In offices and classrooms around the world, sticky notes — those bright, handy squares used to capture thoughts, ideas, and reminders — have become an everyday necessity.
Compact, versatile, and effortlessly adhesive, they symbolize creativity, productivity, and simplicity.
Yet few people realize that behind this modest piece of paper lies a decades-long controversy over who truly invented it.

1. The 3M Scientists: How a “Failed Glue” Sparked a Global Innovation

According to the U.S. industrial giant 3M, the story began back in 1968.
Researcher Spencer Silver developed a unique adhesive — not too strong yet not too weak — that could be applied and removed repeatedly without leaving any residue.
Initially, it was dismissed as a failed experiment, since no one could imagine what practical use it could have.

Several years later, Arthur Fry, another 3M employee, encountered an unexpected problem while singing in his church choir:
his paper bookmarks kept falling out of his hymn book.
Then came a moment of inspiration — what if Silver’s “weak glue” could be used on paper to create removable bookmarks?
That simple idea became the foundation for what would soon be known worldwide as the sticky note.

By 1977, 3M had begun limited market testing, and by 1980, Post-it Notes were officially launched across the United States.
They quickly became one of 3M’s most successful and recognizable products — an accidental innovation that forever transformed office culture.

2. The Independent Inventor: Alan Amron and the Chewing Gum Inspiration

Not everyone accepts 3M’s version of events.
Alan Amron, an American inventor, insists that he was the true originator of the sticky note — claiming to have created it in 1973, a full year before 3M’s official timeline.

Famous for innovative products like the electric water gun and digital photo frame, Amron holds 39 U.S. patents.
He told the Associated Press that the idea came to him while trying to leave reminder notes for his wife on the refrigerator.
Using chewing gum to stick paper to the fridge door, he realized:
“If paper itself had a light, reusable adhesive, it would be ideal.”

Amron later built a prototype and showcased it at a New York trade fair,
where he met two executives from 3M — but no partnership was formed.
A few years afterward, 3M introduced the Post-it Note, bearing striking similarity to Amron’s concept.
Since then, Amron has steadfastly claimed that he was the true inventor.

3. From Courtrooms to Settlements: A Dispute That Lasted Decades

In 1997, Amron took 3M to court, seeking recognition as the legitimate inventor.
The two sides eventually reached a confidential settlement, though the details were never disclosed.
According to Amron, the deal stated that neither party would claim exclusive credit for the invention.

Nearly twenty years later, the dispute resurfaced.
Amron accused 3M of violating the agreement by continuing to credit Fry and Silver as the sole inventors.
He filed a new lawsuit seeking $400 million in damages and public acknowledgment from 3M.

“I just want them to recognize that I’m the inventor,” Amron said.
“As long as they keep denying it, they’re damaging my reputation.”

3M firmly denied his claims, stating:
“The creation of the Post-it Note involved no participation or inspiration from Alan Amron.”
The company maintained that Fry and Silver were the only inventors.

The court urged both sides to seek a renewed settlement by the end of the year,
but the controversy over this small piece of paper remains unresolved.