed a clear adhesive tape using cellophane as its backing. Food packagers needed a way to close transparent wrapping around individual portions and custom packages. Before adhesive tape, cellophane edges could require heat sealing or other labor-intensive methods. Clear pressure-sensitive tape provided a simpler approach and opened new markets beyond automotive paint shops. During the 1930s, Scotch tape became a household repair tool as well as a packaging material. Its transparent appearance made it useful for repairing torn paper, books, curtains, clothing, and other objects without creating a highly visible patch. The product’s practical value was especially evident during the Great Depression, when households sought inexpensive ways to maintain possessions. Industrial users also adopted it for specialized tasks. The reference history describes use by Goodyear in taping inner supportive ribs of dirigibles to help prevent corrosion. Dispensing technology helped turn the tape into a routine office and household product. In 1932, John A. Borden, another 3M engineer, invented the snail-style dispenser. Early dispensers were metal, while later versions used plastic. The ability to hold and cut tape cleanly improved convenience and helped establish the familiar desktop format. 3M continued to broaden the Scotch portfolio. The brand came to cover multiple backings, adhesives, colors, and surface treatments rather than one standardized tape. Scotch Magic Tape, launched in 1961, introduced a matte finish that appeared frosted on the roll but blended into paper when applied. It could be written on with common writing instruments and became associated with gift wrapping, schoolwork, office filing, and paper repair. Permanent and removable versions were developed for different uses. The Scotch name was also used for magnetic recording products. Beginning in the 1960s, 3M sold audio, computer-storage, cassette, and related recording media under Scotch or associated names. This activity continued until 3M exited the magnetic tape business in 1996 and sold the assets to Quantegy, a company spun off from Ampex. Brand identity developed alongside the product range. Scotty McTape, a kilt-wearing cartoon character, appeared from 1944 and was used for about twenty years. In 1945, 3M introduced a tartan design that became a durable packaging signature. The company also applied the Scotch theme to products such as Tartan Track and Tartan Turf, demonstrating the breadth of its naming strategy. Scotch tape remains an active 3M brand. Its name is sometimes used generically for transparent adhesive tape, but Scotch, Scotch Tape, and Magic Tape are 3M trademarks. The brand’s continuing importance rests on a combination of recognizable packaging, broad product coverage, and a long-standing association with convenient, economical repair and everyday utility.
- 1996
3M sells magnetic tape assets
[1]3M exits the magnetic tape business and sells the related assets to Quantegy.
- 1964
Scotch magnetic tape expands
[1]3M releases Dynarange magnetic tape and extends Scotch into audio and data-recording media.
- 1961
Magic Tape launches
[1]3M introduces matte-finish Scotch Magic Tape, which is designed to blend into paper and accept writing.
- 1945
Tartan brand design is introduced
[1]A tartan pattern becomes a distinctive visual element of Scotch packaging and identity.
- 1944
Scotty McTape mascot appears
[1]3M begins using Scotty McTape, a kilt-wearing cartoon mascot, in Scotch brand promotion.
- 1932
Snail-style dispenser is invented
[1]John A. Borden develops a dispenser that makes Scotch tape easier to handle and cut.
- 1930
Transparent cellophane tape is developed
[1]3M develops a transparent pressure-sensitive tape using cellophane, responding partly to food-packaging needs.
- 1925
Scotch masking tape is established
[1]Richard Drew’s masking-tape work for automotive paint shops establishes the Scotch name and the initial product family.
Products and positioning
A dependable, versatile adhesive-tape brand associated with transparent everyday repair, office use, packaging, and practical household maintenance. A practical, accessible adhesive brand offering task-specific tape and mounting solutions for home, office, school, craft, packaging, and selected professional applications.
Transparent pressure-sensitive adhesive tape · 1930
Scotch Transparent Tape
The core Scotch product family consists of clear pressure-sensitive tapes for everyday office, school, household, packaging, and repair tasks. Transparent tape is valued for its clean appearance and ease of application. Depending on the construction, products may differ in backing, adhesive strength, finish, width, dispenser format, and permanence. The core Scotch offering is clear pressure-sensitive tape for everyday attachment, sealing, wrapping, light repair, and paper-based tasks. It is commonly sold in rolls and dispenser formats, allowing users to cut and apply tape quickly without liquid glue. Specific versions can differ in backing, adhesion, width, and packaging, so the exact performance depends on the product variant and recommended application.
Matte-finish mending tape · 1961
Scotch Magic Tape
Introduced in 1961, Magic Tape has a matte surface that appears frosted on the roll but becomes relatively unobtrusive on paper. It is designed for writing, gift wrapping, schoolwork, document repair, and general office use. The family includes permanent and removable variants and is associated with resistance to drying and yellowing. A matte-finish tape designed for paper and document work. Its less reflective appearance can make applications less conspicuous than glossy transparent tape, and the surface is associated with writing and document mending uses. It is used in offices, schools, homes, and craft settings, with particular suitability depending on the surface and the specific product formulation.
