In the bustling 1920s, Johnson and Johnson was already making a name for itself with its groundbreaking sterile cotton gauze dressings. These dressings were sealed against germs, a first in the industry. Earle Dickson, an employee at the company, had just gotten married. His new wife had a knack for getting minor cuts and burns during her daily chores.

The gauze dressings from Johnson and Johnson were too large for these small injuries. Earle, thinking on his feet, cut a small piece of the sterile gauze and attached it to her finger with an adhesive strip. He found himself making these small bandages so often for his wife that he decided to come up with a better solution.

Earle created a method to produce these bandages more efficiently. To prevent the adhesive parts from sticking together, he lined them with a crinoline fabric. This clever innovation did not go unnoticed by Johnson and Johnson, and they began producing Earle’s invention.

To introduce this new product to the public, they made a smart marketing decision. They started distributing free Band-Aids to Boy Scout Troops all across America. This strategy worked wonders, and Band-Aids quickly became a household staple.

Since then, it’s estimated that Johnson and Johnson has produced more than 100 billion Band-Aids, solidifying their place in first-aid history.