Post-it note

A Post-it note (or sticky note) is a small piece of paper with a re-adherable strip of glue on its back, made for temporarily attaching notes to documents and other surfaces. A low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive allows the notes to be easily attached, removed, and even re-posted elsewhere without leaving residue. The Post-it's signature adhesive was discovered accidentally by a scientist at 3M. Originally small yellow squares, Post-it notes and related products are available in various colors, shapes, sizes, and adhesive strengths. As of 2024, there are at least 28 documented colors of Post-it notes. 3M's Post-it has won several awards for its design and innovation. Post-its are versatile and can be used in various settings for various purposes. They are commonly used in classrooms and workplaces but can also be found in art, media, and social media. Post-its have also been used as tools for public engagement and persuasion. Although 3M's patent expired in 1997, the "Post-it" brand name and the original notes' distinctive yellow color remain registered company trademarks, with terms such as "repositionable notes" used for similar offerings manufactured by competitors. While use of the trademark "Post-it" in a representative sense refers to any sticky note, no legal authority has ever considered it a generic trademark.

A Post-it note (or sticky note) is a small piece of paper with a re-adherable strip of glue on its back, made for temporarily attaching notes to documents and other surfaces. A low-tack pressure-sensitive adhesive allows the notes to be easily attached, removed, and even re-posted elsewhere without leaving residue. The Post-it's signature adhesive was discovered accidentally by a scientist at 3M. Originally small yellow squares, Post-it notes and related products are available in various colors, shapes, sizes, and adhesive strengths. As of 2024, there are at least 28 documented colors of Post-it notes. 3M's Post-it has won several awards for its design and innovation. Post-its are versatile and can be used in various settings for various purposes. They are commonly used in classrooms and workplaces but can also be found in art, media, and social media. Post-its have also been used as tools for public engagement and persuasion. Although 3M's patent expired in 1997, the "Post-it" brand name and the original notes' distinctive yellow color remain registered company trademarks, with terms such as "repositionable notes" used for similar offerings manufactured by competitors. While use of the trademark "Post-it" in a representative sense refers to any sticky note, no legal authority has ever considered it a generic trademark.

History

, developer of the Post-it note]] In 1968, Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M in the United States, attempted to develop a super-strong adhesive. Instead, he accidentally created a "low-tack", reusable, pressure-sensitive adhesive for the aerospace industry. For five years, Silver promoted his "solution without a problem" within 3M both informally and through seminars, but failed to gain adherents. In 1974, a colleague who had attended one of his seminars, Arthur Fry, came up with the idea of using the adhesive to anchor his bookmark in his hymn book. Fry then utilized 3M's sanctioned "permitted bootlegging" policy, which allows employees to spend some of their work time on projects of their own choosing, to develop the idea. The original notes' canary yellow color was chosen by chance, from the color of the scrap paper available at the lab next door to the Post-it team. Fry provided 3M employees with a prototype of the product, and individuals started exchanging messages, demonstrating the product's communicative effectiveness. ]] 3M test marketed the product as a "Press 'n Peel" in stores in four cities in 1977, but results were disappointing. A year later, 3M launched a massive marketing campaign known as the Boise Blitz. This campaign involved renaming the product to "Post-it Note" and giving out free samples to offices in Boise, Idaho. This time, results were promising as more than 90 percent of those who received free samples indicated they would buy the product. Post-its were launched across the United States in 1980. The following year, they were launched in Canada and Europe. Post-it Notes as we know them were patented by Fry in 1993 as a "repositionable pressure-sensitive adhesive sheet material". Post-it Flags were introduced as a new way to organize with color coding, filing, and indexing. In 1995, Post-it Easel Pads were introduced. The following year, Post-it Easel Pads for kids were introduced. In 2003, the company introduced Post-it Brand Super Sticky Notes, with a stronger glue that adheres better to vertical and non-smooth surfaces. In 2014, 3M released Post-it Super Sticky Dry Erase Surface, an instant dry erase surface that is stain-free and customizable to quickly fit on walls, cabinets, desks and more. reading from a book with post-it notes as bookmarks]] In 2018, 3M launched Post-it Extreme Notes, which are more durable and water-resistant and which stick to wood and other materials in industrial environments. In 2019, the Post-it App was relaunched. In 2020, 3M released the Post-it Flex Write Surface – a whiteboard surface that can be written on with dry erase and permanent markers without leaving stains behind when cleaned with water and soap. The company also released Post-it Foil Tabs, which were a revamp of the Post-it Tab with the purpose of satisfying the rise of personalization and bullet journaling trends of customers. In 2021, 3M revealed a new logo and launched Noted by Post-it Brand – a collection of paper goods and desktop applications. The Post-it note is in the Architecture and Design collection of the Museum of Modern Art, and was included in Pirouette: Turning Points in Design, a 2025 exhibition featuring "widely recognized design icons [that highlight] pivotal moments in design history".

Competing claims

Alan Amron claimed to have been the actual inventor in 1973 and to have disclosed the Post-it note technology to 3M in 1974. His 1997 suit against 3M resulted in a confidential settlement. As part of the settlement, Amron agreed not to make future claims against the company unless the settlement agreement should be breached. However, in 2016, he launched a further suit against 3M, asserting that 3M was wrongly claiming to be the inventor, and seeking $400 million in damages. At a preliminary hearing, a federal judge ordered the parties to undergo mediation. The suit was subsequently dismissed, upholding the previous 1998 settlement. In 1997, 3M sued Microsoft for trademark infringement for creating an electronic Post-it in Microsoft's Office 97 and using the term "Post-it" in a help file.

Software implementations

Virtual Post-it notes have been created for computers in the form of desktop notes. These include 3M's own Post-it Brand Software Notes, Stickies in macOS, and Sticky Notes in Windows.

Notes

References

External links

Acrylate-copolymer microspheres [adhesive formula] Repositionable Pressure-Sensitive Adhesive Sheet Material [sheet material] Post-it homepage Post-it Note History by 3M Stavroula Karapapa, (2019). Post-it note. In Claudy Op den Kamp and Dan Hunter (eds.), A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects, Cambridge University Press.

Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1378033562 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.