Masking tape · 1925
Scotch Masking Tape
Scotch masking tape originated in automotive painting, where it was designed to create a boundary between paint colors while allowing clean removal. The original innovation established the Scotch name and helped 3M develop a wider portfolio of pressure-sensitive tapes for industrial, commercial, and household applications.
Double-sided adhesive tape
Scotch Double-Sided Tape
The Scotch portfolio includes double-sided constructions for mounting, joining, crafting, office work, and household projects. These products place adhesive on both sides of a carrier or use other engineered constructions to attach materials without leaving a conventional visible tape strip on the front. Double-sided Scotch products place adhesive on both faces of the tape so the carrier is concealed between two materials. They are used for mounting, paper projects, crafts, displays, and other applications where a visible strip would be undesirable. Product versions vary in thickness, strength, removability, and compatibility with surfaces.
Magnetic recording media · 1964
Scotch Magnetic Tape
3M used the Scotch name for magnetic recording products beginning in the 1960s, including audio, computer-storage, cassette, and related media. This was a significant historical extension of the brand beyond adhesive products. 3M sold its magnetic tape assets in 1996, so this line is no longer a current 3M Scotch offering.
Mounting tape and adhesive products
Scotch Mounting Products
Mounting products extend the brand beyond ordinary stationery tape into attaching lightweight objects and décor. The range may include foam-backed or other high-hold formats and products intended for removable or more permanent use. Selection should be based on object weight, surface type, environmental conditions, and whether clean removal is required.
Packaging and shipping tape
Scotch Packaging Tape
Packaging-oriented Scotch products are intended for sealing cartons, parcels, and storage containers. Compared with office tape, these formats are designed around wider rolls, stronger backing materials, and the demands of handling and transport. Availability and specifications vary by market, including differences in dispenser systems, clarity, holding power, and intended package weight.
Marketing campaigns
- 1945Tartan packaging identity
Global
3M introduced tartan visual styling for Scotch products, creating a distinctive packaging system that continued to identify the brand across tape categories.
Outcome. Tartan became a long-running visual marker of Scotch products.
- 1944Scotty McTape
United States
3M used Scotty McTape, a kilt-wearing cartoon boy, as a recognizable Scotch brand mascot for approximately two decades.
Outcome. The character became part of the brand’s historical identity.
Brand decisions
1996
Exit from magnetic recording tapeStrategyBackground
3M had used the Scotch name for magnetic recording media, including audio and computer-storage products.
Action taken
3M sold its magnetic tape assets to Quantegy and left that product area.
Aftermath
Scotch continued primarily as an adhesive-tape and related materials brand rather than a 3M magnetic-media business.
1961
Launch of Scotch Magic TapeProduct launchBackground
Users needed a tape that would be less visually prominent on paper and could support writing after application.
Action taken
3M introduced a matte-finish transparent tape marketed as Magic Tape.
Aftermath
Magic Tape became a major Scotch product associated with gift wrapping, office work, schools, and paper repair.
1930
Introduction of transparent Scotch tapeProduct launchBackground
Food packagers needed a convenient way to close clear cellophane wrapping without melting or joining the edges.
Action taken
3M developed a transparent cellophane-backed adhesive tape.
Aftermath
The brand expanded into household repair, office use, package sealing, and wider industrial applications.
1925
Launch of Scotch masking tapeProduct launchBackground
Automotive painters needed a masking material that could separate paint colors without pulling away the underlying finish.
Action taken
Richard Drew developed and introduced a pressure-sensitive masking tape under the Scotch name.
Aftermath
The product created the foundation for 3M’s Scotch tape brand and subsequent adhesive-tape extensions.
Recent events
- 1996
3M exits its magnetic tape business[1]
M&A
3M sold its magnetic tape assets to Quantegy, ending the company’s direct participation in that Scotch-associated product area.
- 1964
3M expands Scotch into magnetic recording media[1]
Product launch
3M released Dynarange magnetic tape and sold magnetic recording products under Scotch and Wollensak names for audio, computer-storage, cassette, and related uses.
- 1961
Scotch Magic Tape is introduced[1]
Product launch · Product generation
3M launched the matte-finish Magic Tape product, designed to be unobtrusive on paper and suitable for writing, gift wrapping, and document repair.
- 1945
Scotch adopts tartan packaging[1]
Campaign · Other
The brand introduced its recognizable tartan visual treatment, which became a continuing part of Scotch packaging and identity.
- 1944
Scotty McTape becomes a Scotch brand mascot[1]
Campaign
3M introduced Scotty McTape, a kilt-wearing cartoon character used in Scotch brand marketing for approximately two decades.
- 1932
The snail-style Scotch tape dispenser is developed[1]
Product launch · Other
John A. Borden created a compact dispenser design that made Scotch tape easier to cut and use, with later versions manufactured in plastic.
- 1930
3M introduces transparent Scotch cellophane tape[1]
Product launch · Product generation
A transparent cellophane-based adhesive tape was developed in St. Paul, expanding the brand beyond masking into household, office, packaging, and repair applications.
- 1925
Richard Drew develops Scotch masking tape[1]
Product launch · Other
3M engineer Richard Drew developed the masking-tape product that established the Scotch name and addressed the needs of automotive painters working with two-color finishes.
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