BAND-AID® Brand: A History of Innovation
Take a look at where we started to see how our product was invented and how our dedication to healing and innovation has propelled us through the years.
1920
Combining two products from Johnson & Johnson—adhesive tape and gauze—Earle Dickson, a cotton buyer, creates a bandage that his wife can apply herself. And the BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandage is invented.
1921
BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandages make their first appearance in stores. These early bandages are extra long strips, measuring 3 inches wide and 18 inches long, which need to be cut to fit.
1924
Gone are the cut-to-fit bandages, and in their place are mass-produced BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandages that are ready to use at 3 inches long by ¾ inch wide. There’s a little red string in the packaging for consumers to easily tear it open.
1926
The iconic tin packaging is debuted. Once people have made use of all the BAND-AID® Brand bandages, the empty tins become reusable canisters to hold everything from nails and buttons to marbles and baseball cards.
1932
BAND-AID® Brand introduces its first waterproof bandage, called the DryBak.
1942
BAND-AID® Brand ships millions of adhesive bandages overseas to the front lines during World War II, many of them packaged inside soldiers’ first aid kits.
1956
BAND-AID® Brand Stars ‘n Strips adhesive bandages hit the market. They are the brand’s first mass-marketed, decorated bandages.
1969
Bandages reach the moon! BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandages are part of the medical kit on the Apollo 11 spacecraft, which landed the first man on the moon.
1975
The catchy commercial jingle, “I am stuck on BAND-AID® Brand cuz BAND-AID’s stuck on me” is composed. It later won a Clio Award in 1976.
1990
Special character BAND-AID® Brand bandages are introduced for the first time, and they’re an instant hit with kids.
1992
BAND-AID® Brand bandage wrappers become easier to rip into when the red pull-string is replaced with a new tear-apart design.
1994
Tin containers go the way of collectors and future limited-edition collectible versions as BAND-AID® Brand switches their packaging to cardboard.
2000 - The one-billionth BAND-AID® Brand adhesive bandage is produced!
2001
BAND-AID® Brand joins the online world by launching BAND-AID.com.
2017
BAND-AID® Brand Skin-Flex® adhesive bandages hit the market, giving touchscreen-using customers the ability to keep on texting even with a paper cut.
2020
BAND-AID® Brand honors its 100th anniversary through its partnership with CARE.org and their "100 Days of Care" program.
2021
BAND-AID® Brand introduces OURTONE™ bandages, designed to better blend with brown skin tones.
Into the Future
With more than 100 years of innovation under our belts, we are as committed as ever to continue help our consumers celebrate the tries, not just the triumphs.