What products does Post-It® produce?
Post-It® offers a wide range of products such as the well-known Post-It Notes, dispensers, dry-erase sheets and accessories, easel pads, and paper flags and tabs. The Post-It® brand has been expanding their product line to incorporate a wider range of offerings and has been a popular brand for school supplies as well as organization and office supplies. People in all types of industries use Post-It® products for different purposes, which makes the brand versatile and credible.
How was Post-It® invented?
The Post-It® Note was the first product invented and was discovered in 1968 by a man named Dr. Spencer Silver who was researching adhesives in the lab. Dr. Silver was a scientist at 3M and while researching, he accidentally discovered an adhesive that didn’t permanently stick to surfaces but was light enough to stick to paper and other surfaces. The adhesive could easily peel off without damaging the surface it was put on, which was an extraordinary discovery at the time. 3M didn’t acknowledge the invention right away, and it took Dr. Silver years to convince higher-ups at the company to take his invention seriously.
Who invented Post-It®?
Dr. Spencer Silver invented the adhesives that went onto the back of Post-It® Notes by accident after trying to accomplish a different goal. Silver’s friend Arthur Fry was the one who brought the invention to life by using a Post-It® Note as a bookmark in a church hymnal. After using it as a bookmark, Fry was overjoyed and had ideas about these small sticky pieces of paper being of use in offices and for organizational purposes.
Dr. Silver was a senior chemist at 3M where he worked as a scientist researching and developing high pressure adhesives meant for aircraft construction. While doing so, he accidentally invented the adhesive that is on the back of what we now see as sticky notes. The adhesive stuck to paper without ripping the page and made them reusable and practical for everyday use. He won several awards towards the end of his career for inventing the Post-It® Note which generated 3M millions of dollars even prior to the expansion of the Post-It branded product line.
Where does the name Post-It® come from?
The name “Post-It” was officially established in 1978 after the sticky adhesive made its way into Fry’s, hymnal as a bookmark. Fry soon realized that his new “bookmark” had lots of other functions and could be used for many things. After 3M learned that the adhesive piece of paper had more to offer the world, the company became more invested in the invention and Silver’s idea took off. After successfully marketing them as bookmarks, 3M then gave them out as free samples to consumers while calling them “Press n’ Peel.” The Press n' Peel name didn't catch on which is why 3M renamed the product Post-It® Notes. Through the efforts of a massive sampling blitz and the newly retitled product, Post-It® Notes generated over $2 million within its first year on the marketplace.
Where are Post-It® products made?
Post-It® products and Scotch Tape are produced in a 3M facility located in a small town called Cynthiana, Kentucky. Even though other 3M products are made and manufactured at the original 3M facility in St. Paul, Minnesota, there are other facilities across the world. Some locations include:
- Decatur, Alabama
- Little Rock, Arkansas
- Corona, California
- Newark, Delaware
- Cordova, Illinois
- Cynthiana, Kentucky
- Chelmsford, Massachusetts
- Hutchinson, Minnesota
- New Ulm, Minnesota
- Valley, Nebraska
Are there any sustainable or eco-friendly efforts that Post-It® uses?
Post-It® recognizes that sustainability is very important, since the majority of their products are made of paper. All Post-It® products that are made of paper are 100% recyclable. Both the adhesives and color dyes do not impact the recycling process, as both are removable during the deinking process. In 2023, in an effort to be even more sustainable, Post-It® Notes launched a new line of notes made with 100% recycled paper in 100% recycled paperboard packaging.
3M is proud of the environmental impact they’ve had in the last 50 years. The company has prevented over 2.7 billion pounds of pollution and has cut greenhouse gas emissions by 62%. They have also cut harmful volatile organic air emissions by 95% all while reusing and recycling as much product as they can, preventing waste and reducing their carbon footprint.
3M seeks to stay committed to sustainable forest management practices and methods in order to conserve natural resources. Since the majority of Post-It® products are made of paper, 3M claims it’s their responsibility as a company to naturally source paper from suppliers that view the planet in the same way.
Can Post-It® products help with productivity?
Post-It® products can help with productivity in many different ways. From taking notes, to organizing your calendar, the different colors and styles of Post-It® office supplies can help you stay productive and organized. Here are some popular ways Post-It® products can be used:
- Post-It® Notes: Post-It® Notes can be used to create to-do lists, help keep your schedule organized, collaborate with others, and stay efficient with work tasks.
- Easel pads and white board surfaces: These products can be used as a large visual for ideas, calendars, or lists for projects.
- Tabs and page flags: These items can be used to keep your spot in a stack of papers, or to color code subjects for school.
What makes Post-It® different from other brands?
The Post-It® brand offers a wide variety of colors, sizes, styles, and adhesive strengths for any environment. Post-It products are found in all types of workplaces, such as schools, offices, restaurants, healthcare offices and hospitals, and so much more. They are versatile, durable, and are known for making people’s lives easier.
Post-It® from W.B. Mason
W.B. Mason has everything you need when it comes to Post-It® products and supplies. For low and discounted prices with fast delivery service, W.B. Mason offers eleven Post-It® brand color collections, nine different sizes of sheets, and different types of adhesive strengths. Along with the classic Post-It® Notes, W.B. Mason offers lots of options when it comes to easels and pads, dry-erase pads, dispensers, and accessories.
References:
3M. 3M Plant Locations.(https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/plant-locations-us)Accessed September 21, 2022.
Post-It. Frequently Asked Questions About Post-It® Brand Products.(https://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/contact-us/FAQs)Accessed September 19, 2022.
Post-It. History Timeline: Post-It® Notes.(https://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/contact-us/about-us)Accessed September 19, 2022.
Quality Logo Products. Who Invented the Post-It Note? A History if Sticky Paper.(https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/promo-university/history-of-sticky-notes)Accessed September 19, 2022.
