Richard Drew invented The Scotch transparent tape while working as a lab tech at the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, which was then manufacturing sandpaper.

• Drew first invented masking tape. Drew would deliver sandpaper samples to auto manufacturers, who used it for the painting process. Workers needed to mask off part of the car, often using glued-on newspaper or butcher paper. But it was difficult to get off and often resulted in a sticky mess.
• Drew promised a solution. He spent two years developing a tape until the company executive told him to get back to his regular job. Drew kept doing tape experiments on his own time.
• In 1930, he received a patent for his masking tape. In the same year, he also invented his waterproof transparent tape, taking advantage of newly developed cellophane.

The Scotch tape was released at the start of the Great Depression when people had to mend and make do.

People used the transparent tape for everything. While many companies were going under, tape sales helped the company to grow.