Editing Cotton swab (section)

== History ==
[[File:Q Tips plain BG.jpg|thumb|A pack of 54 Q-tips]]

The first mass-produced cotton swab was developed in 1923 by [[Polish-American]] [[American Jews|Jew]] [[Leo Gerstenzang]] after he watched his wife attach wads of cotton to [[toothpick]]s to clean their infant's ears.<ref name="howproductsmade">{{Cite web |work=How Products are Made |volume=4 |year=1996 |first=Randy |last=Schueller |title=Cotton Swab |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5205/is_1996/ai_n19124735 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110831153827/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5205/is_1996/ai_n19124735 |archive-date=31 August 2011}}</ref><ref name="About-Q-tips">{{Cite web |publisher=Unilever United States |year=2007–2018 |title=About: A Q-Tips® Cotton Swabs History |url=https://www.qtips.com/about/}}</ref> His product was originally named "Baby Gays" in recognition of their being intended for infants before being renamed "Q-tips Baby Gays", with the "Q" standing for "quality".<ref>{{Cite web |date=<!-- 5:51 AM PDT --> October 24, 2018 |title=Why are they called q-tips when they don't look like the letter Q |url=https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/outreach/why-guy/why-are-they-called-q-tips-when-they-dont-look-like-the-letter-q-why-guy/103-607493269 |access-date=2023-07-02 |publisher=abc10.com |language=en-US |department=Why Guy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Benson Smith |first=Sam |date=2021-03-29 |title=What Exactly Does the 'Q' in 'Q-tips' Stand For? |url=https://www.rd.com/article/meaning-of-q-in-qtips/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Reader's Digest |language=en-US}}</ref> The product eventually became known as "Q-tips", which went on to become the most widely sold brand name of cotton swabs in North America. The term "Q-tip" is often used as a [[genericized trademark]] for a cotton swab in the United States and Canada.<ref name="About-Q-tips" /> The Q-tips brand is owned by Elida Beauty.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Howland |first=Daphne |title=Unilever to sell portfolio that includes Q-tips, Noxzema |url=https://www.retaildive.com/news/unilever-elida-beauty-yellow-wood-partners-q-tips-noxema/702783/ |date=December 18, 2023 |access-date=2024-11-17 |website=Retail Dive |language=en-US}}</ref> It was formerly owned by [[Unilever]] and had over $200 million in US sales in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Fitzgerald |first=Dennis |title=How a household staple became the source of doctor's office swab stories |url=http://www.pressreader.com/canada/toronto-star/20160124/282389808497281/TextView |access-date=24 January 2016 |work=[[The Toronto Star]] |date=24 January 2016}}</ref> "Johnson's buds" are made by [[Johnson & Johnson]].

However, according to the United States Patent Case (C-10,415) ''Q-Tips, Inc. v. Johnson & Johnson, 108 F. Supp. 845 (D.N.J. 1952)'',<ref name="law.justia.com">{{Cite web|url=https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/108/845/1417414/|title=Q-Tips, Inc. v. Johnson & Johnson, 108 F. Supp. 845 (D.N.J. 1952) |publisher=Law.justia.com|access-date=20 July 2022}} {{PD-notice}}</ref> it would appear that the first commercial producer of cotton-tipped applicators was Mrs. Hazel Tietjen Forbis, who manufactured them in her home. She also owned a patent on the article, numbered 1,652,108, dated December 6, 1927, and sold the product under the appellation Baby Nose-Gay.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/5c/d4/a8/adc758d0b34505/US1652108.pdf|title=Patent filed : No: 1,652,108: H. T. Forbis |date=December 6, 1927 |publisher=Patentimages.storage.googleapis.com|access-date=July 23, 2022}}</ref> In 1925, Leo Gerstenzang Co., Inc. purchased an assignment of the product patent from Mrs. Forbis. On January 2, 1937, Q-Tips, Inc's president, Mr. Leo Gerstenzang, and his wife Mrs. Ziuta Gerstenzang formed a partnership and purchased from Mrs. Forbis "All merchandise, machinery, and fixtures now contained in the premises 132 W. 36th Street and used by said Q-Tips, Inc., for the manufacture of Q-Tips or medicated swabs together with the accounts receivable of said Q-Tips, Inc." The contract recited that Q-Tips, Inc. was the owner of patents covering the manufacture of applicators.<ref name="law.justia.com"/>

Originally, when cotton-tipped applicators were made by Mrs. Forbis, they were sold under the name of Baby Nose-Gays.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Meyersohn |first=Nathaniel |date=2022-06-25 |title=How we got addicted to using Q-tips the wrong way  |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/25/business/q-tips-ears-wellness-history/index.html |access-date=2023-07-02 |publisher=CNN Business |language=en}}</ref> In 1925, after The Leo Gerstenzang Co., Inc. purchased an assignment of the product patent from Mrs. Forbis, the packages of applicators were labelled Baby-Gays. In 1926, the legend was changed to read "Q-Tips Baby Gays", and in 1927 an application was made to register the mark "Q-Tips Baby Gays". Sometime after 1926, the words "Baby Gays" were dropped and the concern began to develop "Q-Tips" as its identifying mark, applying for registration on September 14, 1933.<ref name="law.justia.com"/> Packages were made up using blue paper with pictures of double-tipped applicators upon them, features which have been the basis for the Q Tips packaged sign since. The design of the crossed applicators was made by dropping them and then photographing the resulting pattern.