Who Invented the Post-It Note? the Complete Story of Spencer Silver, Art Fry, and 3M
By James H. Sterling
The breakthrough that rescued Silver’s microsphere formula from corporate obscurity occurred in 1974 during a Sunday morning church service in North St. Paul. Art Fry, a 3M product development researcher who had attended one of Silver’s internal seminars, sang in his local Presbyterian church choir.
To navigate between hymns quickly during services, Fry placed scrap paper bookmarks between the pages of his hymnal. Inevitably, whenever he stood up to sing, the slips of paper slipped from the open book, scattering across the choir stall floor. Frustrated by the repetitive loss of his place, Fry recalled Silver’s peculiar low-tack adhesive.
Fry reasoned that if Silver’s microsphere glue were applied along the narrow edge of a paper slip, the paper would stay securely anchored to the hymnal page during worship, release cleanly when pulled, and preserve the delicate hymn sheets without leaving yellowing residue. Returning to 3M headquarters the following Monday, Fry partnered with Silver to fabricate prototype memo pads in his home basement and laboratory workshop.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
