Tape was originally invented in 1845 by a doctor who used it to cover a wound on a patient. Though this doctor is often not credited with being the inventor of tape. This doctor originally created tape by putting together cloth with adhesive.

How is tape made? Tape consists of a pressure sensitive adhesive coated onto a backing material such as paper, plastic film, cloth, or metal foil. Some have a removable release liner which protects the adhesive until the liner is removed. Some have layers of adhesives, primers, easy release materials, filaments, printing, etc. made for specific functions.

Although Dr. Horace Day was the first to put fabric and adhesive together to make “tape”, Richard Drew of the 3M Company is often the person credited with inventing tape. The tape that Richard Drew was working on, was invented to help the automotive industry with a painting issue they were dealing with. Since then the uses for tape have rapidly expanded, and so have the options.